Kevin Phalen

Many community banks launch credit card issuing programs with agent bank providers because they seem like the simple option. But that simplicity comes with trade-offs: 1. Low revenue 2. Limited control over your program or product design 3. Weak customer relationships There’s a better option. Owning a credit card program enables community banks to profit more, leverage local knowledge, win customer loyalty, launch quickly, and compete with big issuers in the market. 💡 You don’t need to build an issuing platform from scratch or settle for handing your customers over to an agent bank. Learn more about owning your issuing program in our new blog: https://lnkd.in/gtmZUDXF #communitybanking #creditcards #communitybank #issuing

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🚨 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 🚨 If you're a 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱-𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 (𝗧𝗣𝗦𝗣) operating in the ACH space—especially in fintech—now is the time to act. NACHA is tightening its fraud monitoring expectations, and TPSPs are squarely in the spotlight. The 2026 rule changes 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 to detect: ✅ Originators with unusual ACH volumes ✅ Rapid-fire transactions from newly created accounts ✅ Behavior consistent with money mule activity At Unit21, we’re here to help you stay ahead. From customizable rules like: 📌 Flagging new accounts receiving $10K+ in 7 days 📌 Catching 80%+ outflows within 48 hours We make fraud detection and compliance 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭. 🔗 Dive into Nacha's expectations and how Unit21 can help: https://hubs.li/Q03QMSZ00

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Proud moment. What started as a belief, that credit unions shouldn’t have to wait for delinquency to show up before they act, is now live in the market. Reactive collections → proactive prevention. Spotting strain earlier. Protecting members sooner. Grateful for the partners who leaned in, the early betas who trusted us, and the team who built it. And, don't forget the credit union way: the more credit unions that join, the bigger the impact we can make!

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Eltropy Launches Unified, Self-Serve Payment System for Credit Unions and Community Banks “Community financial institutions are drowning in vendor relationships and transaction fees,” said Ashish Garg, Co-Founder and CEO of Eltropy. “Our customers were asking for a solution that could handle payments across collections, lending, and account servicing without adding another vendor to their existing stack. As part of the Unified Conversations Platform, Eltropy Payments delivers a fully integrated approach that reduces costs and improves the digital payment experience for consumers.” https://lnkd.in/eBicMw5x Steve Jensen Michael Pupil Laura Chambers Arun Rao Nandita Verma Abhishek Tiwari #fintech #finance #banking #paytech #payments #fintechnews #paymentsnews

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From the Finopotamus Press Room: Desert Financial Credit Union Partners With Alacriti To Unify Instant and Legacy Payments #fintech #creditunions Louis Ierino; Mark G Majeske https://finop.us/s2d7q6

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Effective September 18, 2026, Nacha is redefining International ACH Transactions (IAT) with clearer, broader language. This foundational change impacts compliance, onboarding, and operational processes. If your institution handles cross-border payments, this update is a must-know! Read the full blog about what’s changing and why it matters. https://lnkd.in/e6JPKmNn

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ACH vs. Real-Time Payments vs. OCT/AFT: What’s the Difference? The #Payments ecosystem offers various methods for moving money. Let’s compare three critical systems and their unique advantages: 1️⃣ ACH Transfers: Speed: Typically processed in batches, taking 1-3 business days (or same-day for Same Day ACH). Cost: Low fees make it great for payroll, bill payments, and recurring transactions. Use Case: Ideal for everyday transfers like direct deposits and business-to-business payments. 2️⃣ Real-Time Payments (RTP): Speed: Instantaneous—funds are moved and settled in seconds, 24/7. Cost: Generally higher than ACH but lower than wire transfers. Use Case: Perfect for urgent, high-priority payments like real estate transactions or account-to-account transfers. 3️⃣ OCT (Original Credit Transactions) and AFT (Account Funding Transactions): Speed: Near-instant transfers initiated via payment networks like Visa Direct or Mastercard Send. Cost: Typically higher due to network fees but offer incredible speed and reach. Use Case: Great for payouts like refunds, gig economy payments, and instant cash disbursements. Understanding when to use ACH, RTP, or OCT/AFT can make all the difference in optimizing costs and efficiency in your payment strategy. 🎓 Want to master the nuances of these payment methods? 👉 Get FREE access to our Intro to Payments course at the Payments Academy and learn how these systems power the modern payments industry. Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/eMP95gJa #ACH #RealTimePayments #OCT #AFT #FinTech #DigitalPayments #PaymentsAcademy #ProfessionalDevelopment

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