2026 Holiday IT Wish List - Part 2

For the 2026 edition of the annual Finopotamus “Holiday Tech Wish List” feature, we sat down with forward-looking fintech executives who shared their tech hopes and forecasted market realities for 2026. Due to a significant number of intriguing responses, this year’s Wish List will be presented in five consecutive installments.

Part 2 features insights from Jack Henry, Delfi, White Clay, CheckAlt, CSI, Union Credit and Digital Storefront.

By W.B. King

Jack Henry’s President of Credit Union Solutions Brynn Ammon wishes that credit unions rethink the long-standing approach of buying technology to solve a series of isolated needs and instead focus on building a foundation that prepares them for what’s ahead.

“For decades, institutions operated within the limits of the systems they purchased – a ‘What you see is what you get’ model. Today, member expectations shift constantly, and many of the experiences they’ll want in the near future don’t even exist yet,” Ammon told Finopotamus. The Monett, Mo.-based fintech serves financial institutions (FIs), including credit unions.

“Adding new tools or features may solve the moment, but it rarely creates the flexibility needed for whatever comes next,” she continued. “That’s why a platform mindset is so important. A product addresses a single need; a platform gives you room to grow. The real question is no longer ‘Does this system do X?’ but ‘Can this environment adapt as expectations change?’ Institutions that build with that in mind will be far better positioned to meet needs they can’t yet define.”

With an industry “shift” already underway, she believes her wish will come true, but that it won’t all occur at once. “It’s tech for the next generation; it’s an operational and cultural challenge. Many institutions are still working through legacy thinking, historical data, and deeply embedded processes,” she shared. “When new needs arise, it’s natural to reach for short-term fixes that solve today’s gap but don’t address the underlying limitations. These patterns make it difficult to step back and rethink the foundation, even when leaders know that long-term flexibility is becoming increasingly important.”

When asked what her hope is for the fintech/credit union space in 2026, she told Finopotamus that her expectations include an industry that modernizes with intention –strengthening the overall technology foundation to support long-term growth. She noted that the “Amazon Effect” has reshaped how members define good service.

“But the solution isn’t to chase every new capability. It’s to ensure core systems can support speed, personalization, integration, and whatever new expectations emerge next. Modernization should give institutions the ability to adjust without having to rebuild their technology environment every time the market shifts,” she continued. “Fintechs can play a meaningful role when their capabilities fit into that broader architectural strategy – not as isolated point solutions, but as components that can plug into an open, extensible environment. With a strong foundation, credit unions are better positioned to respond to emerging expectations and move confidently into whatever comes around the next corner.”

Delfi’s CEO and Co-Founder Daniel Ahn wishes for "AI-powered data governance, management and orchestration capabilities" that can be rolled out to all credit unions.

“Particularly as it relates to balance sheet data, many credit unions still rely on legacy core and adjacent systems that require heavy manual data cleanup. This outdated infrastructure slows everything down and makes it harder to onboard modern fintech solutions,” Ahn told Finopotamus. The New York City-based fintech bills itself as transforming banks and credit union financial decision makers with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analytics.

“With AI-driven data capabilities, which Delfi is developing in-house to streamline our implementations of 'Delfi Overwatch,' what used to take months could be reduced to days. That shift would unlock faster deployments and, ultimately, faster innovation across the credit union industry,” he said, adding that he is optimistic that his wish will be realized.

“Data management has been a persistent pain point for credit unions, and AI is finally mature enough to tackle it. Machine learning can now automate much of the tedious cleanup that once required extensive staff time,” he shared. “As mentioned, fintechs such as Delfi are already exploring in-house AI solutions to manage and clean data — so that we can more easily implement our technologies, build APIs [application programming interfaces] and integrate into any credit union environment in a ‘plug-and-play’ fashion.”

