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Matt Anderton

"The Composable Tech Visionary"

Matt Anderton is the Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Chisel, where he serves as "The Composable Tech Visionary" architecting the future of fintech infrastructure. With over 20 years of hands-on technology experience spanning multiple industries, Matt has built his reputation as the technical architect who transforms complex financial systems into modular, scalable, and owner-controlled platforms.

From his unconventional start as a fine dining cook in New Orleans' French Quarter to becoming a recognized authority in composable fintech architecture, Matt brings a unique craftsman's perspective to technology leadership. His "Composable Stack Methodology" has become the blueprint for fintech companies seeking to own their infrastructure rather than rent access to someone else's platform.

As the founder of Leviathan Dataworks and former CTO of Cardplatforms LLC, Matt has designed and implemented financial technology systems that process millions of transactions while maintaining the flexibility and scalability that modern fintech demands. His expertise spans the complete technology stack, from frontend user experience to backend infrastructure, making him an invaluable guide for companies navigating the complex world of financial technology architecture.

Professional Experience & Credentials

Technology Leadership Roles

Matt's progression from individual contributor to technical leader demonstrates his deep understanding of both hands-on development and strategic architecture:

Leadership Roles:

Chisel - CTO & Co-Founder (2025-Present)
Leviathan Dataworks LLC - Owner/Operator (2020-Present)
Cardplatforms, LLC - Chief Technology Officer (2019-2020)
Cardplatforms, LLC - VP Technology (2015-2019)
Origins Financial Services - Director of Technology (2011-2014)

Career Evolution & Industry Experience

Unconventional Beginning (2003)

Matt's journey began in an unexpected place—as a fine dining cook in New Orleans' French Quarter. This background in craftsmanship and attention to detail would later inform his approach to building robust, elegant technology systems. He "hung up his apron and burned his toque" to transition into IT, bringing a craftsman's mindset to technology.

Leadership Technical Foundation Building (2003-2007)

Huntsman Cancer Institute - Jr. Systems Administrator, Radiation Oncology (2005-2007)
CHG - Systems Support Engineer (2004-2005)
Various Roles - Call center tech support, help desk, systems administration

Development Career Launch (2007)

iCommissions - PHP Web Developer (2007-2011)
Dominion Enterprises - Web Developer (2011)
Red Ventures - Web Application Developer (2014-2015)
PlanSource - Senior Developer (2015)

Fintech Specialization: Matt's deep dive into financial technology began with payment processing and infrastructure projects, providing formative experience with major payment processors and financial systems architecture.

Industry Expertise Across Sectors

Matt's 20+ years in technology have provided exposure across diverse industries, giving him unique cross-sector perspective:

Financial Services: Payments processing, payroll cards, prepaid systems, secured cards, credit products
Healthcare Technology: Cancer treatment systems, health insurance platforms
Employment Benefits: HR technology and benefits administration
Digital Marketing: Performance marketing platforms and analytics
E-commerce: Transaction processing and customer experience systems

Technical Expertise & Architecture Philosophy

Core Technical Competencies

Backend Development & Architecture

Languages & Frameworks: PHP (Laravel), modern server-side technologies
Database Design: MySQL, PostgreSQL, data architecture and optimization
API Development: RESTful services, GraphQL, microservices architecture
System Integration: Third-party API integration, data synchronization, webhook systems

Frontend & User Experience

Modern JavaScript: VueJS, reactive frontend frameworks
Mobile Development: Hybrid mobile applications, cross-platform strategies
UI/UX Design: User experience optimization, responsive design principles
Performance Optimization: Frontend performance, caching strategies, CDN implementation

Infrastructure & DevOps

Cloud Platforms: Amazon Web Services (AWS), cloud-native architecture
Containerization: Docker, Kubernetes, microservices deployment
CI/CD Pipelines: Automated testing, deployment, infrastructure as code
Security: Application security, data protection, compliance frameworks

Financial Technology Specialization

Payment Processing: Card networks, processor integration, interchange optimization
Compliance Systems: KYC/AML implementation, regulatory reporting
Risk Management: Fraud prevention, transaction monitoring, security controls
Financial Data: Transaction processing, reporting systems, analytics platforms

Signature Frameworks & Methodologies

Infrastructure Ownership Model

Darin's flagship framework that helps fintech companies and financial institutions evaluate the true cost of platform dependency versus infrastructure ownership. This methodology has helped dozens of companies avoid the vendor lock-in that led to the Synapse collapse and similar platform failures.

