The BIGCast: Sharing the credit union industry's current breakthroughs in innovation and discussing the latest hot topics
The fintech industry is evolving rapidly, and the BIGcast is here to delve into its impact on the credit union industry. Our esteemed guests from across the financial, technology and security sectors will provide thrilling perspectives on the latest fintech innovations that are poised to revolutionize the way we handle our finances. Each week join thought-leader, John Best and subject matter expert, Glen Sarvady as they take a quick dive into the financial industry's current breakthroughs and latest hot topics.
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Starting Simple, Small and with Purpose
07/02/2025
Starting Simple, Small and with Purpose
Glen speaks with the CU De Novo Collective’s Denise Wymore about the grassroots groundswell of interest in starting new credit unions, overcoming the challenges of progressing from concept to market, and why a voice for CU creation is needed to counter a one-way trend. Also- Fiserv’s stablecoin play, The FTA’s attempt to preserve open banking, and how AI regulation became a budget issue. Links related to this episode: The CU De Novo Collective: The University of North Carolina’s student-led credit union initiative: George Washington University’s initiative: America’s Credit Union Museum: (check the Herstory exhibit) Finovate’s take on Fiserv launching a “bank-friendly stablecoin”: The Bank Policy Institute/Fintech Association Open Banking standoff: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday July 9 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. For this session we’ll be focusing on youth banking and how CUs can appeal to the next generation of members. The CU Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: 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:
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Consumers Pay in Mysterious Ways (it’s alright, it’s alright)
06/24/2025
Consumers Pay in Mysterious Ways (it’s alright, it’s alright)
Glen chats with the Atlanta Fed’s Claire Greene about the latest Diary and Survey of Consumer Payment Choice and the messy realities of dealing with real world data. Also- next steps in the stablecoin saga and…Fintech’s answer to GameStop? Links related to this episode: The Atlanta Fed’s Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice: The Fed’s 2024 SHED Survey: The FDIC’s 2023 Survey of Un/Underbanked Households: Our recent episode on consumer data gathered by the Georgia Fintech Academy: Glen’s Genius Act/Stablecoin blog: Arnold Porter’s take on the Genius and Stable Acts: JPMorgan Chase’s close stablecoin cousin, the tokenized deposit: The Atlanta Fed’s newblog analyzing potential impacts of retiring the penny: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday July 9 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. For this session we’ll be focusing on youth banking and the need to appeal to the next generation. The CU Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: 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:
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Circle’s Stroke of Genius/Can Anyone Regulate AI?
06/18/2025
Circle’s Stroke of Genius/Can Anyone Regulate AI?
John and Glen ruminate on a pair of major events reshuffling the fintech world- The Circle IPO’s impact on venture funding, and the Big Beautiful Bill’s unorthodox approach to throttling AI regulation. Also- John gets “spun out on quantum,” and admits a surprising change of heart regarding his outlook for AI. Links related to this episode: Glen’s blog on the Circle and Chime IPOs: The Senate alters the House budget provision curtailing states’ ability to regulate AI: Axios’ story about AI’s newfound ability to blackmail: CNBC’s take on the Genius Act: TechCrunch’s recap of Chime’s circuitous path to a successful IPO: Pitchbook’s take on the inevitability of Chime’s “down round” IPO: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday July 9 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: 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:
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Are Younger Generations Branching Out?
06/10/2025
Are Younger Generations Branching Out?
