John and Glen discuss the latest maneuvers in the stablecoin world- particularly the newly announced Open USD initiative spearheaded by Bridge, bringing its parent company Stripe into the game. Is it a game changer or a press release destined for Libra-land? Also, new Fed data finds credit cards in overdrive.
July 17, 2026
June 30, 2026
May 20, 2026
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The Federal Reserve has a quirky pattern of sharing results of its flagship payments research over major holidays. Usually that holiday is the Christmas/New Years window, with initial findings from the Fed’s triennial Payments Study shooting down the chimney. For whatever reason this cycle’s initial results were delayed until the eve of America’s 250th birthday.
Glen meets with Edelman Smithfield Managing Director Deidre Campbell to break down the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, the public’s “retreat into insularity,” and the resulting action items for banks and credit unions. Also- Illinois turns its focus to BNPL while JD Power highlights an FI opportunity, X Money broadens its reach, and the murky NCUA waters begin to clear.
Laura Gibson-Lamothe, the Georgia Fintech Academy’s Executive Director, provides firsthand coverage of the key takeaways from Money 20/20 Europe. Laura and Glen also discuss broader trends in talent development/demand and regional differences in banking (and smoking! ) regulation. Plus- process reflections spurred by the passing of longtime Fed Chair Alan Greenspan, and the Bank of England sets a new stablecoin standard.
The interchange debate has been a perpetual moving target for the past few years. With the dust having apparently settled momentarily, let’s dive into some remarkable events that have occurred over May and June alone.
Our second batch of interviews stemming from the Financial Health Network’s EMERGE conference, both with founders of compelling fintech startups: ROX CEO Lara Hodgson (breaking down barriers to SMB credit/liquidity) and Poncho CEO John Brown (financial wellness for military families). Also- the sudden twist in Fiserv’s turnaround story.
Glen shares highlights from the Financial Health Network’s EMERGE conference, including interviews with a pair of trailblazing co-founders: Debbie Rewards’ Frida Leibowitz and Prosprous.ai’s Ted Leung. Also- Illinois kicks the interchange can down the road (again), Pope Leo pleads for humanity in AI, and a campaign to repurpose dopamine hits for financial wellness.
Glen and John dissect a recent online airing of grievances regarding AI’s perceived shortcomings. To Glen’s surprise, John finds validity to some of these criticisms. Also- the Pope weighs in, robots close the human gap, the term “neuro-symbolic AI” emerges, and the green shoots of a “slow tech” movement may be emerging.
In this session, John Best explores the launch of ChatGPT’s new finance capabilities and what the rise of AI-powered financial agents could mean for credit unions and financial institutions. The discussion covers personalized financial management, subscription tracking, agentic AI, data ownership, member relationships, and the opportunities — and risks — facing financial institutions as AI becomes more integrated into consumers’ financial lives.
Glen chats with Lee Wetherington about Jack Henry’s newly minted survey of nearly 200 credit union and bank CEOs, exploring how strategic priorities and top concerns differ by group and how they’ve shifted over time. Also, a treasure trove of new industry data- on consumer payment choice, household economics, crypto/stablecoin usage, and a breezy 269-page NCUA stroke of GENIUS for your holiday reading pleasure.
Our continuing coverage of the NACUSO Reimagine and Nacha Smarter Faster Payments conferences features a pair of interviews: NACUSO’s advocacy lead Zach Pfister on modernizing investment rules to match 2026 realities, and Dykema’s Lauren Quigley on FIs’ role as open banking realists, creating a safe environment for the inevitable.
Glen gathers highlights from the annual conferences for both Nacha in San Diego and NACUSO in Orlando, including conversations with Nacha CEO Jane Larimer on Same Day ACH milestones, Duome Co-Founder Eric Berg on a Next Big Idea for housing, and the Digital Sovereignty Alliance’s Molly Woodman on the state of stablecoin.
Meet The BIGcast Network
The fintech industry is evolving rapidly, and the BIGcast is here to delve into its impact on the credit union industry. Our esteemed guests from across the financial, technology and security sectors will provide thrilling perspectives on the latest fintech innovations that are poised to revolutionize the way we handle our finances. Each week join thought-leader, John Best and subject matter expert, Glen Sarvady as they take a quick dive into the financial industry’s current breakthroughs and latest hot topics.
John Best
CEO, Best Innovation Group
Glen Sarvady
Managing Principal, 154 Advisors