The Activation Problem Holding Back Credit Unions

The CTO of Alkami Explains the Future of Fintech

Kris Kovacs sits down with Deep Varma, CTO of Alkami, for a deep conversation on the future of AI-powered digital banking. Deep shares lessons from decades in Silicon Valley, including his work at IBM, Yahoo, startups, and Varo Bank, and explains how Alkami is helping credit unions and community financial institutions innovate faster through open architecture, AI-driven experiences, digital identity, and extensible banking platforms. From hackathons and developer culture to AI agents and the future of consumer banking, this episode explores what financial institutions must do now to prepare for the next era of fintech transformation.

How Warrant Is Reinventing Marketing Compliance for Credit Unions

Kris Kovac sits down with Austin Carroll, founder and CEO of Warrant, to discuss how AI is transforming marketing compliance for banks, credit unions, and fintechs. Austin shares her journey from leading marketing at companies like Brex, Mercury, and Capital One to building Warrant — a platform designed to help financial institutions streamline approvals, reduce regulatory risk, and move at startup speed without sacrificing compliance. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

The Activation Problem Holding Back Credit Unions

In this episode of the Fintech Combine, Kris Kovacs sits down with the team behind Sway Stack to unpack one of the biggest hidden challenges in banking today: what happens after a new account is opened. With acquisition costs rising and engagement lagging, they explore why so many new members go inactive in the first 30 days—and how credit unions can fix it. From smarter onboarding to driving real activation and long-term relationships, this conversation breaks down how financial institutions can turn new accounts into truly engaged members.

The Real-Time Payments Shift Credit Unions Can’t Ignore ⭐

In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with Wade Arnold, founder and CEO of Moov, to discuss how modern payments infrastructure is reshaping what credit unions and fintechs can deliver to their members. Wade explains why legacy payment rails create friction, how Moov connects to every major payment network, and what it means to build always-on, real-time payment experiences. They also explore developer-driven innovation, personalized member experiences, and how partnerships with Curql are helping progressive credit unions bring new payment capabilities to market faster. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

The Debit Card Rewards Strategy Credit Unions Needed

In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with David Metz, founder and CEO of Prizeout, to discuss how credit unions can finally bring meaningful rewards to everyday debit card spending. David shares the story of pivoting from a trivia gaming company to fintech, and how Prizeout helps credit unions deliver cash back through digital gift cards, merchant-funded offers, and personalized member incentives. They also explore onboarding engagement, debit card loyalty, and why modern rewards programs need to move beyond points to create real financial value for members. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco