Glen offers two more interviews from our continuing Finovate Europe coverage- a chat with GSMA Head of Industry Security Samantha Kight on the latest efforts to combat financial fraud on mobile devices, and the leaders of startup Hagbad unveil a savings circle app with echoes of credit unions' early days. Also- card interchange solidifies its role as America's misunderstood punching bag. Links related to this episode:

• Hagbad: https://hagbad.co.uk/
• GSMA's Connected Fintech and Commerce page: https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/industries/connected-fintech/
• GSMA's Open Gateway financial API initiative: https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/gsma-open-gateway/
• Part 1 of our Finovate Europe coverage, including interviews with a pair of Best of Show winners: https://www.big-fintech.com/putting-an-accent-on-identity-code-modernization-and-fraud/
• Finovate Europe demos are available for viewing: https://finovate.com//videos/?filtertype=&showtypes=FinovateEurope&videostartyear=2026&showletters=A-Z
• Our recent episode previewing GAC with Americas Credit Unions CEO Scott Simpson: https://www.big-fintech.com/small-businesses-big-policy-debates/
• Jared Bernstein's proposed grocery affordability hack that pulls card interchange into the mix: https://econjared.substack.com/p/taking-a-stab-at-food-affordability

Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants most critical. The event is open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco- Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/ to learn more and register.

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen shares his takeaways from Finovate Europe, including interviews with two standout demoing companies- Tweezr and Keyless. Also- $15 billion becomes the new $10 billion, and Illinois' interchange glass looks less than half full. Links related to this episode:

• Tweezr: https://www.tweezr.io/
• Keyless: https://keyless.io/
• Finovate Europe: https://informaconnect.com/finovateeurope/
• Payments Dive on the latest Interchange Fee Prohibition Act court ruling: https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/judge-backs-illinois-law-on-card-fees/811924/
• The CU Daily on proposed legislation to index the Durbin Amendment's $10 billion threshold: https://thecudaily.com/legislation-introduced-that-would-adjust-threshold-for-durbin-amendment-compliance-for-inflation/

Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 18 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This month's session will feature guest Brian Bodell, CEO of Movemint (formerly Digital Storefront). The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants most critical. The event is open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/ to learn more and register. Follow us on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

America's Credit Unions CEO Scott Simpson reflects on his first 90 days in the role and offers a preview of March's Government Affairs Conference. Barlow Research Managing Partner Sandy Hanson shares new and unexpected insights on how SMBs prefer to engage with financial providers. Also- PayPal's plunge brings another of our 2025 BIGgo squares back into play, and an insider's uncommon take on FTX. Links related to this episode:

• America's Credit Unions: https://www.americascreditunions.org/
• The Government Affairs Conference, March 1-5 in Washington DC- breakout sessions now announced: https://www.americascreditunions.org/events-training/conference/governmental-affairs-conference/breakout-sessions
• Barlow Research: https://barlowresearch.com/
• Deluxe Exchange: https://www.deluxe.com/deluxe-exchange/
• Yahoo Finance on PayPal's earnings miss and Elon Musk rumors: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/paypal-tanks-earnings-miss-could-165640023.html

Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 18 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This month's session will feature guest Brian Bodell, CEO of Movemint (formerly Digital Storefront). The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants most critical. The event is open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/ to learn more and register. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen connects with Randy Salser to discuss his initial takeaways as NACUSO's new CEO, and why this April's Reimagine conference is a must-attend for credit unions as well as CUSOs. Also- Playing 3-D Chess with Trump Accounts, and a deep-pocketed twist on a de novo CU. Links related to this episode:

• NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/
• NACUSO's Reimagine conference, April 27-30 at the Disney Yacht & Beach Club in Lake Buena Vista, FL: https://reimagine.nacuso.org/
• Visa's initiative to enable cash back card rewards to be transferred directly to newborn Trump accounts: https://www.thestreet.com/economy/visas-new-trump-cash-back-move-shakes-up-credit-card-rewards
• The CU Daily's coverage of Aven's role in launching Haven Federal Credit Union: https://thecudaily.com/fintech-explains-why-its-donated-millions-to-get-new-cu-off-the-ground/

Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants most critical. The event is open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/ to learn more and register.

Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 18 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This month's session will feature remarks from Brian Bodell, CEO of Movemint (formerly Digital Storefront). The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen speaks with Karen Houghton, Co-Founder/CEO of Infinite Giving, about how to narrow the financial services gap facing nonprofit entities. Also- the latest on the Credit Card Competition Act and proposed 10% rate cap, and a new forum for tackling the real-time issues facing credit unions. Links related to this episode:

• Infinite Giving: https://www.infinitegiving.com/
• Karen's book "Funding Your Mission": https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/funding-your-mission-karen-houghton/1148818789 (Chapter 1 is available for free download at Infinite Giving's website)
• Financial Health Network CEO Jennifer Tescher's analysis of the proposed 10% credit card interest rate cap: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7416861629826482176/
• NerdWallet's take on the Credit Card Competition Act: https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/learn/what-to-expect-if-the-credit-card-competition-act-passes
• Last week's episode, featuring more detail on both CU Unplugged and the proposed 10% credit card rate cap: https://www.big-fintech.com/unplugged-unscripted-unfiltered/

Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants deem most critical. Open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/ to learn more and register. Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 18 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

John and Glen connect with Defense Credit Union Council CEO Tony Hernandez to discuss CU Unplugged, the interactive credit union "un-conference" debuting in late March in San Francisco. Also, Glen surveys the chaos and mixed messaging stemming from the proposed 10% cap on credit card interest. Links related to this episode:

• CU Unplugged, March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: https://www.cu-unplugged.com/
• The Defense Credit Union Council: https://www.dcuc.org/
• Last week's 2026 Predictions episode: https://www.big-fintech.com/2026-do-markets-still-hate-uncertainty/
• Financial Health Network CEO Jennifer Tescher's analysis of the proposed 10% credit card interest rate cap: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7416861629826482176/
• Marketplace's coverage of the cap's likely impact, including an interview with Bankrate: https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/01/12/trumps-credit-cap-would-dramatically-cut-lending
• Another "explainer," this one with an MIT finance professor: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2026/01/21/trump-cap-credit-card-interest-debt
• Bilt's announcement of a credit card complying with the proposed cap: https://apnews.com/article/bilt-credit-card-interest-rate-cap-trump-1ffb0ffca260445858443beb3ac08eb2

Join us for our first CU Town Hall of 2026- Wednesday January 21 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will tackle 2026 predictions in interactive form, covering additional ground including breaking news .The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

The BIGCast Gang ventures into the highly turbulent waters of 2026 fintech and credit union predictions- assessing the bright and dark sides of AI, vibe coding, the outlook for mergers, interest rates and of course, Bitcoin. Glen throws in a Rob Reiner/Stephen King reference for good measure. Links related to this episode:

• John Janclaes/The CEO Corner: https://theceocorner.com/
• Anne Legg/Thrive Strategic Services: https://www.anneleggthrive.com/
• Lou Grilli via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lougrilli/
• Money 20/20's "Who the F Knows?" predictions: https://www.money2020.com/content/predictions
• Plaid's 2026 Predictions: https://plaid.com/events/fintech-predictions-2026-watch-now/
• December's episode grading our 2025 predictions and marking off the BIGGo cards: https://www.big-fintech.com/calling-bingo-in-a-crazy-year/

Join us for our first CU Town Hall of 2026- Wednesday January 21 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will tackle 2026 predictions in interactive form, covering additional ground including breaking news since this podcast was recorded. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

The BIGCast Gang convenes for its annual roundup of the biggest stories impacting credit unions and fintechs (zero points awarded for guessing #1 on the list). Some Q1 headlines seem like ancient history, while others are gifts that just keep on giving. Bitcoin delivered its usual wild ride- but in 2025 it had plenty of company. Links related to this episode:

• John Janclaes/ The CEO Corner: https://theceocorner.com/
• Anne Legg/ Thrive Strategic Services: https://www.anneleggthrive.com/
• Lou Grilli via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lougrilli/
• The AI Index John referenced: https://evidentinsights.com/ai-index/

The BIGCast is taking a two-week holiday break; check in for new content on Tuesday January 13. Until then, check out our archives at https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/?c=bigcast for hundreds of past episodes. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

We have a winner! John and Glen sort through the squares of our 2025 Bingo (or BIG-Go) cards to assess the "gimme" events, items that occurred but differently than expected, and a few things that didn't wind up happening… yet. Links related to this episode:

• Our February blog explaining the BIG-Go game: https://www.big-fintech.com/did-you-have-that-one-on-your-bingo-card/
• PayPal/Venmo's merchant relationship with Taco Bell: https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/2025-06-25-Taco-Bell-Introduces-PayPal-and-Venmo-as-New-in-App-Payment-Options-with-Exclusive-20-Cash-back-Summer-Offer
• FedNow transaction volumes- which have already tripled over 2024: https://www.frbservices.org/resources/financial-services/fednow/quarterly-volume-value-stats
• The merger of not-quite $10 Billion credit unions: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/23/largest-credit-unions-minnesota-colorado-wings-ent-merger-plan

Join us for our final CU Town Hall of 2025- Wednesday December 17 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. In this session we'll recap 2025's major events and tally up our Bingo Card predictions. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen puts a bow on the 2025 conference calendar, wrapping up interviews with SAP Fioneer Global Head of Payments Carlos Figueredo and banking lifer/Association for Cannabis Banking co-founder Michael Beird. Also- constructive yet cautious takes on AI from a multitude of perspectives. Links related to this episode: Fintech Talents: https://www.fintechtalents.com/events/ftt-financial-services-futures/ SAP Fioneer: https://www.sapfioneer.com/ Carlos Figueredo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-figueredo-ba7a745/ Michael Beird's LinkedIn profile and Cannabis Banking playbook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beird/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394276265 The Association for Cannabis Banking: https://the-acb.org/ Join us for our final CU Town Hall of 2025- Wednesday December 17 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. In this session we'll recap 2025's major events and tally up our Bingo Card predictions. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/