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.

Learn More

#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.

Learn More

#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.

Learn More

#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.

Learn More

#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.

Watch Now

Keep Exploring

Blog | Jun 4, 2025
Attracting and Engaging Younger Members Financial Well-being

Webinar: Leveraging Financial Education to Differentiate and Elevate Well-Being
- Holly Fearing
- Jean Chatzky
- Kathryn Tuggle
Review webinar materials from "Leveraging Financial Education to Differentiate and Elevate Well-Being," hosted on June 3rd, 2025.
Blog | May 23, 2025
Webinar: Member Pulse—Smarter Segmentation for Stronger Member Messaging
- Caroline Vahrenkamp
- Mitch Rutledge
- Anthony Volpe
Review webinar materials from "Member Pulse: Smarter Segmentation for Stronger Member Messaging," hosted on May 22nd, 2025.
Report #645 | May 22, 2025 | Members
Board Governance

Credit Union Boards, Govern Thyself
- Amy Hillman
*15 Minute Read: Discover what today’s most experienced credit union board chairs and CEOs say boards must do to govern not just their credit unions—but themselves. This brief reveals powerful insights and best practices to help boards elevate their strategic impact through stronger self-governance.
Blog | May 2, 2025
Strategy and Planning

Webinar: Roadmap to Excellence–Understanding Your Membership Options at Filene
Review webinar materials from Roadmap to Excellence: Understanding Membership Options at Filene hosted May 1st, 2025.

Our Membership

Unlock the future with Filene membership

With ideas, truth and cooperation at the core, Filene provides exclusive access to an innovative community, unbiased research and tools to put ideas into action.

Membership

Big Questions We're Asking

Topics in Action

Blogs

Research Reports

Quarterly Action Plans

Podcasts

Centers of Excellence

Advisory Services

HerMoney

Incubator

FiLab

Test with us

Testing Communities

DIY

The Cooperative Trust®

Filene i3

Think Tank

Inner circle

Supporters

Our People

Press Hits

Contact

Careers

Search

Browse by Type

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: Leveraging Financial Education to Differentiate and Elevate Well-Being

Webinar: Member Pulse—Smarter Segmentation for Stronger Member Messaging

Credit Union Boards, Govern Thyself

Webinar: Roadmap to Excellence–Understanding Your Membership Options at Filene