Tyfone

For years, financial institutions viewed digital banking as a cost center and branches as the primary drivers of revenue. That thinking is changing fast.

In a new interview with Tyfone, Achieva Credit Union CTO Tracy Ingram explains why digital banking is now influencing growth, retention, product adoption, and member engagement—and why many credit unions are rethinking how they measure success across channels.

As members increasingly begin and maintain financial relationships through mobile devices, the question is no longer whether digital matters. It's whether institutions can make it central to their growth strategy.


https://bit.ly/4vpZwFI

Credit unions and banks have long sparred over taxes, competition, and market share. Now, Credit Union of Colorado is taking that debate directly to consumers with a new ad campaign featuring “Mr. Big Banker,” a fictional executive who openly embraces hidden fees, teaser rates, and other banking frustrations.

The campaign reflects a broader effort by credit unions to differentiate themselves as member-owned alternatives at a time when competition between banks and credit unions continues to intensify.


https://bit.ly/4dFnqXK

Digital banking is no longer just a cost center — and some credit unions are reorganizing their entire growth strategy around that reality.

In a new interview, Members 1st Credit Union CEO Mike Wilson explains why the $8.6 billion institution spent years building and owning its own digital banking platform instead of relying on off-the-shelf solutions. The strategy, he says, is about more than convenience: it’s about data ownership, personalization, member trust, and treating digital engagement as a true revenue driver.

The Pennsylvania-based credit union is now doubling down on both digital banking and branch expansion, arguing the future isn’t “branches versus digital” — it’s both working together in different ways.


https://bit.ly/4dE3nsI

Are midsize banks reaching the point where scale matters more than identity?

In a new analysis, banking consultant Jeff Marsico examines why Cadence Bank and Stellar Bancorp chose to sell — and what those deals say about the future of community banking.

Rising technology costs, regulatory pressure, and the race for scale are reshaping the industry, raising a difficult question: Can banks remain truly “community focused” as they grow larger and more commoditized?


https://bit.ly/4uChlBh