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Revolutionizing finance through innovation, truth, and cooperation.

Kim Lear | Founder, Inlay Insights
Filene's cutting-edge research and proven innovations empower you to unlock your credit union's future.
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Advancing financial well-being by strengthening credit unions

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Research & Thinking

Research is our middle name, but there is so much more to it than you might think
The future of financial services is changing and credit unions have always been innovators

Communities & Networks

Be part of something bigger where your contributions are your superpower

Events & Activities

Team up and collaborate with hundreds of your peers here; it's what credit unions do

Questions

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Join us in asking and answering today's big questions.

Report #658 |

2025 FiLab Results: Finfluencer

The next generation of members seek out financial guidance online and the question is whether your credit union will be part of that conversation. Filene's FiLab Finfluencer report reveals how 13 credit unions stepped into that space by testing influencer campaigns, and what they discovered may change the way you think about future member growth entirely.
Report #657 | Members

Engaging the Next Generation: A Strategic Imperative for Credit Unions in the Social Media Era

  • David Smith
  • Samuel Seaman
  • Yury Adamov
Gen Z is anxious about money and seeking answers on social media, often from finfluencers who are entertaining but not always accurate. This report shows how credit unions can fill that gap with credible, authentic content. Based on analysis of 270,000+ posts across credit unions, banks, digital natives, and finfluencers, it reveals what performs best on social media platforms, and how storytelling, humor, and short-form video build engagement and trust with the next generation of members.

Report #660 |

2025 FiLab Results: Casap

One of the six solutions selected for the 2025 FiLab testing phase focused on improving how credit unions manage fraud disputes, an operational and reputational pressure point that continues to intensify as fraud volumes rise. To address this long-standing challenge, FiLab partnered with Casap to test whether its fraud dispute automation platform can reduce manual burden, improve processing speed and strengthen member trust during high-stakes resolution moments.
Blog |

Leading the Payments Evolution: Welcome to Filene's Center for All Things Payments

  • Henry Kim
The payments landscape is transforming faster than ever. Members now expect money to move instantly at 2 AM, buy products without leaving AI chat windows, and access seamless payment experiences everywhere they go. Meanwhile, stablecoins, embedded finance, and evolving fraud tactics are reshaping the competitive playing field. Read on to learn how Filene's new Center for All Things Payments will help you meet your members' expectations and turn disruption into your strategic advantage.
Blog |

Thinking Forward: Keeping Payments SIMPLE in a Rapidly Changing Landscape

For credit unions, staying relevant in this evolving landscape means understanding not just how payments work, but how people want to pay. Six key trends—Social, Invisible, Mobile, Personal, Live and Empowered—capture how consumer behavior is evolving and what it means for the future of member engagement. While examining these trends, we'll use examples from across the globe; these may show possible futures for America's credit unions.
Report #653 | Members

Global Payment Innovations: A Research Brief for U.S. Credit Unions

  • Ann Wessling
*25-Minute Read: Co-designed with the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), this brief aims to deliver an in-depth report that compares leading payment innovations worldwide, analyzes the technological and regulatory drivers behind these advancements, and derives actionable lessons for U.S. credit unions by examining models and regulatory environments from selected countries.

Latest Research from Filene

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Report #660 |

2025 FiLab Results: Casap

One of the six solutions selected for the 2025 FiLab testing phase focused on improving how credit unions manage fraud disputes, an operational and reputational pressure point that continues to intensify as fraud volumes rise. To address this long-standing challenge, FiLab partnered with Casap to test whether its fraud dispute automation platform can reduce manual burden, improve processing speed and strengthen member trust during high-stakes resolution moments.
Report #659 | Members

Finfluencer Campaign Playbook

  • Katie Brown
  • Jason Shapiro
  • Addison Davis
Launching a finfluencer campaign no longer requires starting from scratch. This Finfluencer Campaign Playbook provides ready-to-use templates and tools that significantly reduce execution risk, eliminate the guesswork, and provide credit unions with field-tested frameworks developed through cohort collaboration with 13 credit unions.
Report #658 |

