The future of money is knocking on credit unions’ doors, and Velera just opened up to let it in.
The payments CUSO — think of them as the financial tech backbone for credit unions — has assembled its first crew of credit unions and tech partners to figure out how digital assets, stablecoins, and tokenized deposits could actually work in the real world of member-focused banking.
This isn’t some Silicon Valley fever dream, either. It’s a methodical, let’s-actually-figure-this-out approach through what Velera calls its Digital Asset Lab, launched back in August 2025.
What Exactly Is This Lab Doing?
Good question. The Digital Asset Lab is basically a test kitchen for blockchain-based financial tools. Credit unions get to explore stablecoins (cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies like the dollar) and other digital assets without betting the farm on unproven tech. They’re looking at everything from distributed ledger infrastructure — that’s blockchain speak for the underlying tech — to how all this would plug into existing core banking systems.
Since getting started, Velera has been doing the homework: researching the digital asset ecosystem, watching regulatory developments like a hawk, and vetting potential partners. Now they’re ready to move from theory to practice with this inaugural cohort.
Who Made the Cut?
Nine credit unions from across the country are stepping up to explore this brave new world:
- BankFund Credit Union (Washington, D.C.)
- Coastal Credit Union (N.C.)
- Corporate One Federal Credit Union (Ohio)
- Kemba Credit Union (Ohio)
- orsa credit union (Mich.)
- Service 1st Federal Credit Union (Penn.)
- Teachers Federal Credit Union (N.Y.)
- Valley Strong Credit Union (Calif.)
- 7 17 Credit Union (Ohio)
These institutions represent diverse markets and member bases, which means whatever they learn should have broad applicability across the credit union movement.
The Tech Partners Bringing the Know-How
Credit unions can’t do this alone — they need partners who actually know their way around blockchain technology. Here’s who’s bringing the expertise:
Anchorage Digital is the first federally regulated digital asset platform, handling everything from custody to stablecoin issuance. Basically, they’re the grown-ups in the crypto room.
Mastercard needs no introduction, but you might not know they’re deep into blockchain-enabled payment solutions. When a global payments giant takes digital assets seriously, that tells you something.
Stablecore specializes in helping traditional financial institutions integrate stablecoins and tokenized deposits without ripping out their entire tech stack. Think of them as the translation layer between old-school banking and new-school crypto.
TRM Labs is the security detail, providing blockchain intelligence to detect fraud and manage compliance risks. Because nobody wants to accidentally facilitate money laundering through their shiny new digital asset platform.
TruStage Digital Assets is building stablecoins specifically for credit unions. They’re taking the “for us, by us” approach to the digital asset world.
What’s Actually Going to Happen?
The cohort’s initial focus is on research, education, and evaluation. They’re not rushing to launch anything tomorrow. Instead, they’re asking the important questions: What infrastructure do we need? How do we manage risk? What about compliance and interoperability? And most importantly, how does this actually benefit members?
“As new forms of digital money and payment infrastructure continue to evolve, credit unions must be equipped to assess what is relevant, what is viable and what will truly benefit their members,” said Nathan Meyer, Senior Innovation Strategist at Velera. “This inaugural cohort gives the industry an opportunity to learn together, test responsibly and help define a credit union-led path forward for digital assets.”
Translation: We’re going to figure this out carefully and deliberately, not chase every shiny crypto trend that comes along.
The Bigger Picture
What makes this initiative interesting is the collaborative approach. Instead of individual credit unions trying to navigate the digital asset wilderness alone, they’re pooling knowledge and resources. The insights this group generates could inform pilot programs and eventually lead to digital asset solutions that work for credit unions at scale.
Whether stablecoins and tokenized deposits become mainstream banking tools or remain niche products is still an open question. But at least credit unions are now at the table, asking the right questions and building expertise. In a financial landscape that’s evolving faster than ever, that kind of proactive exploration beats sitting on the sidelines every time.