A Tale of Two Coinbases
For Coinbase it was the best of weeks and the worst of weeks- all wrapped into one.
Let’s lead with the positive- last Monday S&P Global announced that it was adding Coinbase to its benchmark S&P 500 stock index. This marks a watershed moment for the crypto sector, a major psychological milestone signifying the mainstreaming of an industry that not long ago seemed on the ropes as a result of multiple scandals and depressed asset prices.
Honey, I Shrunk the NCUA Board
It was a fascinating week to be in the presence of 500 credit union leaders at NACUSO’s Reimagine conference. After all, the internal machinations of an obscure federal financial insurance/supervisory agency aren’t exactly headline fodder for the general public. To the industry professionals assembled in Vegas, however, it was clear a seismic shift had occurred. (Despite our lighthearted title let me be clear- this is no laughing matter.)
Executive Order to Eliminate Checks Isn’t Worth the Paper it’s Printed On
The number of Executive Orders emerging from President Trump’s Oval Office has been unprecedented. Many have been far-reaching and, in the eyes of some, over-reaching. Others have been just… weird. March 25’s EO mandating that the Federal Government cease issuing paper checks falls in the latter category.
A Pivotal (Sub)Chapter in Credit Union History
The term “existential threat” has been coming up a bit too often for comfort- and this time it may not be hyperbole.
GAC Takeaways: Tax Exemption, Interchange, the CFPB and NCUA
Record-setting attendance of more than 6,000 is a nice headline, but it only begins to convey the story. Last week’s Governmental Affairs Conference featured heightened levels of energy and urgency that transcended badge counts- and not for entirely happy reasons.
Zelle Hits a Trillion, Same Day ACH Says “Hold My Beer”
A flurry of year-end data provided valuable insight on the state of faster payments in the US and prompted some organizational chest-thumping. It also breathes new life into the question, “how fast is fast enough?”
Did You Have That One On Your Bingo Card?
What started as an offhand comment- “I bet you didn’t have that on your bingo card”- took on a life of its own.
Making Sense of Trump’s Crypto Executive Order
It took a mere four days back in office for President Trump to issue his Executive Order, “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology.” Somehow it managed to qualify as a bit of a letdown for some crypto enthusiasts who had become convinced their cause was a high enough priority to warrant a mention in the inaugural address.
Recapping 2024’s BIGgest Credit Union/Fintech Stories
Our final BIGCast of 2024 featured a roundtable discussion of the year’s stories we deemed most impactful for credit unions. Here’s a summary for those of you who prefer the printed word- taking liberties as the author of this piece, I’ve added a pair of bonus picks.
Making Sense of FedNow’s Data Dump
Almost precisely sixteen months after launching its long anticipated network of instant payment rails, in late November the Federal Reserve finally shared volume metrics for its FedNow service. While a welcome addition to our understanding of the landscape, the data is of the “glass half full/half empty” variety, and so far raises as many questions as it answers.