Fintech Combine

Kris Kovacs sits down with Pat Kinsel, founder and CEO of Proof, to explore what identity and trust look like in the age of AI. From deepfakes and AI agents to fraud prevention and persistent digital identity, Pat explains why credit unions could play a critical role in proving who members are and what they’ve actually authorized—and why financial institutions may have less time to prepare than they think.

Kris Kovacs introduces the first episode of TFC Training Sessions with a powerful look at Banking Beyond Bars, a program helping formerly incarcerated individuals rebuild their financial lives. Scott shares how Connection Credit Union developed the program, why financial education and personal relationships are at its core, and how a small credit union has helped more than 130 participants while creating remarkable member loyalty and virtually no losses.

Kris Kovacs sits down with Brian Bodell, CEO of Movemint, to explore how credit unions can turn member data into meaningful growth. They discuss personalized product offers, transforming digital banking, branches, and contact centers into revenue-generating channels, and why credit unions need to move faster as competition from fintechs and neobanks intensifies. Brian also shares his perspective on AI, data strategy, fintech innovation, and what credit unions need to do now to remain competitive.

Kris Kovacs sits down with Alison Alvarez, CEO and Co-Founder of blastpoint, and Tomer Borenstein, CTO and Co-Founder, to explore how AI and member intelligence are helping credit unions compete with larger financial institutions. They discuss personalized member engagement, data-driven growth strategies, AI adoption, marketing automation, and how CURQL has helped accelerate blastpoint's mission to empower credit unions with actionable insights.

Kris Kovacs sits down with Christie Horvath, founder and CEO of WAGMO, to discuss how a personal pet emergency inspired her to rethink traditional pet insurance. Christie shares how WAGMO focuses on everyday wellness and preventative care, why the company shifted from direct-to-consumer to employer benefits, and how its partnership with CURQL could open new opportunities to bring pet benefits to credit union members and employees.

Kris Kovacs welcomes Frank Mazza, Director of Blockchain for Credit Unions and CUSOs at Metallicus, for an in-depth discussion on how blockchain, digital wallets, and stablecoins are reshaping financial services. They explore why credit unions are preparing for digital assets, how stablecoins can improve payments, reduce costs, enhance member experiences, and why education is still the biggest hurdle before widespread adoption. Whether you're curious about blockchain, digital wallets, or the future of payments, this conversation offers practical insights into what's coming next for community financial institutions.

Kris Kovacs sits down with Mark Majeske, Senior Vice President of Faster Payments at Alacriti, to explore how instant payment technologies like RTP, FedNow, and emerging payment rails are transforming the future of credit unions. Powered by Curql, this episode dives into member expectations, fraud prevention, cross-border payments, payment orchestration, and why offering faster payments has become a strategic advantage for institutions looking to grow deposits and improve member experiences.

Kris Kovacs sits down with Alec Crawford, Founder and CEO of Verapath, to discuss how credit unions and community financial institutions can safely adopt AI while staying compliant and secure. From AI governance and regulatory requirements to AI agents, workflows, cybersecurity, and risk management, Alec shares practical insights from decades in banking, technology, and artificial intelligence. If your institution is exploring AI, this conversation provides a roadmap for doing it responsibly while unlocking real business value.

Kris Kovacs sits down with Deep Varma, CTO of Alkami, for a deep conversation on the future of AI-powered digital banking. Deep shares lessons from decades in Silicon Valley, including his work at IBM, Yahoo, startups, and Varo Bank, and explains how Alkami is helping credit unions and community financial institutions innovate faster through open architecture, AI-driven experiences, digital identity, and extensible banking platforms. From hackathons and developer culture to AI agents and the future of consumer banking, this episode explores what financial institutions must do now to prepare for the next era of fintech transformation.

Kris Kovac sits down with Austin Carroll, founder and CEO of Warrant, to discuss how AI is transforming marketing compliance for banks, credit unions, and fintechs. Austin shares her journey from leading marketing at companies like Brex, Mercury, and Capital One to building Warrant — a platform designed to help financial institutions streamline approvals, reduce regulatory risk, and move at startup speed without sacrificing compliance.

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The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones

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