Composable Stack Methodology

Matt's flagship framework that revolutionizes how fintech companies approach infrastructure development.

Core Principles:

Modular Design: Breaking complex financial systems into discrete, manageable components
Interoperability First: Designing systems that communicate seamlessly across vendors and platforms
Ownership Over Dependence: Building infrastructure that companies can truly own and control
Progressive Implementation: Staged approaches that minimize risk while maximizing learning
Future-Proof Architecture: Systems that evolve with changing business needs and regulations

Implementation Framework:

Assessment Phase: Analyzing current architecture and identifying composable opportunities
Design Phase: Creating modular architecture blueprints and integration strategies
Development Phase: Building composable components with well-defined APIs
Integration Phase: Connecting modules while maintaining independence and flexibility
Optimization Phase: Continuous improvement and performance optimization

Build vs. Buy Decision Matrix

Matt's systematic approach to evaluating technology decisions in fintech.

Evaluation Criteria:

Technical Complexity: Assessing development effort and ongoing maintenance
Business Criticality: Determining strategic importance and competitive advantage
Vendor Lock-in Risk: Evaluating dependency and future flexibility
Total Cost of Ownership: Complete financial analysis including hidden costs
Regulatory Compliance: Meeting financial services requirements and standards

Infrastructure Ownership Model

Technical framework supporting Chisel's philosophy of infrastructure ownership.

Key Components:

Direct Control: Owning critical infrastructure components and decision-making
Vendor Diversification: Reducing single points of failure through strategic partnerships
Scalability Planning: Building systems that grow with business requirements
Compliance Integration: Embedding regulatory requirements into technical architecture

Industry Recognition & Thought Leadership

Darin writes extensively about composable fintech infrastructure, banking partnerships, and the evolution of financial technology. His content consistently demonstrates the systematically educational approach that has made him a trusted advisor to fintech executives and banking leaders.

Technical Authority

Matt is recognized in the fintech technology community for his expertise in:

Composable Architecture Design: Pioneering modular approaches to financial infrastructure
Fintech System Integration: Expert knowledge of payment processor and banking system APIs
Scalable Platform Development: Building systems that handle millions of transactions
Full-Stack Financial Technology: End-to-end understanding from user interface to backend systems

Open Source Contributions

Through his GitHub presence and Leviathan Dataworks projects, Matt contributes to the broader fintech technology community:

Composable Infrastructure Templates: Open-source blueprints for modular fintech systems
API Integration Libraries: Tools and utilities for financial services integration
Development Frameworks: Reusable components for fintech application development
Best Practice Documentation: Technical guides and implementation patterns]

Speaking & Advisory Roles

Matt regularly shares his expertise through:

Technical Conference Speaking: Architecture and development best practices
Fintech Developer Workshops: Hands-on training for technical teams
Technology Advisory: Strategic guidance for fintech companies and investors
Webinar Series: "Building Composable Fintech Infrastructure" educational content

Test Post

Test Post ...more

Infrastructure

August 07, 2025•0 min read

Why Matt's Perspective Matters

In an industry where many technology leaders have narrow specialization, Matt brings the rare combination of deep technical expertise and broad industry experience. His progression from hands-on developer to technology visionary provides unique insights that benefit:

Technical Teams & CTOs

Real-World Architecture Guidance: Practical advice based on production system experience
Technology Stack Decisions: Informed recommendations for build vs. buy choices
Scalability Planning: Strategies for growing systems without architectural rewrites
Team Development: Building technical capabilities and development processes

Business Leaders & Executives

Technical Risk Assessment: Understanding the business implications of architecture decisions
Investment Prioritization: Aligning technology investments with business objectives
Vendor Evaluation: Technical due diligence for platform and partnership decisions
Competitive Advantage: Leveraging technology architecture for business differentiation

Developers & Engineers

Implementation Best Practices: Proven patterns for fintech system development
Integration Strategies: Effective approaches for connecting financial services APIs
Career Development: Pathways for growing from developer to technical leader
Industry Knowledge: Understanding fintech-specific requirements and challenges