TechSolutions4CUs OTG

Scott Daukes of One Washington Financial and Dave Lewis of Ranqx discuss their work at the Reseda Summit and their shared focus on helping credit unions serve small businesses. Scott says One Washington Financial has built a portfolio of 28 companies and is working with partners to move the credit union industry forward.

Dave describes Ranqx as a New Zealand company that works with credit unions to improve access to capital for small businesses. Ranqx says its goal is to accelerate the flow of capital to small businesses in America through microloans and working capital solutions.

Dave argues that credit unions are well positioned to offer these services with community trust, efficient technology, and lower costs than many fintech lenders. Scott says One Washington Financial partnered with Ranqx to build a more modern small business loan acquisition process that also supports member growth.

They discuss how interest in small business lending has increased across the credit union industry. Scott says credit unions are looking at smaller dollar business loans and ways to make access easier for members who own businesses but do not yet bank with them. Dave says the main barrier is less about technology and more about changing established commercial lending mindsets.

The two discuss implementation and orchestration. Scott says success depends on a clear vision, thoughtful rollout, and coordinating partners through internal project management and technology teams. Both say AI is helping by improving efficiency, including pre-populating credit memos and speeding up decisions, but they stress that underwriting standards and human expertise still matter.

The discussion focuses on Buy Now, Pay Later and how it has become a mainstream product. Jazzy Zhu explains that equipifi aims to offer it in a safer, more trusted way for credit unions, rather than through third-party fintechs.

Kyle Zagunis says One Detroit Credit Union first looked at its card transaction data after learning about the product. The review showed that members were already using Buy Now, Pay Later services, with a notable share of transactions going to major providers. He says this shifted the question from whether to introduce it to whether the credit union should offer it in a trusted environment.

The conversation then turns to how credit unions compete with fintech providers. Kyle says One Detroit uses its digital banking tools and push notifications to make the offer visible to members. Jazzy adds that financial institutions can rely on existing trust and relationships, while fintechs are trying to build membership from scratch.

They also discuss member usage and younger audiences. Kyle says One Detroit has seen strong adoption among millennials and Gen Z members who qualify for offers. He describes Buy Now, Pay Later as both a purchase-level and budget-level tool, and says it helps credit unions stay relevant with younger members.

Another topic is the “Plan Your Purchase” product. Kyle says it can fund loans in seconds and gives members a fast way to obtain unsecured credit. He notes that One Detroit keeps close limits and monitoring in place to avoid overextending members.

On compliance and safeguards, Kyle says the product was reviewed by attorneys and is recorded as an unsecured loan. He says the credit union has dollar limits, loan-count limits, and total volume controls, and that delinquency has remained manageable.

Toward the end, both guests say marketing has been limited so far, with automatic emails handling most of the communication. They conclude by saying the product has practical value for members who want flexibility at checkout or extra room in their budget.

Randy Stolp of LoanNFT explains that the company is a startup CUSO focused on loan participations on the blockchain. He says the goal is to automate the full process and make loan participations easier for credit unions to use as part of their balance sheet management strategy.

He describes loan participations as a way for credit unions to pool loans, sell portions of them, and retain servicing while managing liquidity and spreading risk. He says the company is not trying to replace existing brokers or marketplaces, but to offer another option using newer technology.

Stolp says the platform uses blockchain because loan participations are mainly about information sharing. Credit unions need to share loan data with buyers and complete due diligence, and he says blockchain can provide a transparent, decentralized record while keeping personal information off chain. He adds that the system is meant to reduce manual spreadsheet work and help prevent changes to records from going unnoticed.

He says the company has an MVP that can accept a CSV uploads, and the production version will connect directly with credit union core processors and loan origination systems. He says this should remove extra work for credit unions and allow access to loan data without conflicts.

On adoption, Stolp says the company expects to sign its first three credit unions soon, with early subscribers following over the next few months. He says first transactions are planned for Q1 of 2027.

He also discusses the background of the team, saying he has 25 years in the credit union system, including work at three credit unions and nine years as CIO at a midsize Texas credit union. He says the company was shaped through Filene’s i3 program and includes people from credit unions, fintech, and consulting.

Stolp says the broader blockchain discussion in credit unions includes stablecoins. He says LoanNFT may later connect to stablecoin wallets so transactions and ongoing remittances from loan participations can be completed quickly and in an automated way. He says typical credit union members will not directly see this product because it is business-to-business. He adds that stablecoins may become more visible to consumers through merchant adoption. He closes by saying the company is raising about $2 million to cover first-year operating expenses.

The conversation focused on Curql’s work with credit unions and fintechs, with Blake Woods introducing himself as the new VP of Engagement and Growth and describing his role as building stronger connections between LPs, credit unions, and the technology funded through Curql.

He and Martin Walker both explained their backgrounds in credit unions and related financial services work. They described Curql’s relationship with Reseda as a close partnership rather than a competitive one.

