Accelerating the Path to Financial Health
Glen shares highlights of CUNA’s just-completed Government Affairs Conference, including an interview with CUNA Economists Mike Schenk and Jordan Van Rijn recapping their always popular Economic Update and implications for both Main Street and credit unions. Plus acquisitions, re-brandings, and (slim) hopes for crossing the aisle.
No Summer Vacation for Fintech
Glen previews a busy upcoming conference schedule- including a chat with the leaders of Fintech South. Plus- Bitcoin Nation turns on Elon, the Winklevi offer rewards, and Ally throws down the O/D gauntlet.
Are You Focused on the Right Cyber Threats?
Best Innovation Group recently partnered with my friend, longtime industry expert and KnowBe4 Defense Evangelist Roger Grimes to discuss the steps credit unions can take immediately to improve their security posture. You can watch the full session here, but let me share a few of my favorite takeaways.
Finding a “Happy Path” to Debt Reduction
Glen speaks with Ilian Georgiev, co-founder and CEO of debt management app Charlie, about how mobile gaming can inform financial wellness and why new approaches are needed to address the gender gap in finance.
Automated- for the People
Glen connects with leaders from three of his favorite Finovate Spring presenting companies- Attune, BodesWell and Urjanet- each unveiling solutions designed to enhance consumers’ financial lives.
A Digital Paul Revere, and a Credit Union Adam Smith
Glen remembers “the man who saved the internet,” and Bradley Leimer champions a new(ish) path for credit unions. Also, a quixotic new legal assault on the Durbin Amendment.
Cash? Credit? Both? Neither? Huh?
In a recent blog post I addressed pandemic-driven changes in consumer payment behavior and the apparent confusion over both health factors and the economics of various payment instruments. Since then the plot has only thickened- with lawsuits filed, misinformation propagated, and no sign of clarity on the horizon. Allow me to update the situation through a variety of personal anecdotes and news items.
Elon Musk Expects a Population Collapse- What’s a Credit Union To Do?
Some futurists expect population declines by mid-century, with a US reversal coming even sooner. What would this scenario mean for financial services? Also, John grills Bitcoin Loser Glen about the wisdom of being paid entirely in crypto.
Payments Leaders, and the Consumers Who (Might) Follow
Glen speaks with Fiserv SVP of Government Relations Kim Ford about the newly created Payments Leadership Council and BAI Research Director Karl Dahlgren about the surprising ways each generation’s banking attitudes have shifted since the pandemic.
Interchange Agida- Mixed Messages at the Point of Sale
As Americans gradually emerge from quarantine- whether self-imposed or government-mandated- it remains to be seen how consumers’ relationship with Main Street merchants has changed for the long run. Conventional wisdom holds that existing market trends toward digitization received a 12- to 18-month jolt forward from the pandemic.