Moving to a Credit Union Doesn’t Mean Giving Up Rewards Credit Cards

Moving to a Credit Union Doesn’t Mean Giving Up Rewards Credit Cards: "We’ve received a couple questions at NerdWallet about credit unions and rewards credit cards. Generally, the perception is that while credit unions are great for low interest rates and fees, the major banks have the profit margins to spend on a great rewards program. But now, "

'via Blog this'

Comments

New York Stock Exchange building venue for 24/7 tokenized stock and ETF exchange

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), via its owner Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) , is building a new digital trading venue for 24/7 trading of tokenized stocks and ETFs, using blockchain and stablecoin-based funding for instant settlement, aiming to modernize markets by running parallel to the traditional exchange. This platform will support native digital securities and traditional shares as tokens, allowing for continuous liquidity and integrating digital assets into mainstream finance, with plans to launch later in 2026 after regulatory approval. Key Features of the New NYSE Platform: 24/7 Trading: Operates continuously, unlike the traditional exchange's weekday hours. Instant Settlement: Transactions settle immediately, moving away from the current T+1 (trade date plus one day) model. Stablecoin-Based Funding : Uses stablecoins (digital tokens pegged to fiat currency like the USD) for funding and collateral, streamlining processes outside banking hou...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Breaking: NCUA Moves to Remove a Major Barrier to Board Service

NCUA just proposed a rule that would allow federal credit unions to reimburse or directly pay reasonable dependent care costs for volunteer officials when those costs are incurred while attending board meetings or performing official duties. Childcare and eldercare costs are real barriers to serving on a board — especially for working professionals, single parents, and caregivers. At the same time, expectations for board engagement, training, and oversight continue to rise. A few important guardrails remain: ✔️ Applies only to federal credit unions ✔️ Covers dependent care only — not lost wages or compensation ✔️ Requires written board policy and reasonable controls ✔️ IRS tax treatment still applies (talk to your CPA) Bottom line: this won't fix board recruitment challenges by itself, but it removes a real friction point for people who want to serve and simply can't absorb the added costs. NCUA is also asking for comments — including whether training and conferences...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Sunday Reading - How pensions work

The Pension Promise How pensions work Colloquially speaking, pensions are retirement plans that result in employees receiving a fixed amount of money from their former employers during retirement, often for life (although the technical legal definition of pensions is significantly more nuanced ). Unlike “defined contribution plans” like 401(k) plans, “defined benefit plans” like pensions make it so the employer , rather than the employee, determines how much money is set aside for the plan and how it’s invested (often in stocks, bonds, and other assets). In retirement, monthly payouts include both the principal and investment earnings. Employers often use fact...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Small credit union closures and mergers.

NCOFCU Podcast on the loss of small creditunions. Grant Sheehan CCUE | CEO-NCOFCU examines the rapid decline of small credit unions, why each closure matters to communities, and the threat this trend poses to the cooperative identity and tax protections of the movement. The episode explores practical solutions: larger credit unions acting as stewards, collaboration through shared resources and technology, and the advocacy work of the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions to amplify every credit union's voice. Listen for a call to action on preserving community-focused financial cooperatives and strengthening the future of the credit union movement. Be sure to visit NCOFCU's "First Responders Credit Unions Academy" for your continued credit union education and certification in meeting N C U A’s requirements. ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional f...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

NCUA Issues 2026 Supervisory Priorities Letter to Credit Unions

Alexandria, VA (January 14, 2026) ― The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) today announced its 2026 Supervisory Priorities, which continue the agency’s policy of “No Regulation by Enforcement,” while prioritizing safety and soundness. This policy underscores NCUA’s commitment to providing clarity and transparency in its oversight. The letter outlines NCUA’s priorities for the year and provides information to help credit unions prepare for examinations. This year, the agency will continue to focus on risk-based supervision, tailoring the examination scope to the credit union’s unique risk profile. Key Highlights of the 2026 Supervisory Priorities: Risk-Focused Examinations: Examiners will concentrate on areas posing the greatest risk to credit union members, the credit union system, and the Share Insurance Fund. Balance Sheet Management and Lending: With loan performance at its weakest point in over a decade, examiners will review credit risk management practic...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

What Could Tokenized Deposits Mean for CUs?

WASHINGTON—Noting that the FDIC has expressed support for tokenized deposits as insured bank liabilities, not experimental digital assets, a new analysis offers some insights into what that could mean for financial institutions, credit unions and the market in 2026 and beyond. As PYMNTS Intelligence pointed out in its report, regulatory clarity reduces risk for banks moving from pilots to live deployments, and large banks and infrastructure providers are already testing real-world tokenized deposit use cases. “At its simplest, tokenization converts an existing claim into a digital representation on a distributed ledger,” the report explained. “The underlying asset does not change, but the infrastructure that tracks ownership and settlement does. In banking, that distinction is critical. Tokenized deposits do not create new money. They represent traditional bank deposits, issued and redeemed by regulated institutions but designed to operate on modern, programma...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

How Does Compensation Compare for Women Credit Union Executives?

BFB a NCOFCU Supporter! Guest post written by Chris Burns-Fazzi, Principal, Burns-Fazzi, Brock For many industries, gender equity has been a topic of discussion. Have you ever wondered how men and women compare as credit union executives and the compensation they receive? We did too. The NAFCU Annual Conference coming up at the end of July in Nashvillewill feature a Women’s Leadership Summit , with a number of timely topics, including an initial look at how men and women credit union executives compare in regards to compensation and their presence in top executive positions. A bit of background – for five years now, Burns-Fazzi, Brock (the NAFCU Services Preferred Partner for Executive Compensation and Benefits) has underwritten the annual NAFCU-BFB Survey of Federal Credit Union Executive Benefits & Compensation. Conducted by an independent firm, Clark and Chase Research, there is no cost to participate, and the results are shared with participants as well as each yea...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

The St. Louis Fed said that research shows that historically checking and savings rates show almost no response to the increase in the federal funds rate and have been near zero since the 2007-09 financial crisis.

ST. LOUIS–As it is becoming more costly for people to hold not only cash but also bank deposits, new liquidity pressures are being felt by both financial institutions and depositors, creating a “liquidity premium,” according to new research by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. With the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raising the federal funds rate at its past four meetings, the St. Louis Fed has released new research that investigates the links between monetary policy and its macroeconomic effects, including in the 2022 tightening cycle. “Imagine a simple world where you can choose between three assets: cash, deposits, or bonds. Cash is the most liquid asset but pays no interest,” the St. Louis Fed stated. “Deposits, such as checking, savings, or time deposits, are less liquid than cash, but they pay rates set by the bank. Bonds are the least liquid among these assets, and assume, for simplicity, that bonds pay the federal funds rate. Banks raise deposits and ...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Mobile Bill Pay Demand Is the Future

Imagine paying your house payment while riding in a double decker bus in London or making your Visa payment while waiting for a plane. According to the Javelin report, after a pause in 2010, mobile banking adoption surged by 63% in 2011, rising to 57 million from 35 million in the United States. That’s a meteoric increase of 22 million consumers in one year. Over the next five years, mobile banking is projected to increase at a steady compound annual growth rate of 10.3% as financial institutions roll out new offerings, the data showed. **** READ MORE: Mobile Bill Pay Demand Is the Future :

Read Complete Article HERE>»

First-responder Credit Union Newsroom

Search This Blog