Where Do the Chips Fall After DeepSeek?
John and Glen (mostly John) sort through the details of the still-evolving DeepSeek story. They assess how much of the freakout is warranted (is it “a Sputnik moment”?) and propose a scenario in which it may actually represent a *plus* for credit unions. Also- yet another twist in the Illinois interchange saga.
How Quickly to Quantum?
John and Glen connect with noted security expert Roger Grimes to untangle the recent developments in quantum computing and discuss why Roger believes the big encryption-obliterating breakthrough will come sooner rather than later- if it hasn’t already.
Crypto Clarity- The Next Frontier
Glen speaks with BankSocial COO and former credit union CEO Becky Reed about what credit unions should expect from “the most crypto-friendly administration in US history,” including regulatory clarity and a symbiotic relationship between crypto and AI. Plus- notes from the DC Crypto Ball, and a very busy Bingo card.
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.
Without Data, It’s All Just Vibes
Glen kicks off the 2025 BIGCast season with Bancography President Steve Reider and a deep dive into branch dynamics. We all know the number of branches is declining but a close look at the data reveals several intriguing subplots (psst… it’s not the credit unions downsizing). Plus the return of BIGCast movie reviews!
Well, That Just Happened….
Our esteemed panel (Anne Legg of Thrive Strategic Services, John Janclaes of Nymbus CUSO, Glen Sarvady of 154 Advisors) join John Best to opine on the biggest stories impacting credit unions and fintech in 2025- Mergers and Fraudsters and AI, oh my!
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.
Can Instant Payments Accelerate?
Glen connects with Payfinia CUSO General Manager Keith Riddle and Star One Credit Union’s EVP of Operations Minal Gupta about the newly minted CUSO aiming to streamline CUs’ provision of instant payment services. Also, newly released FedNow data reveals some unexpected twists.
An Important Part of a Balanced Fintech Strategy
Insightful conversations with three founders whose startups stood out at VentureTech: Joe Gracia of Pitch Competition winner Nickels/CardFit, Blesson Abraham of Aviary AI and Danial Jameel of Saris AI. Also, the Kelce brothers and Joe Montana unexpectedly find their way into the discussion.
A Credit Union/Fintech Thanksgiving
Continuing our annual tradition, John and Glen glide through a fintech wonderland with Anne Legg (Thrive Strategic Services) and John Janclaes (Nymbus CUSO), sharing thoughts on things they’re thankful for across our collaborative community- from the expected (AI, the innovative spirit) to the counter-intuitive (fraud levels, fintech funding).