As he looks to 2026, he hopes credit unions continue to lean into innovation. “Consolidation is reshaping the financial landscape, with big firms only getting bigger. Community institutions can only compete by using technology to punch above their weight,” he said. “Fintechs should act as force multipliers, bringing advanced tools, AI and market intelligence that help credit unions stay resilient, adaptive and member-focused. With the right innovations, credit unions can continue to do what they do best: provide sustainable, modern financial solutions that grow and empower their community.”

White Clay Head of Community Banking Scott Earwood’s top IT wish for 2026 is for credit unions to "enhance member conversations" by putting data tools in the hands of its representatives.

“Today, 67% of accountholders don’t feel truly known by their primary financial institution, yet understanding their behaviors, needs, and motivations is the foundation of loyalty and stronger deposits,” Earwood said, citing a recent White Clay survey. Since 2006, the Louisville, Ky.-based fintech has provided custom and off-the-shelf, data-driven solutions to regional and community banks and credit unions.

“Credit unions need to leverage their data to deliver more human-centered interactions,” he added. “When credit unions can clearly see why members bank with them and how they can better fulfill their financial needs, they can deepen relationships, stay competitive, and create meaningful growth in a tightening market.”

For his wish to come true, credit unions need to shift from simply collecting data to truly acting on it, he said. “Many institutions already hold member data; the challenge is converting it into actionable intelligence and giving staff the tools to use it. Legacy systems, fragmented data sources, and change management barriers can slow progress. But with shrinking market share and rising member expectations, data-driven personalization is no longer optional,” Earwood continued. “With the right partners and leadership commitment, 2026 can be the year credit unions close the gap between owning data and actually using it to strengthen relationships.”

For 2026, his hope is that the credit union industry gains wider acclaim for their relationship-driven approach to banking. “Their community roots are powerful but even stronger when paired with data-driven insights,” he said. “Fintech partners can play a critical role by giving credit unions the tools and intelligence to see exactly where each member relationship stands: what’s working, what needs attention, and where opportunities for growth exist.”

Jason Schwabline, executive vice president of growth and revenue at CheckAlt, wishes for credit unions to have a “more unified way to manage incoming payments” across all channels.

“Today, checks, digital payments, and online bill pay often sit in separate systems, which adds work for teams and creates room for errors,” he said. “Bringing those workflows together would make daily operations easier and safer and help credit unions modernize the payment experience in a way that feels simple and predictable for members.”

The Valley Cottage, N.Y.-based company, which serves more than 80 credit union clients, bills itself as simplifying payment management with secure, digital-first receivables solutions — from lockbox and online payments to ACH and credit cards.

While he believes many share his wish, Schwabline said making it reality comes down to capacity. “Credit unions want to streamline and modernize payment workflows, but they’re balancing staffing shortages, aging systems, and a long list of competing priorities,” he noted. “The ideas aren’t the barrier — time and bandwidth are. Progress will come from solutions that fit into existing environments, lighten the load on staff, and improve the member experience without introducing disruption.”

Looking ahead, he hopes credit unions feel supported in modernizing the operational areas that matter most (payments included). “Members expect clarity and reliability, and staff need tools that help them deliver that,” Schwabline continued. “Fintechs should make things simpler, not harder: reducing friction, connecting fragmented processes, and helping credit unions strengthen both operational resilience and the experience they provide to their members.”

Jennifer Dimenna, vice president of product management at CSI, wishes that in 2026 open data connectivity "remains free" for credit unions and community banks.

“As the largest financial institutions toy with the idea of charging for data connectivity and data access, credit unions, community banks and fintechs will be hurt,” she shared. “The fintech market grew up in response to the large financial institutions not fully satisfying the needs of consumers and small businesses to view and manage their finances, but the largest institutions are now pushing back with a demand that participants now pay for data access.”

In October 2025, the Paducah, Ky.-based CSI, a provider of end-to-end financial software and technology, acquired Apiture and its Apiture Digital Banking Platform, which is used by banks and credit unions.