Glen speaks with Georgia State University Finance Professor Jonathan Godbey about new student-led consumer research that yields some unexpected findings about Gen Z banking attitudes. Plus- Circle’s IPO is roundly celebrated, Illinois kicks the interchange can down the road, and the AI Easter Egg hiding in the Big Beautiful Bill. Links related to this episode: The Georgia Fintech Academy: The Technology Association of Georgia’s Fintech Ecosystem Report: Fintech South- in Atlanta August 19-20: Contact Georgia State Finance Professor Jonathan Godbey at Payments Dive’s coverage of Illinois’ Interchange Fee Prohibition Act extension: Circle’s IPO: The Senate alters the House budget provision curtailing states’ ability to regulate AI: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday June 11 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: 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:
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The Business of Trust
05/30/2025
The Business of Trust
Glen speaks with Edelman Smithfield’s Deidre Campbell to explore her firm’s new Financial Services Trust Barometer and the (mostly) positive signs for banks and credit unions. Also- the latest Gen AI fiasco has a familiar ring, Illinois’ unworkable interchange law moves bizarrely close to reality, and why the CFPB’s withdrawal of its open banking rule isn’t necessarily cause for celebration. Links related to this episode: The 2025 Edelman Financial Services Trust Barometer: Our February conversation with Deidre on global trust overall: The Chicago Sun-Times’ mea culpa for printing invented book titles: Our May 2023 “Package Delivery Blues” episode exposing some familiar AI shortcomings: CU Broadcast’s recent coverage of the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act with the Illinois Credit Union League (NOTE- On May 31 the Illinois General Assembly postponed implementation of the IFPA for a year, until July 1, 2026): Coverage of the CFPB’s decision to pull its Section 1033 (Open Banking) rule: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday June 11 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: 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:
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Have Your Bot Call My Bot
05/20/2025
Have Your Bot Call My Bot
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: Beyond the Arc: Long Range AI Consulting: Our 2023 interview with Crissi Cole of Penny Finance: Glen’s blog on Coinbase’s wild week: Payments Dive’s coverage of Nevada’s proposed legislation to create “Payments Banks”: 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: 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: Thank you to our friends at William Mills Agency for providing this week's featured image. *Image source: William Mills Agency
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Will Pay By Bank Run FIs Off the Rails?
05/13/2025
Will Pay By Bank Run FIs Off the Rails?
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: Nacha’s Remote Connect, June 6-9: Part One of our Nacha Payments conference coverage: CU Daily’s coverage of a positive sign for CUs’ tax exemption: The recent CU Town Hall on which we debated implications of the tax exemption: Bloomberg Law’s coverage of potential Open Banking (Section 1033) reconsideration: BECU’s partnership with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, one of several recent naming rights deals: 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: 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:
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Getting Direct About ACH
05/06/2025
Getting Direct About ACH
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: Payments Association of South Africa: Glen’s blog on 2024 Faster Payments volumes: TechCrunch on Visa and Mastercard’s new AI shopping agents: Payments Dive on Uber’s expanding acceptance of cash: 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: 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:
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Going Where the Trust Is
04/29/2025
Going Where the Trust Is
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: CyCognito: NACUSO: Our first batch of NACUSO coverage featuring interviews with Next Big Idea winner GoodBuy and CUSO law leader Brian Lauer: Part 1 of John’s interview with CyCognito’s Emma Zaballos: Honey, I Shrunk the NCUA Board (not a laughing matter): Former NCUA Board Chair Todd Harper’s recent LinkedIn post on his firing: The CU Daily’s story on Americans still misunderstanding credit card debt: 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:
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Big Ideas Cut Through the Chaos
04/22/2025
Big Ideas Cut Through the Chaos
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: Messick, Lauer & Smith: NACUSO: Our recent interview with Next Big Idea runner up Scamnetic: The CU Daily’s ongoing coverage of the NCUA board upheaval: Glen’s reflections on the NCUA commotion: The NCUA’s memo claiming it can function with a single board member: Former NCUA Board Chair Dennis Dollar’s perspective from a similar 2001 situation: 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/
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DeepSeek, ByteDance, and the AI Arms Race
04/15/2025
DeepSeek, ByteDance, and the AI Arms Race
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: Wiz Research Uncovers Exposed DeepSeek Database Leaking: Security Scorecard’s 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: 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:
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No Day of Rest for Payments on Sunday
04/08/2025
No Day of Rest for Payments on Sunday
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: Year-End 2024 ACH growth stats: The CU Daily’s coverage of Americas Credit Unions’ CEO Jim Nussle’s plan to retire: Glen’s blog on the recent Executive Order phasing out paper checks to/from the federal government: 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:
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All the News That’s Fit To Share (Draft)
04/01/2025
All the News That’s Fit To Share (Draft)
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: The CU Daily’s article on Treasury’s CDFI response: Last week’s discussion with Jason Stverak on tax status and CDFIs: Trump’s Executive Order supposedly eliminating paper checks from/to the Federal Government: Reuters on World Liberty Financials proposed USD1 Stablecoin: 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: 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:
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Defending and Debunking Credit Unions’ Tax Status
03/25/2025
