Cross border payments: How credit unions can remain vital

Credit unions looking to stay a vital option in the financial services marketplace should add cross-border payments to their digital transformation. Cross-border payments are “transactions between banks, financial institutions, businesses, or individuals operating in different countries that may or may not share a border.” Cross-border B2B payments are expected to exceed $40 trillion worldwide by 2024, up from $37 trillion in 2022, according to a Juniper Research report.

We live in a world of fast and faster, and this has never been truer than with how we exchange money. Credit unions, challenged as they are with staying relevant in a world of shrinking branches, online banking, chatbot customer service, and costly technology, must revitalize their relevancy as the global demand for instant cross-border payments can help credit unions remain vital and competitive.

FedNow, the instant payment system of the Federal Reserve, will create a pivotal opportunity for the payment industry to modernize the nation’s payment system and establish a safe and efficient foundation for the future. If The Federal Reserve believes faster payment services will become widely used and yield economic benefits for individuals and businesses, credit unions should believe it too.

At issue, of course, will be the ability of FedNow technology to integrate with the myriad of apps and platforms all businesses use today. Credit unions have suffered the most of any of the financial institutions in that they don’t have the capital to invest in the powerful, dynamic, and secure systems of the big banks.

 

continue reading »