WASHINGTON–With both credit union trade groups pressing Congress to bring fintechs under the same regulatory umbrella as other financial institutions, one of the key questions to be asking is what happens when things go wrong, according to NAFCU.
Credit union trade groups have called on Congress to ensure a “level playing field” between unregulated fintechs and credit unions. A number of fintechs have in the last year seen strong user growth into the millions of customers. Congress held a hearing on the issue last week.
“What we saw from the hearing is there are still a lot of questions,” said NAFCU EVP and General Counsel Carrie Hunt. “We are going to see more hearings on this issue. I think, ultimately, there is going to be a lot of disagreement as to what that regulation should look like. There is agreement that traditional financial providers can find value in partners, including fintechs, which can innovate quickly. It’s when they go one step further that begs the question around safety and soundness. We think credit unions provide the best option for consumers cradle to grave. These apps to move cash around quickly have a very finite purpose. The consumer really likes them until there is a problem, such as fraud, and then they end up going back to their credit unions. This is about a fair playing field.”
Regulatory Rollbacks’
Separately, the Biden Administration continues to roll back a number of Trump Administration rules and regulations, most recently around fair housing
Hunt said NAFCU is watching the moves being made by the Biden Administration, as it strongly supports a “deregulatory agenda.”
“If there is re-regulation, we want it to be necessary regulation,” said Hunt. “That’s how we view these rollbacks. We strongly support fair housing. Generally, it’s not the intent of regulation we have an issue with, its regulatory burden and whether it’s necessary to achieve those goals. Generally, there are other ways to achieve those goals.”
Three-Quarters of Consumers Familiar With CUs, But Just 1 in 4 Says a CU is PFI, & Other New Findings
WASHINGTON– More than three-quarters of U.S. consumers said they are familiar with credit unions and hold a positive impression, yet just one-in-four banks primarily with a credit union, a new survey has found. The 2026 Credit Union Consumer Perception Report from CUCollaborate surveyed 1,000 consumers across the U.S. in December 2025 to gauge their opinions on credit unions. It further found early 70% describe credit unions as trustworthy, and a majority recognize their advantages in fees and rates compared to traditional banks. But positive sentiment is in decline with younger bankers, according to CUCollaborate. Gen Z consumers represented a sharp shift in credit union perception from older generations, the company said, noting that among those respondents, 36% indicated they had only heard the term “credit union” without having a deeper understanding or had never heard of the term at all. Some “44% said they were somewhat familiar with credit unions, and a me...
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