Defending and Debunking Credit Unions’ Tax Status
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: Jason’s CU Insight article on the tax issue: CU Strategic Planning President Stacey Augustine’s article on CDFIs: Don’t Tax My Credit Union website: This month’s GAC interview with Americas Credit Unions’ Economic Team: “The Barber of Little Rock”: Fintech Business Weekly’s coverage of Klarna’s IPO filing: 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:
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Following the Smart Money at GAC
03/18/2025
Following the Smart Money at GAC
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: CU WealthNext: InvestiFi: Last week’s GAC interview with Americas Credit Unions’ Economic Team: Glen’s latest blog on The Existential Threat: Glen’s CUBroadcast interview with Mike Lawson about industry predictions 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: 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:
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A Taxing Week in Washington
03/11/2025
A Taxing Week in Washington
Glen recaps an action-packed Government Affairs Conference, featuring our annual interview with America’s Credit Unions’ Economics Team on the coming year’s outlook. An “existential threat” to the industry’s income tax exemption headlined a packed agenda, but the CFPB, NCUA and interchange legislation were also on the menu- not to mention tariff whiplash and market uncertainty. Links related to this episode: America’s Credit Unions’ Monthly Economic Updates: The Don’t Tax My Credit Union Advocacy/Resource page: CrossState CUA’s explanation of why credit unions offer better rates: Glen’s blog covering the GAC’s key takeaways: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday March 12 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 a discussion of key takeaways from the Governmental Affairs Conference. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: Signing up for the Town Hall also earns you a card for our Bingo game tracking 2025 industry predictions. Find out more here: Join us on Bluesky! @bigfintech.bsky.social @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen) @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) And connect on LinkedIn:
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The Sky’s the Limit for Credit Union Communication
03/04/2025
The Sky’s the Limit for Credit Union Communication
Glen quizzes John about his initiative leveraging social media app BlueSky’s open source architecture to create a moderated, inclusive platform for credit union dialogue and experimentation. Also- threading the needle at the Governmental Affairs Conference. Links related to this episode: BlueSky: Our Bluesky accounts to follow: @bigfintech.bsky.social @154advisors.bsky.social (Glen) @jbfintech.bsky.social (John) The AT Protocol used by BlueSky: Glen’s blog on official 2024 volumes for RTP, FedNow and Same Day ACH: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday March 12 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 key takeaways from the Governmental Affairs Conference. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: Signing up for the Town Hall also earns you a card for our Bingo game tracking 2025 industry predictions. Find out more here: Follow us on LinkedIn:
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Bringing Loans out of the Lab
02/25/2025
Bringing Loans out of the Lab
Glen speaks with DePaul University professor and financial innovation expert Lamont Black about his recent work on a blockchain-based secondary loan market to unlock credit union liquidity and reduce costs. Also- Chase tries to keep Zelle in the “friends and family,” and 2024 payment stats beg the question “how fast is fast enough?” Links related to this episode: Wide Open Ventures: The Filene Research Institute’s report on Loan NFT (Executive Summary): Lamont Black: Glen’s blog on official 2024 volumes for RTP, FedNow and Same Day ACH: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 26 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This week we’ll be "pre-gaming" for GAC- even if you won't be attending the largest annual credit union conference, we'll crowdsource the burning issues you're most interested in and serve as your onsite "eyes and ears" for these topics. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required: Signing up for the Town Hall also earns you a card for our Bingo game tracking 2025 industry predictions. Find out more here: Follow us on LinkedIn:
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Scams, Grievances and the Enduring Value of Trust
02/18/2025
Scams, Grievances and the Enduring Value of Trust
Glen shares a pair of interviews from last week’s Deluxe Exchange conference- Scamnetic co-founder Al Pascual on a startup’s mission to preempt fraud earlier in the pipeline, and Deidre Campbell on a few financial services silver linings amid troubling data from the annual Edelman Trust Barometer. Also- Bingo cards and the CFPB carousel. Links related to this episode: Edelman Trust Barometer: Our previous conversation about Edelman’s Trust Barometer: Scamnetic: Scamnetic’s Fall 2024 Finovate demo: Scamnetic: YouTube overview: Deluxe: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 26 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: Signing up for the Town Hall also earns you a card for our Bingo game tracking 2025 industry predictions. Find out more here: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media?p=did-you-have-that-one-on-your-bingo-card Follow us on LinkedIn:
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Reimagining Innovation, CUSOs and Big Ideas
02/11/2025
Reimagining Innovation, CUSOs and Big Ideas
Glen speaks with NACUSO’s Interim CEO- and serial CUSO founder- Miriam Ackerman about plans for the group’s Reimagine conference this April in Las Vegas, including a juiced up Next Big Idea competition. Also- a quick summary of the busiest credit union news week in recent memory. Links related to this episode: NACUSO’s Reimagine Conference, April 14-17 in Las Vegas: The Next Big Idea competition: Bernie Sanders’ press release about the new Senate Bill capping credit card interest rates at 10 percent: CU Today’s reporting on the latest twist in Illinois interchange legislation: CU Times’ reporting on USAID-related layoffs at the World Council of Credit Unions: Former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair’s Washington Post op-ed calling for the elimination of credit unions’ tax exemption: Glen’s blog on 2025’s credit union Bingo card: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 12 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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Where Do the Chips Fall After DeepSeek?
