DEARBORN, Mich.–New data analytics solutions, Dark Matter, modernized LOS and more can be found in this latest edition of the CU Shopper from the CU Daily, which offers a synopses of some of the new products and services being offered to credit unions, as well as a look at what some CUs are buying.
DFCU Financial, Gemineye Partner on Data Analytics
DEARBORN, Mich. — DFCU Financial said it has partnered with Massachusetts-based data analytics firm Gemineye as the credit union seeks to scale its technology infrastructure following a series of acquisitions and geographic expansion.
The $8 billion credit union said recent mergers with several Florida-based financial institutions over the past three years accelerated growth and highlighted the need for more advanced data capabilities to support decision-making, integration and member service.
DFCU Financial said Gemineye will help modernize its data architecture through a platform designed to aggregate, manage and analyze enterprise data at scale. The system is intended to support reporting, predictive analytics and operational insights as the organization continues to expand.
“We are excited to partner with Gemineye to modernize our architecture and accelerate our analytics capabilities,” Sameer Barua, DFCU’s director of data analytics, said in a statement, describing the relationship as a strategic collaboration rather than a traditional vendor engagement.
Gemineye said its “data lakehouse” model is designed to grow with institutions rather than provide point-in-time analytics, combining cloud-based infrastructure with an Everything-as-a-Service delivery model.
Maggie Chopp, Gemineye’s director of business development, said the partnership reflects a shared focus on long-term, sustainable growth. The companies said implementation is underway, with the platform expected to support DFCU Financial’s continued expansion into new markets and services.
Dark Matter Technologies Deploys AI Agents for Reg, Compliance Requirements
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dark Matter Technologies announced a new capability within its developer platform that allows mortgage lenders to deploy artificial intelligence agents in a controlled environment designed to meet regulatory and compliance requirements.
The company said lenders are increasingly exploring AI to reduce manual workloads, improve access to information and streamline processes but must do so within strict security and audit standards governing mortgage data.
The new feature uses Model Context Protocol, an open-source framework that connects AI applications to external systems. Through a secure gateway, AI agents can interact with Dark Matter’s Empower loan origination system without receiving direct access to sensitive loan data.
According to the company, the gateway verifies identity, enforces permissions, limits data exposure and maintains an audit trail for each request. Dark Matter manages the infrastructure and monitoring, while lenders design and deploy their own AI tools.
“By managing the secure communication layer — identity, permissions, monitoring and auditability — we give lenders the freedom to innovate with AI … while maintaining full control and compliance,” Chief Technology Officer Vikas Rao said.
Chief Executive Officer Sean Dugan said the capability is intended to help lenders surface operational insights faster while ensuring that lending decisions remain human-driven. The company said the platform can also connect AI agents to related systems such as servicing, billing and customer relationship management tools.
MANTL, MerdianLink Join on Integrated Digital Lending Experience
PLANO, Texas — MANTL, an Alkami solution team, said it is partnering with MeridianLink to deliver an integrated digital lending experience aimed at financial institutions seeking to modernize consumer loan origination.
The companies said the collaboration connects MANTL’s digital application interface to MeridianLink’s consumer loan origination system through application programming interfaces, enabling real-time data exchange between front-end user experiences and back-end underwriting workflows.
MANTL said the integration allows financial institutions to offer instant approvals or denials, automate Know Your Customer verification, transfer application data seamlessly and create a unified borrowing and deposit onboarding process.
The platform is designed to give banks and credit unions more flexibility in configuring workflows while delivering what the companies described as a “fintech-grade” user experience intended to reduce abandonment and improve conversion rates.
Benjamin Conant, chief product officer at Alkami and co-founder of MANTL, said the partnership expands access to digital lending tools for MeridianLink users regardless of where they are in their technology modernization efforts.
The companies said the integrated solution will be offered as an optional capability to mutual clients and is part of a broader effort to simplify digital transformation in lending while enabling cross-sell opportunities and automation across the account origination lifecycle.
VolCorp and Veep Partner to Offer New Earned Wage Solution
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Volunteer Corporate Credit Union (VolCorp) announced what it called a first-of-its-kind partnership with fintech firm Veep to offer Anytime Pay, an earned wage access solution tailored for credit unions.
VolCorp said the platform allows members to access wages they have already earned before their scheduled payday using existing digital banking channels, eliminating the need for separate applications or third-party services.
Unlike some earned wage access products, Anytime Pay is designed specifically for regulated financial institutions and incorporates artificial intelligence to evaluate member behavior and manage risk, the companies said.
The AI-driven model assesses usage patterns to prevent excessive advances while providing liquidity in what the firms described as a responsible framework intended to reduce reliance on high-cost payday lending alternatives.
“Anytime Pay is an innovative solution that can help credit unions attract new members, deepen loyalty and improve financial well-being,” Karen Clabough, VolCorp’s vice president of products and services, said.
