CU Blockchain Path Easier to Traverse with Metallicus CUSO

By W.B. King

In a move that embraces blockchain technology as a catalyst for enhancing traditional finance, Directions Credit Union recently joined Metallicus’ Metal Blockchain Banking Innovation Program.

“This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to provide innovative and secure financial solutions for our members,” said Jonathan Pollock, chief risk officer at Directions Credit Union. With 21 branches across Toledo, central Ohio and southeast Michigan, the $1.2 billion credit union serves more than 100,000 members.

“By leveraging blockchain technology, we aim to enhance our operational efficiency and offer cutting-edge services that meet the evolving needs of our consumers,” Pollock added.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency

The San Francisco-based Metallicus is a CUSO that helps financial institutions implement customized blockchain solutions that adhere to regulatory standards like BSA compliance while addressing their specific operational demands, explained Frank Mazza, director of blockchain for institutions and fintechs.

“Directions Credit Union's enrollment in our Banking Innovation Program is a key step in incubating blockchain and banking solutions alongside an expanding network of credit unions, CUSOs and fintechs," said Mazza, adding that the CUSO focuses on use cases such as stablecoins, cryptocurrency, digital identity, single sign-on (SSO), private subnets, and tokenization of assets.

"As institutions advance through the program and deploy use cases, they connect to The Digital Banking Network, reducing transaction costs, enhancing operational efficiency, and providing greater services for their members,” he noted.

Metallicus also provides the necessary tools and resources to increase profitability, lower costs, mitigate risks, and improve services for their members, Mazza added. The company’s open source blockchain banking protocol provides credit unions and banks with the ability to deploy private subnets, while maintaining bridgeless interoperability with other institutions on the network.

“This facilitates instant global payments, digital identity management, and access to decentralized finance products, enabling financial institutions to enhance their member services seamlessly,” the company stated in press release.

Compliant Digital Payments

The blockchain movement is growing. Maryland and DC Credit Union Association, a regional trade association serving credit unions in Maryland and the District of Columbia, also signed with Metallicus in May 2025. The organization represents approximately 80 credit union and a total of 2.2 million members.

“We’re bringing best-in-class, innovative products to help credit unions meet their members where they are-whether through crypto wallets, fraud prevention, or advanced member protection solutions,” said John Bratsakis, president and CEO, MD|DC Credit Union Association. “This partnership makes it easier for our members to explore and adopt transformative technologies like blockchain.”

Among selling points is the Metal Blockchain Innovation Program’s ability to provide a secure, “compliance-forward infrastructure” to support credit unions currently evaluating blockchain technology across several strategic use cases, he said. These include:

• Metal Pay for Credit Unions – a white-labeled crypto-as-a-service wallet solution utilizing tokenization and stablecoins to support compliant digital payments.

• Metal Identity – a digital on-chain identity solution offering secure member authentication through verifiable credentials and SSO.

• Fraud prevention and risk mitigation – Blockchain-enabled tools using private subnets and advanced access controls to reduce risk and enhance security.

  
  

“Credit unions are uniquely positioned to benefit from blockchain, and we’re excited to work with MD|DC Credit Union Association to bring these innovations to life,” said Mazza. “Our goal is to make blockchain real and relevant for credit unions-and this partnership is a major step forward in doing just that.”