02/05/2025
Where Do the Chips Fall After DeepSeek?
John and Glen (mostly John) sort through the details of the still-evolving DeepSeek story. They assess how much of the freakout is warranted (is it “a Sputnik moment”?) and propose a scenario in which it may actually represent a *plus* for credit unions. Also- yet another twist in the Illinois interchange saga. Links related to this episode: Digital Transactions’ coverage of a proposed bill to undo the Illinois interchange law: The NY Times Hard Fork podcast’s DeepSeek dissection: The Economist’s oddly prescient article on Chinese AI, published days before the DeepSeek disclosure: A dissenting view (unveiled after our recording) claims DeepSeek actually spent more and used more Nvidia chips than initially claimed: Wired documents DeepSeek’s security shortcomings: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 12 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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How Quickly to Quantum?
01/28/2025
How Quickly to Quantum?
John and Glen connect with noted security expert Roger Grimes to untangle the recent developments in quantum computing and discuss why Roger believes the big encryption-obliterating breakthrough will come sooner rather than later - if it hasn’t already. Links related to this episode: Roger’s recent LinkedIn post on why a 2035 Quantum prep date is “insane”: KnowBe4: Roger’s book “Cryptography Apocalypse”: Roger’s latest release, “Fighting Phishing”: Join us for our next CU Town Hall - Wednesday January 29 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- how many of us had China’s DeepSeek AI bombshell on their Bingo card? The CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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Crypto Clarity- The Next Frontier
01/22/2025
Crypto Clarity- The Next Frontier
Glen speaks with BankSocial COO and former credit union CEO Becky Reed about what credit unions should expect from “the most crypto-friendly administration in US history,” including regulatory clarity and a symbiotic relationship between crypto and AI. Plus- notes from the DC Crypto Ball, and a very busy Bingo card. Links related to this episode: BankSocial: BRaaSConsulting: Our “Bingo Card” predictions episode: Reuters’ report on crypto’s pre-inaugural DC gala: Circle’s CEO’s expectations for Executive Orders: The current stablecoin dashboard: Comparing stablecoin volumes to Visa: Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday January 29 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. The Bingo card of scenarios keeps getting more complicated- let’s make sense of it together. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is required: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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2025 Predictions: A Bingo Card for the Ages
01/14/2025
2025 Predictions: A Bingo Card for the Ages
May you live in interesting times…. John and Glen join with Anne Legg and John Janclaes to speculate on the big events poised to frame the coming year. Our panel foresees the best of times and worst of times for AI, a flurry of mergers, breakthroughs in mortgage lending, and regulatory roulette. Oh, and our annual disagreement on Bitcoin and crypto. Links related to this episode: Thrive Strategic Services: Nymbus CUSO: Our same panel’s recap of 2024’s biggest credit union/fintech stories: Glen’s blog recap of 2024’s top stories: And our 2024 predictions from last January: Here’s a safe 2025 prediction- You won’t regret joining the Innovation Club, an ideal way to stretch your credit union’s limited R&D dollars and stay on top of the latest technology trends. Find out if your CU qualifies: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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Without Data, It’s All Just Vibes
01/07/2025
Without Data, It’s All Just Vibes
Glen kicks off the 2025 BIGCast season with Bancography President Steve Reider and a deep dive into branch dynamics. We all know the number of branches is declining but a close look at the data reveals several intriguing subplots (psst… it’s not the credit unions downsizing). Plus the return of BIGCast movie reviews! Links related to this episode: Bancography: Bancography’s Best of Show winning Finovate demo: The Bancology research journal- see in particular articles in Volumes 79, 80, 84, 85: Wallace & Gromit’s AI takedown (sort of): The original Bank of Dave: Our Summer 2023 review of the original Bank of Dave: Here’s a great 2025 Resolution- Join the Innovation Club, an ideal way to stretch your credit union’s limited R&D dollars and stay on top of the latest technology trends. Find out if your CU qualifies: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/
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Well, That Just Happened….
12/18/2024
Well, That Just Happened….
Our esteemed panel (Anne Legg of Thrive Strategic Services, John Janclaes of Nymbus CUSO, Glen Sarvady of 154 Advisors) join John Best to opine on the biggest stories impacting credit unions and fintech in 2025- Mergers and Fraudsters and AI, oh my! Links related to this episode: THRIVE Strategic Services: Nymbus CUSO: The language translator earbuds John Janclaes discussed (NOTE: John says this is NOT an endorsement as he has not tested them yet): CU Today’s coverage of the ransomware attack on Patelco Credit Union: CU Times’ coverage: The NY Times podcast John Best mentioned re: Chinese hackers and the US phone network: Our recent Thanksgiving episode, where the same panel shares what they’re grateful for in the credit union/fintech world: Here’s a great 2025 Resolution- Join the Innovation Club, an ideal way to stretch your CU’s limited R&D dollars and stay on top of the latest technology trends. Find out if your CU qualifies: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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Can Instant Payments Accelerate?
12/10/2024
Can Instant Payments Accelerate?
Glen connects with Payfinia CUSO General Manager Keith Riddle and Star One Credit Union’s EVP of Operations Minal Gupta about the newly minted CUSO aiming to streamline CUs’ provision of instant payment services. Also, newly released FedNow data- plus reporting from the more mature RTP network- reveals some unexpected twists. Links related to this episode: Payfinia: (or contact Keith Riddle: [email protected]) Star One Credit Union: FedNow volume statistics through September 2024: Glen’s 2023 article featuring Minal Gupta/Star One (as well as other early FedNow Adopters) in Credit Union Magazine: Join us for our final CU Town Hall of 2024- Wednesday December 11 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing CUs today. It’s free to attend (credit union employees might even win a door prize!), but advance registration is required: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors Follow us on LinkedIn:
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An Important Part of a Balanced Fintech Strategy
12/03/2024
An Important Part of a Balanced Fintech Strategy
Insightful conversations with three founders whose startups stood out at VentureTech: Joe Gracia of Pitch Competition winner Nickels/CardFit, Blesson Abraham of Aviary AI and Danial Jameel of Saris AI. Also, the Kelce brothers and Joe Montana unexpectedly find their way into the discussion. Links related to this episode: CardFit, the new offering from Nickels: Saris AI: Aviary AI: Our previous VentureTech episode, featuring interviews with Ribbon and Wysh: Glen’s blog recapping VentureTech highlights: VentureTech: Join us for our final CU Town Hall of 2024- Wednesday December 11 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing CUs today. It’s free to attend (credit union employees might even win a door prize!), but advance registration is required: Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors Follow us on LinkedIn:
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A Credit Union/Fintech Thanksgiving
11/26/2024
A Credit Union/Fintech Thanksgiving
Continuing our annual tradition, John and Glen glide through a fintech wonderland with Anne Legg (Thrive Strategic Services) and John Janclaes (Nymbus CUSO), sharing thoughts on things they’re thankful for across our collaborative community- from the expected (AI, the innovative spirit) to the counter-intuitive (fraud levels, fintech funding). Links related to this episode: THRIVE Strategic Services: Nymbus CUSO: BIG’s Innovation Club: Open AI’s Sam Altman discusses the prospects for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) in 2025: After our podcast discussion of real time payments, the Fed issued its first data on FedNow volumes: Join us for the next CU Town Hall on Wednesday December 11 at 3pm ET/Noon PT for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing CUs today. It’s free to attend (credit union employees might even win a door prize!), but advance registration is required: Find us on X at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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Good Ideas, Good Investments
11/19/2024
Good Ideas, Good Investments
Freshly back from the VentureTech conference, Glen shares interviews with Launch Party winner Ribbon and main event standout Wysh- plus plenty of key takeaways from investors, regulators, entrepreneurs and their prospective credit union partners. Links related to this episode: Ribbon: Wysh: VentureTech: Our recent interview with Further/Union Credit: Glen’s blog on Money 20/20 key takeaways: Join us for the next CU Town Hall on Wednesday November 20 at 3pm ET/Noon PT for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing CUs today. In this session we'll explore likely impacts for credit unions and fintechs from the recent election outcome, including shifts in the regulatory environment. It’s free to attend (credit union employees might even win a door prize!), but advance registration is required: Find us on X at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn:
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