TAMPA, Fla.—As they seek to compete with global banks, fintechs, and payment providers in the year ahead, credit unions and the organizations serving them must recognize the market is moving toward ever-faster delivery of products, services, experiences, and more, according to one CUSO executive.
Brian Caldarelli, president and incoming CEO of Velera, put the emphasis on real-time intelligence, frictionless experiences, and streamlined processes when he describes Velera’s plans for 2027. Credit unions that successfully–but thoughtfully– adapt to today’s fast-paced marketplace will meet members’ expectations and grow over the long term, he predicts.
Caldarelli, who took over as CEO this year for the retiring Chuck Fagan, contributed these comments to the CU Daily’s series, “The Growth Imperative,” which is currently focusing on strategic planning for 2027.
His insights are shared below.
The CU Daily: What will Velera focus on in Q4 2026 and 2027?
Caldarelli: As we look to the fourth quarter of the calendar year and look forward to 2027, Velera’s focus is on building momentum, not changing direction. In practice, that means continuing to deliver exceptional service, invest in technology and innovation that help credit unions compete more effectively, and foster a culture that enables us to move with greater speed and accountability.
While our strategy is strong and our purpose is clear, a key early focus will be on the speed at which we deliver. Speed, paired with innovation and inspired service, is going to define this next chapter and continue to set Velera apart as we create meaningful value for our credit unions and their members.
The CU Daily: What has changed in where you think the focus of the company should be and what member CUs are increasingly seeking?
Caldarelli: What has changed most for Velera and our credit unions — and the industry as a whole — is the pace of change itself. Credit unions are navigating a constant stream of new challenges and opportunities, whether that’s fraud, AI, payments or evolving member expectations, and they’re looking for partners who can help them move faster without increasing complexity.
As a result, Velera is continuing to invest heavily in leading-edge technology, data and AI solutions. Just as importantly, we’re working to simplify processes and create more connected experiences so credit unions can get answers faster, make decisions faster and bring new capabilities to market faster. That’s why we increasingly see speed and service as the differentiators.
The credit unions that can adapt quickly, while maintaining trusted member relationships, will be the ones best positioned for long-term success.
The CU Daily: What do you consider some of your successes from 2026 that you hope to build upon in 2027?
Caldarelli: One of our biggest milestones in 2026 was unveiling the Velera Ecosystem, which reflects years of investment and collaboration with credit unions to create a more connected foundation for payments, risk mitigation, data and digital experiences. Powered by Stellaris, our cloud-native technology stack, and Atmos, our intelligence layer, it’s helping us move beyond fragmented systems and deliver more intelligent, real-time capabilities for credit unions.
We’ve seen meaningful progress in areas already touching clients today, from helping credit unions avoid more than $2.5 billion in potential fraud losses last year to bringing all 144 Member Services clients in our Contact Center from one of our legacy portfolios live on Unified Agent Desktop — just to name a few.
We also expanded our Fintech Engagement Program and continued advancing our Digital Asset Lab, helping credit unions prepare for emerging technologies and explore what’s next for the industry. Those initiatives complement the work we’re doing across the Velera Ecosystem and position us to bring even more innovation to our clients in 2027 and beyond.
The CU Daily: Do you have anything new planned for 2027?
Caldarelli: The continued rollout of the Velera Ecosystem and the continued execution of our product journey will be key focal areas next year. The Ecosystem represents our innovation engine for the next decade and beyond, and 2027 will be about delivering more of those capabilities into the hands of credit unions.
One example is Atmos Exchange, our new API integration and connectivity platform, which will continue rolling out throughout the year to provide expanded access to Velera data, real-time integrations and a more streamlined developer experience.
Velera will also begin the phased rollout of Intelligence Point, our next-generation analytics and intelligence platform, designed to help credit unions move from insight to action through more accessible, real-time intelligence. These investments, among others, will help credit unions operate with greater speed and flexibility while delivering the connected experiences their members increasingly expect.
The CU Daily: Has there been a particular program or offering that has blossomed and been popular? Why? How will you build on that in the next year?
Caldarelli: One area that has generated a great deal of momentum is our Fintech Engagement Program. What we’ve heard from credit unions is that they want access to innovation, but they don’t necessarily want the burden of evaluating hundreds of emerging providers on their own. That’s one reason we expanded the program this year with an inaugural cohort of fintech partners. By doing much of the upfront vetting and connecting clients with exclusive benefits, such as discounted pricing, we’re helping credit unions spend less time searching for the right partner and more time focused on serving their members.
More broadly, this program reflects a larger focus at Velera: making it easier to do business with us and helping credit unions move faster. We remain committed to building on that approach by expanding opportunities for innovation while maintaining the high level of service and support our credit unions expect.
The CU Daily: How is Velera helping credit unions win card share of wallets in a market that’s not only saturated with competing offers and premium rewards cards, but also seeing the crypto industry beginning to offer its own payments options?
Caldarelli: The payments landscape is certainly more competitive than it was even just a few years ago. For credit unions, success comes down to making their card the easiest and most trusted choice to use. That’s why Velera is investing in solutions like Atmos Payments, a holistic network of payment channels, along with support for major digital wallets and real-time intelligence that help credit unions deliver secure, seamless payment experiences. Those investments enable credit unions to stay connected to how members want to pay today while remaining flexible enough to adapt as payments continue to evolve.
At the same time, we are actively looking at what comes next. Through initiatives like our Digital Asset Lab and Fintech Engagement Program, as well as proprietary research and industry partnerships, we’re evaluating emerging payment technologies and helping credit unions understand where new opportunities may fit within their strategies.
The CU Daily: As credit unions plan for 2027, fraud, especially AI-driven fraud, has been a significant, ongoing threat that is growing more and more sophisticated. Is it possible to stay ahead of this threat? What has Velera been doing to fight AI-driven and other card fraud?
Caldarelli: Fraud is evolving rapidly, particularly with the rise of AI, which makes staying ahead of emerging threats an ongoing effort, requiring the right combination of technology, data and expertise. Last year alone, Velera helped credit unions avoid more than $2.5 billion in potential fraud losses, as a result of our continued investments in industry-leading fraud and risk capabilities. Through Atmos Risk, Risk Alert Manager, our fraud consulting teams and more, we’re helping credit unions detect threats earlier, respond faster and strengthen protection without adding unnecessary friction for members.
We’re also leveraging AI ourselves to identify emerging fraud patterns and deliver the real-time intelligence needed to help credit unions stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats.
The CU Daily: In preparing for 2027, all credit unions are scrambling to prepare for and incorporate AI. Has your organization adopted AI capabilities? Where is it being used? How do you plan to use it in 2027?
Caldarelli: AI is a strategic priority for Velera, but our approach has always been grounded in using it to empower people, not replace them. We’ve established strong governance and dedicated leadership to ensure we’re adopting these capabilities thoughtfully and responsibly. We don’t see AI as modernization for modernization’s sake. Our approach is grounded in responsible innovation, security, privacy and trust, and every AI solution goes through a formal evaluation before deployment.
Today, AI is helping enhance analytics, fraud prevention, forecasting and productivity across Velera. For example, AI-powered solutions like Intelligence Point are designed to provide credit unions with more actionable insights and better decision-making tools.
Looking ahead, we expect AI to become increasingly embedded across our products and services to augment human expertise, helping both Velera employees and credit unions work more effectively on behalf of the members they serve.
The CU Daily: Chargebacks have been an issue of great concern to CUs. What are you doing to address that?
Caldarelli: Velera is helping credit unions address chargeback challenges through a combination of technology and human expertise. Our Resolution Center streamlines the disputes process from intake through resolution, providing greater visibility, faster case handling and a more seamless experience for both credit unions and their members.
We are also equipping credit unions with resources like our new Consumer-Engaged Fraud Case Management Playbook, which provides a framework for navigating complex fraud claims and making more informed dispute decisions.
The CU Daily: When it comes to 2027, where have you, with your client credit unions, been most focused when it comes to growth?
Caldarelli: For us, growth is about being disciplined and creating sustainable value for credit unions. Increasingly, those conversations and initiatives come back to the member experience. Credit unions are competing in an environment where expectations are being shaped by fintechs, large banks and digital-first providers. Much of Velera’s focus has been on helping clients deliver faster, more seamless experiences, whether that’s through payments, fraud prevention, digital capabilities or access to better data and insights.
The credit unions seeing the most success are the ones removing friction and making it easier for members to engage across all channels, and we’re investing heavily in helping them do that.
Reporting by Anne Battle Schultz
Other Reporting in this Growth Imperative/Strategic Planning Series to Date:
- As CUs Plot Plans for Growing in 2027, One Person Urges Them Not to Overlook the Unicorns
- In Planning for 2027, Don’t Overlook the Value of a Clear, Consistent Brand: A CU Daily Series
- Two Paths to Growth in 2027 & What Should be on the 2027 Planning Agenda: A CU Daily Series
- As CUs Prepare 2027 Strategic Plans, a Reminder of the Value of Offering PMI
- The Members to be Targeting in 2027–And How to Know Who They Are: A CU Daily Series
- In the Great Race to Keep Up With Payments, AI, Why it Pays to Take a More Measured Approach: A CU Daily Series
- The Missing Element for Many CUs When it Comes to Growing in 2027 and Beyond
