VELERA | PYMNTS Report January 2026

CU Innovation Readiness: How CUs and Fintechs Innovate Together

How partnerships help credit unions move faster, scale better and meet rising expectations.

Partnerships Become the Engine of Credit Union Innovation

Credit union innovation is increasingly built through collaboration. Based on surveys of 500 credit union executives and 100 fintechs, this report shows why outside partners are becoming central to speed, scale and digital transformation.

  • Learn how partnerships accelerate innovation
  • See where CU and fintech views diverge
  • Identify ways to improve project execution

Partnerships Speed Innovation

    56% use partners to scale

    CUs say outside partners help them innovate faster or at greater scale.

    77% report project delays

    Most CUs say their last fintech project took longer than expected.

    22% say timelines were met

    Few fintechs say project timelines matched the original plan.