Industry Performance: Member Relationships (4Q21)
Inflation and international trade sanctions cast shadows over member spending behavior in the near future.
Inflation and international trade sanctions cast shadows over member spending behavior in the near future.
Consumers spent at pre-pandemic levels through the second half of the year.
Lenders reported a record year for originations in 2021 despite rising asset prices and rates increases, both of which were substantively driven by inflationary pressures.
Larger average mortgage balances have offset the reduced pipeline, and credit unions are holding these loans on their balance sheets at greater rates.
Name, image, and likeness (NIL) contracts are still new, but three intrepid credit unions share best practices and lessons learned about building relationships with college players.
The sports analysts at Callahan & Associates wrap up March Madness with predictions based on credit union performance data. Which team will reign supreme?
By turning March 25 into “325 Day,” the credit union helped launch a civic celebration that has become an annual event.
The global economy was rebounding at the end of 2021. So, too, were U.S. credit unions. But tensions in Europe and increasingly high inflation projections suggest significant headwinds for 2022.
Member business lending requires an extra layer of due diligence: appraising the appraisal to help reduce risk.
An avatar named Val, trained to interact like a live human, handles thousands of queries every month and improves the member experience at the Wisconsin cooperative.

Coastal Credit Union evaluates fintech through the lens of member value, strategic growth, and organizational readiness to implement new ideas.

Long-term growth depends on pairing trusted community relationships with intentional investment in technology, leadership, and purpose.

Credit unions are making decisions about where to build, invest, and partner as they balance today’s priorities with tomorrow’s opportunities.

Industry leaders share how they approach fintech investment, balancing immediate needs with longer-term bets while keeping member value and mission at the center.

Credit unions that enable seamless movement between fiat and digital assets position themselves as a trusted on- and off-ramp.

The credit unions that win the next generation will be the ones that showed up early, when young members were forming habits and deciding whom to trust.

The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to adopt it responsibly with the right governance, the right partners, and the right balance between technology and human oversight.

McKinsey projects trillions of dollars in growth across digital assets, with money movement emerging as one of the biggest opportunities.

The Indiana cooperative blends internal development with selective partnerships to meet members’ needs today now while positioning for what’s next.

The San Diego cooperative leans on its CUSO and the CURQL network to make fintech investments, but member needs still guide which solutions ultimately make it into the credit union’s operations.