Ray Birch

SARTELL, Minn.—For years, many credit unions have viewed cryptocurrency as a speculative investment best left to exchanges and fintechs. But leaders at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union believe NCUA’s latest proposed stablecoin rule signals something much bigger: regulators are beginning to build a framework for how credit unions will participate in what they see as an emerging digital-money infrastructure.

DETROIT—For nearly two decades, the conversation around bank-credit union acquisitions has largely flowed in one direction.

ALPHARETTA, Ga.–A new program aimed at expanding credit union funding sources is providing access to term member deposits through the capital markets.

PHILADELPHIA—Credit unions could see meaningful relief from some federal compliance and examination burdens as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to undergo restructuring under the Trump Administration, but legal experts are warning that any pullback by the CFPB may be quickly offset by a rise in aggressive state enforcement actions and consumer class-action litigation.

WASHINGTON—NCUA nominee John Crews used his Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing Thursday to lay out an agenda centered on reducing regulatory burden for smaller credit unions, encouraging technological innovation and reviving the formation of new credit unions, while declining to weigh in on the legality of the NCUA's current one-member board because of pending litigation.

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court's landmark decision giving President Trump broad authority to remove members of independent federal agencies likely makes it even more difficult for former NCUA Board Members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka to win reinstatement, according to several legal experts.

SARTELL, Minn.— When survivors of domestic violence leave an abusive relationship, escaping the physical danger is often only the first hurdle.

DALLAS— As credit unions search for new ways to attract younger members and expand beyond their traditional fields of membership, an unexpected opportunity is emerging from college campuses: university-branded payment card programs tied to athletics, alumni networks and even Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) initiatives.

SAN DIEGO—Jim Stickley believes credit unions are about to lose something they've always counted on in cybersecurity: time.

BELLEVUE, Ohio—At a time when many financial institutions are still struggling to bridge language gaps with staffing alone, one Ohio credit union found a relatively simple—and surprisingly affordable—way to turn every frontline employee into a multilingual communicator.