BIGcast

Recapping this month's Finovate Spring event, Glen connects with Steven Ramirez (Beyond the Arc) and Elias Kruger (Long Range AI) to compare notes on the standouts and key takeaways- such as agentic AI- from San Diego. Also- Coinbase packs a year's news into a single week, and Nevada looks to enter the payments fray. Links related to this episode: Finovate Spring demo videos: https://finovate.com//videos/?filtertype=&showtypes=FinovateSpring&videostartyear=2025&showletters=A-Z Beyond the Arc: https://beyondthearc.com/blog/category/fintech Long Range AI Consulting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekruger1/ Our 2023 interview with Crissi Cole of Penny Finance: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tFFHhmaXPlPO2TbjobAEw Glen's blog on Coinbase's wild week: https://www.big-fintech.com/a-tale-of-two-coinbases/ Payments Dive's coverage of Nevada's proposed legislation to create "Payments Banks": https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/nevada-bill-would-charter-new-payment-banks-retailers-swipe-fees/748041/ Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday May 21 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will feature a crowdsourcing of takeaways from spring's credit union/ fintech conference season. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen) @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/ Thank you to our friends at William Mills Agency for providing this week's featured image. *Image source: William Mills Agency

Glen connects with Paylume's Andrew Gomez to unpack the burgeoning pay by bank model, explore lessons learned from other countries' rollouts, and consider the pros and cons facing banks and credit unions. Also- a possible open banking do-over, more stadium naming rights, and resisting the urge to spike the ball before the goal line. Links related to this episode: Andrew Gomez/Paylume: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-andrew-gomez/ Nacha's Remote Connect, June 6-9: https://payments.nacha.org/remote-connect Part One of our Nacha Payments conference coverage: https://www.big-fintech.com/getting-direct-about-ach/ CU Daily's coverage of a positive sign for CUs' tax exemption: https://thecudaily.com/in-victory-for-credit-unions-cu-tax-exemption-not-targeted-in-committees-bill The recent CU Town Hall on which we debated implications of the tax exemption: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Bloomberg Law's coverage of potential Open Banking (Section 1033) reconsideration: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/banking-law/cfpb-plans-to-revisit-open-banking-rule-despite-workforce-cuts BECU's partnership with the WNBA's Seattle Storm, one of several recent naming rights deals: https://storm.wnba.com/news/storm-announce-becu-as-partner-for-performance-center

Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday May 21 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will feature a round robin on the countless recent regulatory twists and turns. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

A pair of conversations from last week's Smarter Faster Payments conference- Glen's annual check-in with Nacha CEO Jane Larimer, and PASA CEO Ghita Erling shares insights on modernizing South Africa's payment system through collaboration rather than mandate. Also- AI shopping agents, Uber discovers paper, and the vultures circle around checks. Links related to this episode: Nacha: www.nacha.org Payments Association of South Africa: https://pasa.org.za/ Glen's blog on 2024 Faster Payments volumes: https://www.big-fintech.com/zelle-hits-a-trillion-same-day-ach-says-hold-my-beer/ TechCrunch on Visa and Mastercard's new AI shopping agents: https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/30/visa-and-mastercard-unveil-ai-powered-shopping/ Payments Dive on Uber's expanding acceptance of cash: https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/uber-expands-test-with-an-exotic-payment-cash/746464/ Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday May 7 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will feature a round robin on the countless recent regulatory twists and turns. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Continuing our NACUSO Reimagine coverage, Glen speaks with Silvur founder Rhian Horgan about the "social journey of retirement" and how credit unions can play to their strengths in transitioning their biggest borrowers into their biggest depositors. Also- more of John's conversation with cybersecurity expert Emma Zaballos about DeepSeek's rise and the broader operational concerns around AI. Links related to this episode: Silvur: https://www.silvur.com/ CyCognito: www.cycognito.com/ NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/ Our first batch of NACUSO coverage featuring interviews with Next Big Idea winner GoodBuy and CUSO law leader Brian Lauer: https://www.big-fintech.com/big-ideas-cut-through-the-chaos/ Part 1 of John's interview with CyCognito's Emma Zaballos: https://www.big-fintech.com/deepseek-bytedance-and-the-ai-arms-race/ Honey, I Shrunk the NCUA Board (not a laughing matter): https://www.big-fintech.com/honey-i-shrunk-the-ncua-board/ Former NCUA Board Chair Todd Harper's recent LinkedIn post on his firing: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/toddmharper_creditunions-activity-7320942790429786114-Igzi The CU Daily's story on Americans still misunderstanding credit card debt: www.thecudaily.com/3399-2/

Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Live from NACUSO's Reimagine conference Glen speaks with the co-founders of Next Big Idea competition winner Goodbuy, Cara Oppenheimer and Cary Fortin. CUSO lawyer Brian Lauer shares his insights on the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, and then as if on cue the tectonic plates shift…. Links related to this episode: Goodbuy: https://www.trygoodbuy.com/ Messick, Lauer & Smith: https://www.cusolaw.com/ NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/ Our recent interview with Next Big Idea runner up Scamnetic: https://www.big-fintech.com/scams-grievances-and-the-enduring-value-of-trust/ The CU Daily's ongoing coverage of the NCUA board upheaval: https://thecudaily.com/white-house-reportedly-fires-two-democrats-on-ncua-board/ Glen's reflections on the NCUA commotion: https://www.big-fintech.com/honey-i-shrunk-the-ncua-board/ The NCUA's memo claiming it can function with a single board member: https://ncua.gov/newsroom/press-release/2025/ncua-releases-staff-message-current-ncua-board Former NCUA Board Chair Dennis Dollar's perspective from a similar 2001 situation: https://www.cutoday.info/site/Fresh-Today/Single-Member-NCUA-Board-Not-Unprecedented-Chairman-Has-Authority-To-Act-As-The-Board-Says-Former-NCUA-Chairman

Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

In this week's episode of the BIGcast, host John Best sits down with Emma Zaballos, cybersecurity expert and Product Marketing Manager at CyCognito, to unpack one of the biggest surprises in generative AI: the emergence of China's DeepSeek. Emma and John dive deep (pun intended) into the implications of DeepSeek's rise, the broader cybersecurity concerns around AI, and what it all means for credit unions and financial institutions navigating the AI landscape. Links related to this episode: CyCognito: https://www.cycognito.com/ Wiz Research Uncovers Exposed DeepSeek Database Leaking: https://www.wiz.io/blog/wiz-research-uncovers-exposed-deepseek-database-leak Security Scorecard's blog A Deep Peek at DeepSeek: https://securityscorecard.com/blog/a-deep-peek-at-deepseek/ Join us for the next CU Town Hall meeting on Wednesday 7th, at 12pm PT/3pm ET for your regular dose of lively interactive discussion and best practice sharing on the hottest topics impacting credit unions nationwide. We look forward to seeing you! The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen speaks with Nacha's Stephanie Prebish and Devon Marsh about the upcoming Smarter Faster Payments conference in New Orleans, as well as Same Day ACH's remarkable sustained growth and the rising tide that lifts all riverboats. Also- First reflections on Americas Credit Unions' leadership change, and… No Tariff Talk! Links related to this episode: Smarter, Faster Payments in New Orleans April 27-30: https://payments.nacha.org/ Year-End 2024 ACH growth stats: https://www.nacha.org/news/same-day-ach-passes-major-milestone-2024-ach-network-shows-higher-growth The CU Daily's coverage of Americas Credit Unions' CEO Jim Nussle's plan to retire: https://thecudaily.com/americas-credit-unions-ceo-jim-nussle-announces-plans-to-retire/ Glen's blog on the recent Executive Order phasing out paper checks to/from the federal government: https://www.big-fintech.com/executive-order-to-eliminate-checks-isnt-worth-the-paper-its-printed-on/ Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday April 9 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will focus on the FDIC's recent move to relax restrictions on banks' crypto activities. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen speaks with Frank Diekmann, Founder and Publisher of the newly minted The CU Daily, about his latest venture and the need for "hard news" reporting in the credit union space. Also- a ray of light for CDFIs, grandstanding against paper checks, and splitting hairs on CBDCs. Links related to this episode: The CU Daily: https://thecudaily.com/ The CU Daily's article on Treasury's CDFI response: https://thecudaily.com/facing-budget-axe-from-wh-exec-order-treasury-says-cdfi-programs-should-remain/ Last week's discussion with Jason Stverak on tax status and CDFIs: https://www.big-fintech.com/defending-and-debunking-credit-unions-tax-status/ Trump's Executive Order supposedly eliminating paper checks from/to the Federal Government: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/modernizing-payments-to-and-from-americas-bank-account/ Reuters on World Liberty Financials proposed USD1 Stablecoin: https://www.reuters.com/technology/trumps-world-liberty-financial-crypto-venture-says-it-will-launch-stablecoin-2025-03-25/ Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday April 9 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for 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/ Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen connects with the Defense Credit Union Council's Jason Stverak to discuss the dual threats- not-for-profit tax treatment and CDFI designation- facing the industry, and the bizarre misrepresentations surrounding each. Also- Klarna's IPO parade, and an acclaimed entry in the Credit Union Film Festival. Links related to this episode: The Defense Credit Union Council: https://www.dcuc.org/ Jason's CU Insight article on the tax issue: https://www.cuinsight.com/banks-tax-hypocrisy-will-hurt-main-street-not-credit-unions/ CU Strategic Planning President Stacey Augustine's article on CDFIs: https://thecudaily.com/cdfis-the-impact-is-obvious/ Don't Tax My Credit Union website: https://www.donttaxmycreditunion.org/#take-action This month's GAC interview with Americas Credit Unions' Economic Team: https://www.big-fintech.com/a-taxing-week-in-washington/ "The Barber of Little Rock": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1amOPUn49aM Fintech Business Weekly's coverage of Klarna's IPO filing: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/p/klarna-files-ipo-paperwork-puts-pr Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday March 26 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This session will feature cyber defense evangelist Roger Grimes on quantum computing and his latest book about combating social engineering/phishing. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/ Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen) @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Our second wave of interviews from the recent Governmental Affairs Conference features Glen's interviews with company founders Paul Fiore (CU WealthNext) and Kian Sarrashteh (InvestiFi), plus Candescent's new Chief Product Officer Gareth Gaston on digital banking lessons to be gleaned from fields like travel.

Links related to this episode:

Candescent: https://www.candescent.com/

CU WealthNext: https://cuwealthnext.com/

InvestiFi: https://investifi.co/

Last week's GAC interview with Americas Credit Unions' Economic Team: https://www.big-fintech.com/a-taxing-week-in-washington/

Glen's latest blog on The Existential Threat:

Glen's CUBroadcast interview with Mike Lawson about industry predictions and Bingo cards: https://www.cubroadcast.com/episodes/gac25-154-advisors-glen-sarvady-talk-regs-tech-and-bingo-cards

Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday March 26 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. The site also features replays of past meetings- most recently discussing the urgent matter of CU tax status. he Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: https://www.cutownhall.com/

Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social; @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen); @jbfintech.bsky.social (John)

And connect on LinkedIn for insights like the Friday Fintech Five:

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