Both organizations invest in some of the same companies, and Reseda often works with companies earlier and helps them gain traction with credit unions. Curql then helps extend those introductions across its larger network of credit unions.

A major theme was how credit unions and fintechs should work together. Walker said fintechs can help credit unions influence product roadmaps, be early customers, and shape how tools serve members. Woods said Curql looks for founders and products that are relevant to credit unions and helps bring them into the industry.

They also discussed why fintechs need a specific approach for credit unions rather than treating them like banks. Credit unions were described as more member-focused and often different in size, goals, and buying motivations. Both guests said fintech companies need to understand those differences and show up in person at industry events.

The interview turned to technology expectations and the role of AI. Both guests said technology alone is no longer enough, and that companies need to solve real problems such as deposits, member growth, fraud prevention, and operational efficiency. Walker added that smaller credit unions may benefit from AI tools that help them do more with limited resources. The final topic was trust and the human side of financial services.

The two said credit unions are built on relationships and that technology should support, not replace, human interaction. Both suggested that as AI and fraud concerns grow, many members may place greater value on direct contact with real people at credit unions.

Cary Fortin and Cara Oppenheimer of Goodbuy explain that the company is a community commerce platform connecting credit union members with local small businesses. They describe it as a white-labeled solution that gives credit unions a way to promote local businesses while giving those businesses access to local customers.

They say the member experience includes discounts and information about nearby businesses such as women-owned, veteran-owned, and other small businesses. The platform is designed to help credit unions act as a new marketing channel for businesses and, in turn, support relationship-building, account growth, and deposit growth.

The founders explain that businesses can be onboarded even if they are not already credit union members. If a business is already a member, it can go live in the marketplace within 24 hours. If not, the lead is passed to the credit union’s business services team for follow-up and possible account opening.

The two trace the company’s origin to their backgrounds in marketing and advertising, and to meeting in Boise, Idaho while both were pregnant. They say the idea grew during the pandemic, after seeing small businesses struggle and close. They wanted a way to make shopping small more practical and to direct more opportunity to local businesses.

They also discuss how credit unions use the platform with national or geographically spread-out fields of membership. They say the marketplace can be organized by Zip Code or region, and can expand once enough businesses have joined.

Goodbuy provides a partner portal with marketing templates, social content, push notification tools, and training materials for credit union staff. They say this makes the program turnkey for business development and branch teams.

They share early results from pilot programs, including strong engagement and new product openings among onboarded businesses. They say the platform can uncover existing small business relationships inside retail membership data and create opportunities for additional products, deposits, and deeper relationships.

Paul Kellam explains that Keyno provides fraud prevention tools for issuers of credit and debit cards, with a focus on reducing card-not-present fraud. He says most card fraud now happens online using stolen card data, and Keyno's system replaces the static security code on the card with a dynamic code that changes every hour and is viewed in a phone app.

He describes how online transactions typically require the card number, expiration date, and the three- or four-digit code on the card, which can be reused if stolen. Keyno’s approach keeps the code from the back of the card from being used for online purchases and instead requires the live code in the app, which he says lowers card-not-present fraud by more than 95%.

Kellam says cardholders do not necessarily need new cards to use the system. Issuers can keep existing cards in circulation and simply instruct members to use the app-generated code. He notes that consumers are worried about fraud, especially with debit cards, because unauthorized use can quickly affect checking accounts and cause other payments to fail. He also discusses other parts of Keyno’s offering, including an alternative to text-message one-time passwords for 3D Secure transactions.

In that flow, the member receives an in-app alert with the transaction details and then confirms it with a biometric check such as fingerprint or face ID. Another feature he mentions uses tap-based card verification. This can be used for card activation or to help a call center confirm that a caller has physical possession of the card. He says Keyno offers its technology through its own app, white-label versions, or components that can be integrated into other banking apps.

Kellam says Keyno is already used by about 15 issuers globally, including MSUFCU. He adds that the company is in discussions with more app providers and that its systems can reduce fraud costs, reissuance expenses, and dispute fees. He also says some institutions see increased card spending and less friendly fraud after implementation.

Rick Phillips explains that Stickley on Security has expanded beyond member and employee education into security services, including becoming a CUSO and partnering with Reseda as part of a recent investment round. He says the company has been growing for years and is now focused on fraud prevention.

The main product discussed is True Member, which is designed to stop account takeover fraud in digital banking. Phillips says the system was developed over about three years and is already live at five credit unions. He says those institutions have seen zero account takeover fraud while using it.

He describes account takeover fraud as usually involving credential theft, where a member gives away their username, password, and one-time authentication code. He says these incidents often happen in waves and can cause significant losses, even for smaller credit unions.

Phillips says cybercriminals typically target credit unions broadly rather than carefully selecting large or small institutions. He says they may use email and phone lists in an area and attack many people at once, whether or not they are members.

He says some credit unions have had to remove members from digital banking after repeated fraud incidents, but True Member has allowed them to bring those members back. He also says some users can be placed into a safer mode from the start, where they can use digital banking without being exposed to account takeover fraud.