“The pain of those fees will be felt most dramatically by the smaller institutions, who desire to be the primary institution for consumers and businesses in their communities, potentially forcing those community members to feel their choice of financial institution has been taken from them,” she told Finopotamus. “Open data connectivity should remain free; consumers and small businesses should not have to pay for access to their data. Perceptions must be shifted from a bank being a closed system to banks and fintechs being part of a secure, interoperable ecosystem that empowers customization and fintech enablement.”

For her wish to come true, she said it will take "strong collaboration" among community financial institutions and industry associations (to push back against the proposed fees).

“But the benefits include a continued ability for community financial institutions to be the primary institution for their community members, to provide unified financial views for their members, and to build a flexible, future-ready infrastructure that supports everyone,” she continued. “Credit unions have begun to recognize the importance of offering products and services to the small businesses market. Our hope is that credit unions will continue to be a strong competitor to banks (especially the big four banks) in attracting small business owners with the same type of member experience their consumer members have come to expect.”

Barry Kirby, Union Credit CRO and co-founder, said his 2026 wish is easy: He wants credit unions to stop being financial services’ best kept secret.

“You are not a speakeasy. People should not need a password and a treasure map to find you online,” Kirby shared. “It is time to show up in the digital spaces where consumers actually make decisions instead of hoping they wander onto a homepage like it is 2009.”

Billing itself as “lending without frustration,” the Santa Rosa, Calif.-based finetch offers a lending platform that “eliminates the hassle and guesswork” of obtaining a loan.

“During the government shutdown, we ran a survey to understand how people were handling all that uncertainty, and confidence tanked. Only 12% felt very confident in their finances. Almost half said their borrowing confidence dropped in the last month. That is not hesitation. That is a digital shrug,” he said. “But here is the twist. Borrowing intent is still alive. Thirty-six percent said they would take a loan if the offer felt secure and transparent. They are not rejecting credit. They are rejecting confusion. Credit unions have the cure, but only if they show up exactly where people need clarity.”

In his estimation, the odds are “solid” that his wish will come true. “Consumer behavior is already dragging the industry forward. People are not browsing 10 lender websites anymore,” he said. “They are choosing from whatever is right in front of them. Embedded finance is projected to grow from $8 billion dollars to $46 billion by 2034. That is not a cute trend. That is a tidal wave.”

As he looks toward 2026, he hopes that credit unions “fully step into their role as financial stabilizers,” especially at a time when consumers feel overwhelmed. “People are not saying no to credit. They are saying no to chaos and lack of convenience,” he continued. “Credit unions already deliver the trust and transparency people crave, but none of that matters if consumers never see it because our digital presence is lagging behind their expectations.”

Digital Storefront CEO Brian Bodell’s top wish for 2026 is that all credit unions better leverage their data to deliver personalized offers that increase products per member.

“Credit unions continue to trail behind competitors when it comes to product penetration, often resulting in members paying more for services with banks and direct-to-consumer fintechs,” he said. “With better use of member data, credit unions can identify real needs, personalize engagement, and ultimately strengthen these relationships while improving their growth outcomes.”

The New York City-based Digital Storefront, which offers a white-labeled marketing technology that can be embedded into online and mobile banking platforms, serves more than 140 credit union clients.

“The likelihood is high for credit unions that operate with a marketing and data-centric focus and are committed to growth. These institutions understand the value of using insights to drive member engagement and are willing to invest accordingly,” Bodell said. “However, many credit unions remain more conservative than their competitors and hesitate to prioritize marketing, data maturity, or growth initiatives, which continues to be a significant barrier to adopting more advanced personalization strategies.”

For 2026, he shared his hope for all credit unions: that they embrace the scale of their potential. “This industry has the best people, strong products, and a community-centric mission, yet many credit unions don’t sufficiently promote their value to grow their product base,” he continued. “By better communicating their strengths, expanding product adoption among existing members, and marketing more to non-members, credit unions can reclaim competitive ground. Fintechs should play a supporting role by empowering credit unions with the tools and partnership approach they need to modernize without losing the member-focused touch.”