The Top Five Strategic Issues Facing Credit Unions in 2025

This list not only includes the top challenges for credit unions but links to solutions too! Below, we're giving you special access to original research, innovative strategies, real-world case studies, and expert recommendations to help your credit union tackle these issues head on.

#1. Pursuing the Scale to Succeed

Blog: Maximizing Efficiency of Operations: The "New Currency"

Operational efficiency is a necessity for credit unions looking to drive profitable growth while strengthening financial stability. The following overview explores economy of scale though an analysis of 585 credit unions to identify characteristics of top performing institutions.

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#2. Delivering Exceptional Member Value

Summary Slides: Member Experience & Service Excellence

In this age of self-service, how can your member experience keep up—let alone outshine the competition? We explore two strategies: (1) focus on who you serve and how you serve them; and (2) transparency on how you show what’s behind your processes to enhance experience, build trust, and increase understanding.

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#3. Differentiating from the Competition

Summary Slides: Creating an Innovation Strategy that Drives Differentiation and Member Loyalty

Based on the results from our 2nd annual credit union innovation success study, the following slides showcase why innovativeness cannot be ignored and how it influences member loyalty.

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#4. Facing the Evolution of Payments

Report: Year Two FiLab Results—Flow, Activating the Payment Method

Competition in the payments space continues to heat up. That's why FiLab partnered with Flow to test their platform on its ability to enable credit unions to communicate with the members when they are most engaged—at the point of sale with their card.

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#5. Growing Member Relationships

Webinar Recap: Unlocking the Future—Engaging Gen Z for Credit Union Growth

Join Filene Fellow Kim Lear, a renowned generational sociologist, as she shares emerging research form the Center for the Next Generation of Member Growth. In this previously recorded session, she explored the critical role Gen Z will play for the future of credit unions and addressed their aspirations, wants, needs and their preferences for financial advice.

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Keep Exploring

Blog | Apr 29, 2025
Strategy and Planning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Webinar: Turning Insights into Action—A Blueprint for Credit Unions to Support Entrepreneurs
- McKaye Black
Review webinar materials from "Turning Insights into Action: A Blueprint for Credit Unions to Support Entrepreneurs," hosted April 24th, 2025.
Blog | Mar 27, 2025
Innovation

Congratulations to i3 Wave 19!
Wave 19 of Filene's i3 program graduated on March 27th, 2025. Filene's Executive Vice President, Christie Kimball, Head of Incubation, McKaye Black and Incubation Associate, Maddie Gunderson celebrated the cohort's hard work and congratulated this incredible group of credit union innovators and leaders. Also, each graduate was able to share their biggest takeaways from their i3 experience.
Report | Mar 27, 2025 | Members
Innovation

Blueprints for Innovation: The Latest Concepts from Filene i3
- McKaye Black
- Maddie Gunderson
Blog | Mar 14, 2025
Innovation

Webinar: i3 Prototype Presentations (parts 1 & 2)
- McKaye Black
- Maddie Gunderson
Review the webinar materials from i3 Prototype Presentations (Parts 1 & 2), hosted on March 12th and 13th, 2025.

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The Top Five Strategic Issues Facing Credit Unions in 2025

This list not only includes the top challenges for credit unions but links to solutions too! Below, we're giving you special access to original research, innovative strategies, real-world case studies, and expert recommendations to help your credit union tackle these issues head on.

Keep Exploring

Webinar: Turning Insights into Action—A Blueprint for Credit Unions to Support Entrepreneurs

Congratulations to i3 Wave 19!

Blueprints for Innovation: The Latest Concepts from Filene i3

Webinar: i3 Prototype Presentations (parts 1 & 2)