Phillips says a case study showed that overall fraud costs at one credit union were reduced by 94% after the service was turned on. He argues that account takeover is the main source of large fraud losses, even when other types of fraud are present.

He adds that the product is being rolled out to other digital banking platforms and is integrated into the platform experience rather than operating only from the outside. He says the system shows live login activity and creates a shared block list of malicious actors across participating credit unions.

On pricing, Phillips says the service is designed to be affordable and is based on active members. He says even smaller credit unions can use it, and that the cost can be less than one month of fraud losses.

CU LIFT Network describes itself as a platform that connects credit union auto lending with the rest of the car-buying process. The speakers say it helps close the gap between loan approval and keeping the credit union engaged through the full member journey.

They explain that the platform provides visibility and communication tools for both the credit union and the member. Members can use CarsGPT to search for vehicles, use FastPass to communicate with the credit union about loan questions, and shop anonymously through the dealer network and inventory connected to the system.

The speakers say dealers benefit because they receive pre-approved buyers who are ready to purchase. They add that the process is designed so the loan is not flipped, and that the dealership can still handle some financing details and sell back-end products while the transaction moves faster.

For credit unions, the platform is presented as a way to support direct auto lending while still maintaining control over the member relationship. The speakers say it does not replace indirect lending but adds a direct-loan experience where the credit union stays more involved without a dealer in the middle.

They also describe the member experience as more controlled and less stressful. Members can search, compare, and select vehicles in the app, swipe through options, and use an AI negotiator to check availability and try to secure the best out-the-door price before going to the dealership.

The user interface is described as AI-based and customizable, allowing searches by vehicle type, model years, and price limits. Members can communicate through the app without giving personal information until they are ready, schedule test drives, and still contact the credit union or CU LIFT advisors if anything changes.

The company says its solution is already deployed, with the beta market in Los Angeles and a dealer network there of more than 800 dealers. The speakers say they are looking to add more credit unions, especially in Michigan and later Texas, and they report a strong response at the conference.

Shivam Goyal of Merble explains that the company is an AI growth platform for home lending designed to help credit unions identify and engage members who may need mortgage or home equity financing. He says the goal is to help credit unions support members with what he describes as their biggest purchase and biggest asset: a home.

He says the problem is that many members who buy homes do not finance through their credit union. He gives an example from Michigan, where many homebuyers used other lenders instead of their credit union. He says credit unions often find out too late, such as when a member comes in to withdraw money for a down payment.

Merble tries to address this by identifying members with a likely need for financing before they apply. Goyal says the company looks at data such as permits, property information, market activity, and credit union underwriting criteria. It then helps credit unions reach members with tailored outreach and start a simpler application process.

He says the platform is used differently depending on the size of the credit union. Smaller credit unions may use Merble as an end-to-end service, mid-sized institutions use it to complement existing staff and legacy systems, and larger credit unions use it to fill product gaps such as reverse mortgages through partner lenders.

Goyal says Merble has more than 25 credit union customers, mostly on the East Coast, and that the company measures ROI by funded loans. He says the company charges only when a loan is originated. He also says Merble connects through cloud-based integrations with core, CRM, and loan origination systems, and can work with either on-premise or cloud core data because it only reads from the system.

He says the company was invited to present at the summit as one of five startups. He adds that his background includes other fintech startups and that his interest in Merble came from wanting to improve access to home financing for credit union members.

Chris Otey discusses CU 2.0’s AI coaching work for credit unions, saying the program has expanded quickly and now includes multiple credit unions and a CUSO. He says the approach is practical rather than theoretical, with coaching focused on helping institutions learn to use tools like Claude and other agentic AI systems or build their own applications.

he gives an example from Mission Fed, where CU 2.0 is helping build a subpoena-handling agent that gathers check images, transaction history, and statements. He says the goal is to place such tools on CU 2.0’s enterprise platform so other credit unions can use them, and he mentions that the platform already hosts many apps, including tools for ATM balancing and other operational tasks.

Otey says credit unions enter the coaching program at different levels of experience. Some need basic instruction on what AI tools are and how to use them, while others can start building quickly. He says CU 2.0 adapts its coaching to each institution and uses discovery calls, biweekly sessions, and executive sponsorship to support the work across departments. He says the coaching is suitable for smaller credit unions too, especially those under $500 million in assets that know about generative AI but are not yet using it.

He then shifts to the idea of “bring your own agent,” describing personal AI agents that could manage deposits, loans, and payments across financial institutions. Otey says this may create a divide between people who use agents and those who do not, but he views it as another technology shift similar to the early internet. He says credit unions should build their own agents so they are part of the decision-making process when these tools become more common.

He also says different agents will likely serve different functions, such as shopping or email assistance, and mentions CU 2.0’s own personal agent, Willis. He ends by discussing fintech consolidation, saying narrow point solutions may be harder to sustain and that the market is beginning to roll up smaller companies into larger platforms.