TALLAHASSEE, Fla.–New tools to fight card fraud, instant payments solutions, and digital asset crime monitoring solutions are among the latest offerings from vendors to credit unions to be featured in the CU Daily’s CU Shopper series. This is the first of a three-part series this week.
LEVERAGE Partners With Rippleshot on Card Fraud Detection
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — LEVERAGE has partnered with Rippleshot to give credit unions access to tools for detecting and preventing credit and debit card fraud, the league service corporation said.
The agreement provides access to Fraud Interceptor and Fraud Intelligence Collective for credit unions within LEVERAGE’s service area.
Fraud Interceptor analyzes anonymized transaction patterns across financial institutions to identify suspicious merchants, attacks targeting bank identification numbers and emerging fraud trends. Credit unions can use the findings to develop blocking rules within existing workflows, without installing software or adding information technology resources, LEVERAGE said. Rippleshot analysts provide support.
Fraud Intelligence Collective is an invitation-only network where vetted fraud professionals exchange intelligence and compare suspicious activity. Both products include merchant research tools, and neither requires sharing members’ personal information.
“Fraud is becoming more sophisticated, more widespread, and more difficult for any institution to fight alone,” said Steve Willis, LEVERAGE’s president.
LEVERAGE is the service corporation for The League of Credit Unions & Affiliates.
Pidgin Partners With Millennium Corporate on Instant Payments
ATLANTA — Pidgin has partnered with Millennium Corporate Credit Union to give its nearly 300 credit unions access to FedNow, the RTP network and stablecoin capabilities, the payments technology provider said.
The agreement with the Wichita, Kan.-based corporate credit union brings multiple payment options into a single platform that connects core processing systems, digital banking services and third-party applications.
Pidgin said its system keeps money within the financial institution rather than in a holding account owned by a financial technology provider.
More than 1,000 community financial institutions have access to Pidgin through clients that include corporate credit unions and bankers’ banks, while more than 100 institutions use its platform directly, the company said.
“Instant payments are quickly becoming essential to how members expect to move their money,” said Haley DaVee, Millennium Corporate’s CEO.
DaVee said the partnership gives credit unions a way to offer instant payments while addressing the costs and complexity that can impede adoption.
ValidiFI Wins Finovate Corporate Payments Award
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — ValidiFI has won the 2026 Finovate Award for Best Corporate Payments Solution for its Bank Account and Payment Intelligence Platform, the company said.
The platform evaluates account validity, ownership, financial behavior, payment performance and fraud risk before transactions occur. ValidiFI said the information helps businesses reduce failed payments, detect fraud and improve payment operations.
Its analysis includes account tenure, transaction velocity, payment history and fraud indicators. Supported uses include customer onboarding, account validation, automated clearing house payments, disbursements and vendor payments.
“As consumer expectations accelerate and payment ecosystems become more complex, organizations have less time to assess risk and more pressure to make the right decision before a transaction occurs,” said John Gordon, ValidiFI’s CEO.
The Finovate Awards recognize financial institutions and financial technology companies for innovation. The corporate payments category honors advances in how businesses move money and make payments.
Verafin and Stablecore Partner on Digital Asset Crime Monitoring
NEW YORK — Nasdaq Verafin and Stablecore have partnered to combine digital asset transaction information with traditional banking data for financial crime monitoring, the companies said.
The integration brings activity involving stablecoins, tokenized deposits and other digital assets into Verafin’s platform, consolidating information into customer profiles for investigations and risk assessments.
Stablecore holds digital asset balances and transaction information without storing personally identifiable information. Financial institutions retain customer and account data in their core systems, with both sources feeding Verafin, the companies said.
“Criminals increasingly move between on-chain and off-chain channels to obscure their activity and avoid detection,” said Rob Norris, Nasdaq Verafin’s senior vice president and head of product strategy.
The integration is being tested with selected customers, including Amarillo National Bank. A broader rollout to mutual customers is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026 and first quarter of 2027.
The companies subsequently plan to add real-time sanctions screening for recipients of digital asset transfers through Verafin’s existing screening program.
Embers Credit Union Launches MANTL Loan Origination
PLANO, Texas — Embers Credit Union has launched MANTL Loan Origination, initially using the platform for credit card applications in branches, Alkami Technology said.
The Marquette, Mich.-based credit union is expanding the system to auto, personal and recreational vehicle loans online and in branches.
The launch builds on Embers’ use of MANTL for retail account opening. Alkami said Embers has raised nearly $28 million in deposits through the platform, with account opening averaging about five minutes across online and branch channels.
“Within our pilot group, MANTL has reduced the time our loan officers spend on credit card applications by up to half, making them more efficient and giving them more time to focus on the member in front of them,” said David Black, Embers’ executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Embers was among more than 10 financial institutions that helped develop MANTL’s consumer lending capabilities. Alkami said their feedback shaped product design and workflows for borrowers and loan officers.
Dort Financial Moves Movemint Platform to the Cloud
NEW YORK — Dort Financial Credit Union has moved from Movemint’s on-premises system to its cloud platform for personalized financial offers, according to an announcement about the transition.
The $2.4 billion credit union has worked with Movemint for more than a decade to deliver preapproved lending, deposit and service offers to existing, prospective and indirect members.
The cloud conversion preserves personalized offers in mobile and online banking while simplifying administration and configuration, the announcement said.
“Moving to the cloud has been a significant improvement for our team, especially from an administrative standpoint,” said Adam Koishor, Dort Financial’s chief strategy officer.
Koishor said an easier-to-navigate interface, intuitive configuration and single sign-on have simplified daily access.
Brian Bodell, Movemint’s CEO, said the cloud infrastructure allows the credit union to adapt to market changes without rebuilding its system or disrupting members’ experience. He said updates and security enhancements would also reduce demands on information technology resources.
Greenville Heritage Launches New Website Developed by OMNICOMMANDER
SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. — Greenville Heritage Federal Credit Union has launched a redesigned website as it marks its 85th anniversary, website developer OMNICOMMANDER said.
The site provides access to online banking, account opening, loan applications, deposit and loan rates, membership information and ways to contact the credit union.
It also brings together financial education, fraud-prevention resources, community events, news and member promotions, with a design intended to work consistently on desktop computers, tablets and mobile devices.
Greenville Heritage has served Greenville County, S.C., since 1941.
“Our new website reflects that commitment by giving our members a more convenient way to find information, access helpful resources, and connect with the products and services they need,” said Alan Berry, the credit union’s president and CEO.
Eric Isham, OMNICOMMANDER’s founder and CEO, said the design aims to preserve the credit union’s community identity while making digital engagement easier. Featured rates and direct application links help visitors move from researching products to applying.
FirstClose Launches Workspace for Managing Borrower Leads
AUSTIN, Texas — FirstClose has launched Lender Portal, a workspace that allows loan officers to manage borrower leads from initial contact through application submission, the company said.
Available to lenders using its XpressEquity digital application and borrower portal, the system combines applications started online, by phone or in branches into one pipeline.
Applications submitted through a loan officer’s link are automatically assigned to that officer. Other leads can be claimed by loan officers or reassigned by managers.
The portal checks eligibility before underwriting by comparing a borrower’s credit score from a soft inquiry with the lender’s minimum and assessing available home equity against lending limits. It then presents eligible loan programs, FirstClose said.
Loan officers can track application status and borrower activity to guide follow-up. The system identifies stalled applications, can send automatic reminders and allows applications to resume from the last completed milestone.
“Loan officers spend a lot of their day hunting for information instead of talking to borrowers,” said Tedd Smith, FirstClose’s CEO.
The company said the portal is designed to reduce underwriting rework and application fallout.
