Fintech Combine

Fintech Combine
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

The Fintech Combine is a podcast for credit union leaders, fintech founders, and financial services innovators. Hosted by Kris Kovacs, it explores digital banking, payments, AI, core systems, and open banking. Each episode features real-world insights, fintech strategy, and practical lessons to help credit unions innovate, grow, and better serve members in a rapidly evolving financial ecosystem.

  1. 3h ago

    Why Credit Unions Are Betting Big on Stablecoins | Frank Mazza

    Kris Kovacs welcomes Frank Mazza, Director of Blockchain for Credit Unions and CUSOs at Metallicus, for an in-depth discussion on how blockchain, digital wallets, and stablecoins are reshaping financial services. They explore why credit unions are preparing for digital assets, how stablecoins can improve payments, reduce costs, enhance member experiences, and why education is still the biggest hurdle before widespread adoption. Whether you're curious about blockchain, digital wallets, or the future of payments, this conversation offers practical insights into what's coming next for community financial institutions.

    36 min

  2. Jun 19

    Powered By Curql: How Credit Unions Can Win with Real-Time Payments

    Kris Kovacs sits down with Mark Majeske, Senior Vice President of Faster Payments at Alacriti, to explore how instant payment technologies like RTP, FedNow, and emerging payment rails are transforming the future of credit unions. Powered by Curql, this episode dives into member expectations, fraud prevention, cross-border payments, payment orchestration, and why offering faster payments has become a strategic advantage for institutions looking to grow deposits and improve member experiences.

    45 min

  3. Jun 5

    How Verapath Helps Credit Unions Use AI Safely and Securely

    Kris Kovacs sits down with Alec Crawford, Founder and CEO of Verapath, to discuss how credit unions and community financial institutions can safely adopt AI while staying compliant and secure. From AI governance and regulatory requirements to AI agents, workflows, cybersecurity, and risk management, Alec shares practical insights from decades in banking, technology, and artificial intelligence. If your institution is exploring AI, this conversation provides a roadmap for doing it responsibly while unlocking real business value.

    37 min

  4. May 22

    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.

    45 min

  5. May 8

    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

    34 min

  6. Apr 24

    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.

    44 min

  7. Apr 10

    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

    48 min

  8. Mar 27

    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

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Fintech Combine is a podcast for credit union leaders, fintech founders, and financial services innovators. Hosted by Kris Kovacs, it explores digital banking, payments, AI, core systems, and open banking. Each episode features real-world insights, fintech strategy, and practical lessons to help credit unions innovate, grow, and better serve members in a rapidly evolving financial ecosystem.

Information

  • Creator
    Fintech Combine
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Fintech Combine
  • Show Website
    Fintech Combine