By CUEvangelist – published originally at CUInsight.com-September 8, 2026

Over the last 10 years, the credit union industry has doubled in assets from $1.2 trillion to $2.48 trillion according to the NCUA. As a whole, credit unions may be growing in assets, technology and reach, but the movement’s cooperative voice is unfortunately shrinking. Somewhere in the noise of fintech, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, mergers, growth strategies, and market competition, too many credit unions have started sounding like every other financial institution.

The words “credit union” and “members” may still be on the front of the building and walls. The motto may still be “Not For Charity, Not For Profit, But For Service” and the tagline may still be “People Helping People.” But, in the final analysis, the voice of the cooperative movement has become a whisper. That’s what I call “credit union laryngitis”.

Laryngitis doesn’t mean a person can’t speak or has nothing to say. It means the voice has been strained, weakened, or temporarily lost. That’s what appears to be happening in parts of the credit union movement. Just go to LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram and you will hardly see the credit union difference on display. The mission hasn’t disappeared, but the message has lost volume.

Credit unions were never meant to be banks with friendlier smiles. Or fintech companies with better customer service. They weren’t formed just to chase scale, launch apps, or merge balance sheets. Credit unions were built around the cooperative idea of people pooling resources together to help one another.

Last I checked, credit unions are supposed to be member-owned financial cooperatives, democratically controlled by members, and operated to maximize member economic benefit through fair and affordable financial services. That’s not just a legal or governance framework; that’s a construct designed for financial wellbeing. It says the member is not merely a customer, but also a member-owner who matters.

So, when the message reduces members to customers only just to scale and grow, then something is lost. When the board talks more about asset size than member service, something is lost. When mergers are celebrated only for charter expansions, but not examined for common bond, community trust, and cooperative identity, something is lost.

The reality is that the credit union movement’s voice is not just becoming faint; the number of credit unions is shrinking as well. In just one year, NCUA reported that federally insured credit unions declined from 4,411 in the first quarter of 2025 to 4,250 in the first quarter of 2026, due to consolidation. No one is arguing that some mergers may be necessary.

There is no question that small credit unions are faced with real pressures especially in the digital age. Technology can be expensive and the costs of compliance and cybersecurity are real. But when mergers are discussed, the board should ask pertinent questions about the financial institution’s mission and not just questions about the balance sheet. In other words, will this only make us bigger, or will the merger make us more cooperative?

Don’t get me wrong. Artificial intelligence and fintech are not enemies of the movement. Credit unions should use tools that help them serve members better while protecting data, detecting fraud, and providing faster delivery channels. They can prioritize innovation while also leveraging social media platforms to convey the message of the credit union difference. Credit unions can walk and chew gum at the same time!

However, if a credit union uses AI to become faster but less human, then its people helping people values have only become a moniker or slogan. With technology, the credit union may be smarter and more efficient, but can also become less compassionate. It may grow larger but becomes less member centered. Tools should only help execute, not shape the mission, and the cooperative message must be louder than the technology.

Every credit union should be able to explain its history and why it exists without using the familiar language of a bank, payment app, or fintech startup. It should be able to say, clearly and confidently that we are owned by the people we serve. Our members have a voice in governance and our purpose is putting people before profit. Our mission is to improve the financial lives of our members as well as strengthen the communities connected to them. That is the voice of the movement!

Credit unions haven’t totally lost their voice and can still make the presence of the credit union movement known, especially to the younger generations. There are three areas of focus:

• First, restore it in the boardroom. Every board and strategic planning discussion should include the cooperative question: How does this decision serve our member-owned, people helping people philosophy?
• Second, restore it in member communication. Members don’t need a history lesson, but they should know they belong to something different and how it came to be. The cooperative difference should be plain in the language, service, products, education, and community presence of the credit union.
• Third, restore it in leadership development. New directors, executives, managers, and frontline staff should be trained not only in operations, risk, and technology, but in credit union identity. A person can work at a credit union and still not understand the movement. That is why a “credit union movement” orientation is needed.

The cure for credit union laryngitis isn’t technology and it’s not going back to the good old days. Rather, it’s remembering who you are while moving forward. Continue to use fintech and explore effective ways to implement AI. Also consider mergers when they are truly necessary. Build better systems, embark on digital transformation, and strengthen cybersecurity and compliance. Be competitive! But don’t lose your credit union “Not for Profit, Not for Charity, But For Service” voice.

Mark S. Brantley, Esq. is currently known as the CUEvangelist – “Spreading the Good News About CUs!” Mark was the former vice-chairman of the AACUC, former board member of America’s Credit Unions (formerly CUNA), and former Chairman of the Municipal Credit Union. He has written numerous articles and white papers on credit union advocacy, legislative, and regulatory matters. Mark also provides board governance training to credit unions, nonprofits, and churches.