The Debit Card Rewards Strategy Credit Unions Needed

In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with David Metz, founder and CEO of Prizeout, to discuss how credit unions can finally bring meaningful rewards to everyday debit card spending. David shares the story of pivoting from a trivia gaming company to fintech, and how Prizeout helps credit unions deliver cash back through digital gift cards, merchant-funded offers, and personalized member incentives. They also explore onboarding engagement, debit card loyalty, and why modern rewards programs need to move beyond points to create real financial value for members.

Listen to the full podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkBEoTX_MPs&list=PL71nK6SUTYiAR_TpY8LHtBAhwi77FUUsJ&index=67

How Credit Unions Can Win in the Era of Distrust in Big Banks

The climate of distrust

Consumers have been conditioned to approach big banks with skepticism. For many, the relationship feels transactional. The tellers don’t know their names, fees feel opaque and rewards programs are dense with fine print and hard-to-calculate points. Customers have learned to expect complexity, and in many cases, disappointment.

At the same time, we are in a moment where authenticity matters more than ever. People want clarity. They want to understand how their money works. They want to feel seen, not processed, and they want tangible value, not abstract points. 

In 2026, the institutions that deliver transparency and a seamless experience will win. Members are not just choosing rates. They are choosing relationships.

Why credit unions are uniquely positioned

Credit unions were founded on ownership, transparency, and shared purpose. Many were formed around human interest groups. Think: firefighters, teachers, municipal workers – communities united by common values. The model was never purely transactional, it was relational.

Those foundational traits are no longer secondary advantages – they are a measurable advantage. The American Customer Satisfaction Index consistently ranks credit unions higher than large national banks in overall satisfaction. Why? Because members increasingly care about alignment, empathy, and fairness. They want institutions that reflect their values and act in their interest. Year after year, members report stronger trust and better service experiences with credit unions.

However, values alone do not automatically translate to trust. Sharing a philosophy does not guarantee confidence in how money is managed or how products perform. This is where many credit unions face a challenge: a digital trust gap. The principles are strong, the member relationships are strong, but the digital experience has not always kept pace with rising expectations.

To continued reading, full article here: https://www.cutimes.com/2026/03/16/how-credit-unions-can-win-in-the-era-of-distrust-in-big-banks/

Why United Financial dropped the fintech that managed its rewards

This article dives into how credit unions are entering the credit card rewards space to stay competitive with large banks. It explains that moving away from third-party providers allows credit unions to regain control over the member experience and their data, enabling more seamless, in-app engagement and more personalized, locally relevant rewards. The piece also underscores that while credit unions face scale disadvantages, offering compelling, integrated rewards programs is essential to retaining members, driving revenue, and meeting high consumer expectations.

Prizeout POV: This piece highlights a core challenge credit unions have faced for years – outsourcing critical programs like credit cards often comes at the expense of control, data ownership, and ultimately the member experience. When rewards and card programs live outside of digital banking, it creates fragmentation that weakens engagement and limits a credit union’s ability to truly serve its members. The shift back toward embedded, in-house experiences isn’t just about technology, it’s about reclaiming the relationship. By bringing rewards, payments, and offers directly into the digital banking environment, credit unions can deliver a more seamless, personalized experience while unlocking new revenue streams and deeper loyalty.

Read the full article here

Prizeout Expands Ecosystem, Bringing Card Rewards Into One CU Platform

Prizeout has launched its Credit Card Rewards program, the final piece of its CashBack+ ecosystem, the organization announced.

This expansion unites CashBack+ Offers, CashBack+ Actions, CashBack+ Pay, and now credit card transactions into one comprehensive rewards platform, Prizeout explained.

With this launch, all member rewards now flow into a single CashBack+ balance, accessible directly within a credit union’s digital banking platform.

“Members will have a seamless, centralized experience for earning and redeeming rewards, while credit unions gain a flexible, customizable program that deepens engagement and drives loyalty,” Prizeout said.

“This launch represents a major milestone for both Prizeout and our credit union partners,” said David Metz, founder and CEO of Prizeout. “We’ve now created a comprehensive rewards platform that not only delivers real value to members, but also empowers credit unions to compete head-to-head with the largest banks, fintechs and credit card reward companies.”

Prizeout said CashBack+ Credit Card Rewards is designed around simplicity, transparency, and choice:

  • All in one place: Rewards are managed within the members’ existing online digital banking, not through a separate portal
  • Cash back, not points: Members see their rewards as clear cash, not complex conversions
  • Credit union control: Institutions set their own cash back percentages and categories, tailoring programs to their members and business strategies

United Financial Credit Union and Redstone Federal Credit Union are the first to launch the new Credit Card Rewards program, with additional credit unions already signed on, Prizeout said.

“Our partnership with Prizeout allows us to deliver a rewards experience that rivals anything the biggest banks can offer, while keeping it personal and familiar for our members,” said Sarah Vasey, COO at United Financial. “We’ve offered credit cards before, both in-house and through outside providers, but bringing this program back under our own roof lets us control the member experience. The biggest selling point for us was having rewards integrated directly into our online banking platform. Our members already use and trust that space, and now their cash back rewards are right there – simple, transparent, and part of their everyday banking experience.”

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