Whether by design or the irresistible force of industry trends, each annual edition of Money 20/20 seems to coalesce around a prevailing vibe. Who can forget the “Jesus Loves Bitcoin” year? At other times the impact of regulators, venture capitalists and household tech company names spreading their wings have all taken turns in the limelight.
October 22, 2026
Keep pace with the rapidly evolving fintech industry by subscribing to the BIGcast Network.
Get weekly insights from industry leaders John Best and Glen Sarvady, delivered straight to your preferred podcast platform. Join our community and stay informed about the latest trends shaping the credit union industry. Subscribe today and ensure you’re always ahead of the curve.
Media
Glen speaks with Tony Hernandez about the power of CU Unplugged’s “un-conference” model, why he couldn’t wait a full year to rev up its collaborative engine again, and how a BOGGSAT can deliver impressive results. Fresh from the Innovation Club, Velir’s Cory Caplette and Josh Hover share insights on retooling websites for agentic traffic, the risk of “AI invisibility,” and the offsetting opportunity to gain mindshare. Also- X Money expands (but leans on the fine print).
Glen does his best to corral VentureTech co-founders Jenny Jackson and Nick Evens, who offer a preview of this year’s credit union/fintech throwdown, its move (slightly) west, its mission to introduce the latest wave of solutions to CU leaders, and an alliance with another outside the box industry event. Also- Jamie puts Muse in a corner, the CFTC tries Dodd-Frank as a path to crypto clarity, and news of an unexpected SEC/Big Ten merger.
Glen interviews Fintech Sandbox co-founder Sarah Biller about agentic AI’s “leapfrog moment,” and Allon Advisors’ Dan Murphy offers a perspective on how agentic AI could reset the entire Open Banking debate. Also- dispatches from the Atlanta and Boston Fintech Weeks, and a preview of industry events still on the fall docket.
Can credit unions take control of their AI future? In CU Town Hall #149, guest host Glen Sarvady sits down with CUltivate CEO Anthony Volpe to discuss credit union-owned AI, lessons from CUltivate's beta program, and the biggest technology trends emerging from Finovate. Ask
Our second wave of Finovate coverage includes interviews with two more standout first-time presenters: Go.AI and Young Early Starters. Also- Glen’s Best of Show ballot, the emergence of the fourth channel, an appeal to protect the seed corn, and pondering the Maya Conundrum.
Just back from Finovate, Glen shares interviews with the founders of three standout first-timers: Goodbuy, FinZee AI and Doshi. Also- Best of Show winners, explainable friction, Chime banks up, and more AI than you can shake an agent at.
Glen speaks with Prismm Founder/CEO Martha Underwood about a new metric- the Deposit Mortality Index- gauging an FI’s risk of deposit loss from the Great Wealth Transfer. Also- PayPal’s acquisition drama draws to a close (for now) and Walmart opens its wallet for Apple Pay.
Recapping last week’s Fintech South conference, Glen interviews founders of the three startups selected as Innovation Challenge finalists- Hussain Punjani of Agentix, Nyah Chapman of LUXE AI and John Patton of Street Charity- then asks you to guess which the judges chose for the grand prize. Also- Rich & Regular hosts Julien and Kiersten Saunders get real about everyday finances, and Spirit Airlines’ data is worth how much to AI developers?!
For this Town Hall, we’re joined by serial entrepreneur Brian Ley, founder and former CEO of Alpharank. Brian will introduce his latest venture, VerifyDial, an innovative scam prevention service that uses a nationwide 411-style phone line to help consumers verify suspicious calls and protect themselves from fraud. During the session, he’ll share how the model works, why it was created, and how VerifyDial plans to provide the service at no cost to community financial institutions. The initiative has already gained early support from several credit union leagues and is generating interest across the industry.
Glen connects with Fintech Sandbox Executive Director Lucas Timberlake to discuss the state of fintech investing- with and without AI- and to learn about his nonprofit’s mission to bring critical financial data access to early stage fintechs. Also- friends say that PayPal and Stripe are… “talking,” and JD Power’s credit card rankings have a K-shaped tilt- and an asterisk for Navy Federal.
Glen catches up with Finovate’s Greg Palmer to preview September’s NYC Demo Parade and the evolution in the startup ecosystem he’s noted. Also- the Fiserv Follies extends its run, and how CLARITY and credit cards suddenly became tied at the hip.
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