A Remarkable Month for Interchange – But What Has Really Changed?
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.
Financial Health, No Matter the Mission
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.
Join John Best at the next CU Town Hall Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 at 3 PM ET
Recorded live for the first time ever at ACU’s Strategic Growth Conference, this CU Town Hall took on a lively “Pardon the Interruption” format as John Best, Joe Keller (Visions), Karen Bejarano (TruWest), and Glen Sarvady (154 Advisors) tackled today’s most pressing industry issues. From the CFPB, open banking, stablecoins, AI & quantum, branch strategy, next-gen members/wealth transfer, fraud, and fintech partnerships—this fast-paced session delivered candid insights, audience interaction, and plenty of laughs.
CU Town Hall Episode 147: The ChatGPT Finance Era
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.
Aurachain and Best Innovation Group Launch Fraud.Watch for Shared Fraud Defense
TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 10, 2026 — As fraud grows more coordinated and technologically sophisticated, credit unions and community banks face an urgent challenge: defending against networked threats with isolated tools.