2025 FiLab Results: Finfluencer

The next generation of members seek out financial guidance online and the question is whether your credit union will be part of that conversation. Filene's FiLab Finfluencer report reveals how 13 credit unions stepped into that space by testing influencer campaigns, and what they discovered may change the way you think about future member growth entirely.
Report #657 | Members

Engaging the Next Generation: A Strategic Imperative for Credit Unions in the Social Media Era

  • David Smith
  • Samuel Seaman
  • Yury Adamov
Gen Z is anxious about money and seeking answers on social media, often from finfluencers who are entertaining but not always accurate. This report shows how credit unions can fill that gap with credible, authentic content. Based on analysis of 270,000+ posts across credit unions, banks, digital natives, and finfluencers, it reveals what performs best on social media platforms, and how storytelling, humor, and short-form video build engagement and trust with the next generation of members.
Report #655 |

The Role of Credit Unions in Affordable Housing Innovations

  • Mai Nguyen
  • Eileen Miamidian
  • Joshua Newton
  • Grant Ruroede
  • William Fulton
  • Kate Zegans
This five-part Housing Innovation Series provides an essential roadmap for addressing the critical lack of affordable housing and homeownership in communities. These reports detail a range of actionable financial strategies, focusing on innovative approaches to funding housing supply—such as specialized development financing, regional investment funds, and creative land acquisition—and explore new mortgage models and shared equity arrangements to expand long-term access and affordability.

Blog

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  • Blog |

    Stablecoins and Credit Unions: Five Strategic Questions Leaders Should Be Debating Now

    Stablecoins are quickly moving from crypto niche to mainstream payments conversation. As regulation and industry experimentation accelerate, credit union leaders must consider how stablecoins could reshape deposits, payments, and member relationships. This blog explores five strategic questions executives should be debating now to understand potential risks, opportunities, and the role credit unions may play in a more tokenized financial future.
  • Blog |

    Filene's i3 Wave 22: Building the Future of Credit Union Innovation

    Now is not the time for credit unions to accept the status quo. Our industry needs passionate innovators with a fire in their belly to build the future. That's exactly what Filene's i3 program is designed to create, and Wave 22 represents the next generation of leaders ready to do just that. Meet the 24 inspiring credit union professionals from across the country who were selected to join this prestigious program and discover why the future of our industry is in good hands.
  • Blog |

    Leading the Payments Evolution: Welcome to Filene's Center for All Things Payments

    • Henry Kim
    The payments landscape is transforming faster than ever. Members now expect money to move instantly at 2 AM, buy products without leaving AI chat windows, and access seamless payment experiences everywhere they go. Meanwhile, stablecoins, embedded finance, and evolving fraud tactics are reshaping the competitive playing field. Read on to learn how Filene's new Center for All Things Payments will help you meet your members' expectations and turn disruption into your strategic advantage.

Events

2026 Events Calendar
Research Event |

EDGE 2026

Dallas, TX

Registration is now open for Trellance's EDGE 2026 event, in partnership with CUDX and Filene. This event aims to inspire and ignite innovative thinking by showcasing the latest advancements, cutting-edge trends and emerging technologies, thus enabling attendees to envision and create the future of financial services.
Member Exclusive Webinar |

Trying to Understand the latest on Real-Time Payments, Stablecoins and Tokenization? Learn About the Latest Payment Trends and How to Prepare for What’s Ahead.

The member-exclusive webinar unpacks the fast-morning world of real-time payments, stablecoins, tokenization, and the GENIUS Act to help credit union leaders cut through the noise. Filene Fellows Dr. Henry Kim and Dr. Lamont Black share the biggest opportunities, challenges, and strategic actions your credit union can take now to get ahead of what's coming.