Josh Fadel, Managing Director of Desert Financial Wealth Management, stopped by the show to share why Desert Financial Credit Union has expanded its digital investing platform with help from TAPP Engine.

Josh explained that Desert Financial expanded their digital investing offering to make investing more accessible to members, particularly targeting younger generations who might otherwise use platforms like Robinhood outside the credit union ecosystem.

The new digital investing platform features both self-directed investing with fractional shares starting at $5 and a robo-advisor service with a $50 minimum, both integrated into Desert Financial's existing mobile app through their partnership with TAPP Engine.

Josh also emphasized that the digital investing platform helps the credit union maintain its position as a primary financial resource by keeping members engaged within their ecosystem and providing educational tools to help members build long-term wealth.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.

If you missed the livestream, Tyfone’s EVP Evangelism Josh DeTar, Tyfone’s SVP Innovation Mitch Rosenbaum, iThink Financial’s President/CEO Michael Miller, and Bigfoot joined us on the show to share the big announcement about Tyfone unveiling nFinia reimagined, weaving AI into the heart of digital banking: Fathom, their AI-native digital banking solution.

Powered by Fathom, this next-generation digital banking platform combines a modern, intuitive user experience with embedded deep intelligence designed around how consumers want to bank today, while keeping community financial institutions at the center of the relationship. This platform allows FIs to deliver personalized guidance, financial insights, and conversational banking while keeping account holders inside the secure, trusted relationship they already have with their credit union or community bank.

iThink Financial's Michael Miller provided the credit union perspective by being the first to use this new platform, adding how this AI-native digital banking solution has super-charged their already robust chatbot "Bree," as one example leveraging this technology.

All three (and Bigfoot) delved into Tyfone's "built differently by design" philosophy, sharing how AI is transforming financial advice and member engagement -- as well as insights on enhancing financial well-being.

For a deeper dive, Tyfone will be hosting a webinar with Finopotamus on this announcement and why the future of digital banking isn’t about bolting AI onto an existing platform. It’s about reimagining digital banking around AI. Register today for their webinar, taking place September 29, 11:00 a.m. (PST).

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.

Sidney Federal Credit Union's Chief Retail Officer ​Andrew Smith stopped by the show to share why Sidney FCU rebuilt its checking accounts around how Gen Z actually gets paid — revolving around early wage access that dictates how and when you can get paid, which is reshaping  where younger consumers choose to bank.

Andrew explained that the credit union's approach differs from some fintechs by not charging for early direct deposit, aiming to make banking easier and more aligned with members' cash flow needs.

He detailed their new "Boost" checking account, which offers benefits like 3% dividends and waived ATM fees for members who meet certain criteria, and mentioned a youth account for 12-17 year olds.

Andrew shared that the rollout has seen positive results, with over 500 new accounts opened in the first month.

He also covered the strategic importance of attracting younger members to establish long-term relationships and benefit from the upcoming generational wealth transfer, advising other credit unions to focus on building trusted relationships and differentiating themselves by understanding the low risk involved in such offerings.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all details.

Adam Cadmus, Chief Experience Officer at The Atlantic Federal Credit Union, and Benjamin Conant, Chief Product Officer at Alkami, a digital banking provider, joined us on the show to share how The Atlantic FCU cut its loan approval time from two days to six minutes.

Adam and Ben discussed how their organizations worked together to achieve this phenomenal time reduction, as well as key improvements that included unifying membership creation with loan booking, implementing non-document-based verification for 67% of personal loans, and re-engaging 80% of abandoned applications through automated reminder emails.

Ben explained that MANTL's platform was built on the same architecture as their successful deposit platform, which processes applications in four minutes, and noted that further speed improvements to sub-2 minutes might be possible while maintaining a good user experience.

Adam highlighted that the new system allows staff to focus more on relationship-driven interactions with members rather than paperwork -- further expressing excitement about the future potential of the platform.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.

Cooperative Credit Union Association’s (CCUA) Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer Melissa Pomeroy and Duome’s Co-founder Eric Berg joined us on the show to share the news about Duome recently wining the Cyber Showcase at Fintech Connect, sponsored by the CCUA, the Association of Vermont Credit Unions, and New York Credit Union Association -- fueling the CUSO's mission to spark homeownership with credit union members.

Initially, Melissa explained the purpose and format of the event, highlighting its intimate size and focus on fostering direct engagement between fintechs and credit union decision-makers.

Eric from Duome described their solution to housing affordability, which involves co-investing with homebuyers to reduce monthly costs, and discussed the relevance and innovation of their approach.

They also emphasized the value of the event for building relationships and gaining traction for fintech solutions within the credit union community -- touching on the broader impact of Duome's solution for attracting younger members to credit unions and the importance of collaboration in the industry.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.