Credit unions are racing to keep up with faster payments and rising expectations for seamless, instant service. Members want fintech speed with cooperative trust — finding that sweet spot is an ongoing challenge and opportunity for credit union leaders.
Read on for insights and strategies from Atomic Credit Union, Coastal FCU, Dupaco Community Credit Union, GECU Credit Union, Golden 1 Credit Union, and Greater Texas FCU. Read “Innovation At The Speed Of Payments (Part 2)” to hear from Lake Trust Credit Union, Rogue Credit Union, Royal Credit Union, Texas Trust Credit Union, and YOLO FCU.
Trust Through Education
Taylor Stapleton has been vice president of funds management at Atomic Credit Union ($749.5M, Piketon, OH) since February 2024. She joined the rural Ohio cooperative in 2018 and moved into funds management in March 2021.
Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?
Taylor Stapleton: AI and blockchain will drive major innovation in payment systems and how credit unions serve members. Blockchain’s ability to detect fraud and streamline operations helps us offer faster, more secure payments.
At Atomic Credit Union, we grow by embracing technologies that fit our members’ needs. Maintaining personal relationships while adopting tools that enhance convenience and protection allows us to modernize and expand. Blockchain boosts transaction speed, access, and security across our membership.
How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?
TS: We’re enhancing our core and digital platforms using new technologies while staying true to our values. Members benefit from faster payments and improved fraud protection, with compliance intact.
Internally, the biggest challenge is balancing risk with convenience. AI and blockchain require strong data protection amid cyber threats. Externally, we face pressure to compete and keep pace with trends. We build trust by educating members on products and warning them about security threats to help reduce payment system risks.
Digital Debit And More
Daniel Rathfelder has been with Coastal Federal Credit Union ($5.7B, Raleigh, NC) for four years, first as vice president as card services and for the past two years as vice president of loan operations. In that role, he oversees mortgage and loan servicing and card services for the Research Triangle credit union.
Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?
Daniel Rathfelder: At Coastal, AI is already reshaping member services — from credit decisioning and chatbots to analytics that anticipate needs. We’re now exploring voice bots and automation to further enhance the member experience.
We also see stablecoin as a key emerging force, especially with the GENIUS Act paving the way for broader adoption. Stablecoins promise fast, low-cost, borderless payments, and we’re actively evaluating their future role.
Our members have always embraced innovation — we led with ITMs in 2006 — and they expect forward-thinking solutions. We’re committed to delivering exactly that.
How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?
DR: Coastal continues to modernize payments for speed, convenience, and security. We offer digital wallets, contactless cards, and as of January 2025, full digital issuance for credit and debit cards.
We’re rolling out Zelle soon, and we’ve enabled FedNow and RTP receive capabilities to support real-time payments. Stablecoin integration is also part of our long-term vision as digital currencies gain ground.
Fast-changing regulations pose the biggest challenge. Internally, it’s ensuring innovation aligns with security, compliance, and operational readiness.
Bullish On Agentic AI
Dupaco Community Credit Union ($3.5B, Dubuque, IA) named Todd Link its first chief member services officer this past February. He joined Dupaco in 2014 and has served as chief risk officer and senior vice president of risk management and remote delivery before assuming his current role at the Iowa credit union.
Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?
Todd Link: I’m quite bullish — in fact bullish would be an understatement — on the future of agentic AI using operator connections rather than traditional APIs. Large financials are investing heavily here. That’s not just for common tasks, like underwriting or fraud detection, but to automate entire back-office operations, like preparing and filing paperwork, working alerts, reviewing exception reports, and flagging real risks for human review.
With rising costs and margin compression, operational efficiency through agentic AI will be essential. Credit unions that embrace it can redirect staff toward front-line member engagement. Those that don’t risk falling too far behind to compete.
How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?
TL: Dupaco has and continues to invest heavily in both payment technology and digital banking offerings and, of course, fraud prevention, detection, and intervention tools. To me the three elements run parallel to one another. A successful payments program needs strong digital banking tools as well as the latest and most advanced fraud tools to protect against loss.
When we do all three correctly, most members not only willingly engage in innovative technology but actively seek it out. RTP [real-time payments] is a bit unique due to the risks associated with sending but over time I believe RTP will also be a valuable and heavily used tool in money movement.
Don’t Stop Here. Todd Link is redefining member service at Dupaco Community Credit Union, blending risk expertise with operational leadership to deliver secure, seamless, member-focused experiences. Read more in “What’s In A Name: Chief Member Services Officer.”
It’s Only Just Begun
Amanda Willians is a 28-year employee of GECU Credit Union ($4.4B, El Paso, TX). She’s been senior vice president for payment and remote services since 2022 and has 10 years of payments industry experience with the west Texas shop.
Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?
Amanda Williams: AI and open banking are redefining payments and we’re only beginning to realize their potential. AI is evolving from a support tool to a strategic driver, enabling real-time fraud detection, predictive risk modeling, and hyper-personalized member engagement. By harnessing its ability to learn and adapt, we can move from reactive responses to anticipatory service — identifying risks before they appear and delivering tailored solutions when they’re needed most.
Open banking accelerates the shift to a fully connected ecosystem. Secure, consent-driven data sharing between institutions and trusted third parties empowers members to manage finances seamlessly across platforms. This cross-functionality drives new business models, faster innovation, and deeply integrated payment experiences beyond traditional banking.
How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?
AW: GECU is working with third-party vendors to provide our members with the next generation of payments where speed, security, and convenience work in harmony. We deliver an experience where payments are more than transactions — they’re trusted, intelligent interactions.
We’re expanding real-time capabilities through modern P2P solutions and mobile-first digital banking experiences. We’re advancing our API ecosystem, embedding real-time analytics, and deploying adaptive fraud-prevention tools that strengthen security effortlessly.
Internally, our biggest challenge is innovating at the speed of technology while aligning resources, skills, and culture. Externally, members expect instant, seamless payment experiences.
We’re constantly adapting to evolving expectations and regulatory demands. Our approach is intentional evolution — innovating responsibly, anticipating market shifts, and designing a payments environment ready for today’s demands and tomorrow’s opportunities.
Emerging Technology Aligned With Mission
Blair Braud has served as executive vice president and head of operations at Golden 1 Credit Union ($20.3B, Sacramento, CA) since April 2024. She came to the big cooperative with a quarter century of corporate banking experience, including senior positions in risk and operations.
Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?
Blair Braud: Emerging technologies like instant fund transfers between parties and open banking will shape the future through greater convenience, speed, and security, but we must align them with our mission to empower members and communities across California.
How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?
BB: We’re upgrading our payment systems to deliver greater speed and convenience while keeping security, compliance, and trust central to our strategy. Key initiatives include:
- AI And Machine Learning — Real-time analysis detects fraud faster than humans while insights improve member equity and experience.
- Cloud Computing — Scales efficiently to handle growing transaction volumes securely.
- Tokenization — Randomized tokens replace sensitive data, cutting fraud risk and enabling secure, fast payments.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) — Stronger security with a seamless member experience.
- Education And Device Security — Training members and staff builds defenses against evolving threats.
- Accessibility Enhancements — Expert partnerships keep digital and in-branch tools inclusive and secure.
One of our biggest external challenges is keeping up with rapidly evolving payment threats. Internally, adapting systems and staff capabilities to new tech — without disrupting the member experience —remains a constant balancing act.
The Future Belongs To Blended Systems
Jason Endsley joined Greater Texas Federal Credit Union ($952.6M, Austin, TX) in early 2024. He has managed card payment programs for more than 20 years in the credit union and consumer banking spheres.
Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?
Jason Endsley: In the coming years, artificial intelligence and open banking will drive the biggest changes in payments. AI already makes fraud detection faster and more accurate while personalizing experiences. It anticipates needs, speeds approvals, and makes payments seamless, turning transactions into connections.
Open banking accelerates this shift by linking credit unions, fintechs, and networks. Members gain instant, low-cost transfers, richer tools, and integrated services all within the credit union ecosystem.
Blockchain’s near-term value is behind the scenes, improving settlements, cross-border payments, and identity verification. The future belongs to systems blending intelligence, openness, and trust, giving members more choice and security while keeping credit unions central to their financial lives.
How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?
JE: Greater Texas Credit Union is in the middle of a multi-year effort to transform payments for speed, convenience, and flexibility while keeping security and trust central. A key initiative is modernizing our card processing platform to deliver faster authorizations, deeper data insights, and more resilient operations. We’ve also secured long-term partnerships with networks like Visa to provide stability and accelerate innovation.
We’re also preparing to leverage new payment rails like FedNow and the RTP network. These capabilities will let members send and receive funds instantly — around the clock — for deposits, transfers, and more, all within a secure credit union environment.
The challenge internally is aligning people, systems, and processes to support this change without disruption. Externally, we face evolving regulations, rising fraud sophistication, and member expectations set by tech-first competitors.
Don’t Stop Here. Read “Innovation At The Speed Of Payments (Part 2)” to hear from Lake Trust Credit Union, Rogue Credit Union, Royal Credit Union, Texas Trust Credit Union, and YOLO FCU.
Interviews have been edited and condensed.