Veep said it is already working with several credit unions in the VolCorp network and plans to expand availability. The companies said the offering is intended to strengthen member relationships while creating new sources of engagement and potential fee income for participating institutions.
AKUVO and TransUnion Collaborate to Integrate Scoring Data
MALVERN, Pa. — AKUVO said it has partnered with TransUnion to integrate credit and delinquency scoring data directly into its collections technology platform, a move the companies said will help lenders refine recovery strategies and operational efficiency.
Through the integration, TransUnion’s collection and risk-scoring data will feed into the AKUVO Platform, enabling financial institutions to better segment accounts, prioritize outreach and tailor collections strategies based on borrower risk profiles.
AKUVO said the added data visibility is designed to support more predictive decision-making and improve the allocation of resources toward accounts with the highest likelihood of resolution.
“Across the industry, we’re seeing a strong demand for more intelligent, data-informed strategies within collections,” Chief Growth Officer Steve Castagna said.
TransUnion said the collaboration aligns with its goal of making analytics and insights more accessible to lenders through integrated delivery channels.
The companies said the partnership expands AKUVO’s ecosystem of data providers and reflects a broader trend toward analytics-driven collections operations as financial institutions look to modernize workflows and improve consumer engagement while managing credit risk.
Southern Chautauqua FCU Selects TFD Consulting
LAKEWOOD, N.Y. — Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union said it has selected TFD Consulting LLC to assist with contract negotiations and expense optimization as part of an effort to strengthen operational performance.
The credit union said TFD Consulting will review existing vendor agreements, identify cost-saving opportunities and help structure contracts to improve efficiency and reduce noninterest expenses.
“TFD’s focus is fixed on strengthening our operational performance so that we might continue to meet the ever-growing needs of our members and the community,” CEO John Felton said.
TFD Consulting said it works nationally with financial institutions to analyze contracts, mitigate vendor risk and negotiate improved terms, reporting that it returned more than $10 million in savings to clients last year.
Southern Chautauqua FCU, founded in 1954, said it remains committed to its cooperative mission and is the only designated Community Development Financial Institution in Chautauqua County. The credit union said the partnership will allow it to redirect resources toward member services, financial education and expanded access to affordable financial products.
Interface.ai Launches Smart Collections Platform
PALO ALTO, Calif. — interface.ai announced the launch of Smart Collections, an AI-driven platform designed to help community financial institutions address early-stage delinquency through coordinated, automated outreach.
The company said the system integrates voice, SMS and email communication tools with compliance controls, policy enforcement and analytics to enable earlier engagement with borrowers before accounts progress to later stages of delinquency.
Smart Collections includes tools for identity verification, promise-to-pay capture and escalation to human agents when necessary, while maintaining audit trails and configurable policy guardrails.
Founder and CEO Srinivas Njay said early delinquency is a critical point where institutions must balance speed, empathy and compliance to preserve relationships.
The platform integrates with several core banking providers and includes configurable dashboards, journey orchestration tools and automated quality assurance monitoring.
interface.ai said the offering is designed to help smaller institutions manage resource constraints while improving cure rates and maintaining regulatory oversight.
Metallicus Achieves Request for Payment Certification With FedNow
SAN FRANCISCO — Metallicus said it has achieved Request for Payment certification for the Federal Reserve’s FedNow Service, expanding its real-time payments capabilities for credit unions using its platform.
The company previously received certification for sending, receiving and liquidity management and said the added functionality allows institutions to initiate biller-presented payment requests that settle instantly over the FedNow rail.
Request for Payment enables credit unions or businesses to request funds and receive immediate payment upon approval, reducing reliance on invoicing, ACH processing or card-based transactions, Metallicus said.
The feature also integrates with the company’s digital wallet technology to support real-time transfers between accounts and facilitate digital asset transactions within a regulated framework.
“Request for Payment is a meaningful step forward in how money moves,” CEO Marshall Hayner said.
Metallicus said the expanded certification strengthens its broader payments and blockchain infrastructure offering aimed at helping credit unions adopt real-time payment services while maintaining control over deposits and compliance processes.
EDGE Reports Robust Growth During Second Half of 2025
CHICAGO — EDGE reported significant growth in the second half of 2025, including a 42% increase in lenders using its platform and the launch of a new product designed to bring cashflow insights earlier into the lending process.
The company said 64 lenders are now active on its network, with 19 added since July 2025, and that it processed more than 3.7 million unique consumer identities by the fourth quarter, an 85% increase from the first half of the year.
EDGE Screen, introduced during the period, allows lenders to evaluate applicants’ recent income and financial obligations before purchasing leads, providing what the company described as decision-ready data in milliseconds.
CEO Brian Reshefsky said the growth reflects increasing adoption of cashflow analytics as lenders seek to supplement traditional credit scoring and better evaluate borrowers who may be underrepresented by conventional metrics.
EDGE said it expanded integrations with credit union technology providers, including CU*Answers and Jack Henry’s Symitar platform, and expects additional connectivity enhancements through 2026 as it continues building its cashflow data network.
