It's a question that cuts to the core identity of credit unions, whose history is deeply intertwined with the concept of community and serving the financial needs of individuals, especially those underserved by traditional banks. Their niche has always been local, branch-centered customer support. Members join because of an affinity group and visit the branch because it is the place where “everybody knows your name.”

It seems like every time I sit down with credit union leaders to talk digital strategy, we hit the usual list – faster payments, better APIs, maybe an app refresh. But then the conversation drifts. We talk about what’s not landing. What feels hollow. Yes, we’ve got the expected features. But does any of it still feel like a credit union?

That sense of intimacy, of shared effort – it’s still there. Just not inside most credit union apps.

And that’s the thing. We brought services online, but left the culture behind. The feeling of people helping people. That casual support you’d get in a branch from someone who remembered your name. It didn’t make it into the mobile version.

So now what? What could a digital community look like?

It doesn’t need to be complicated. Just real. I encourage credit unions leaders to take a look at how #Fintok and social media creators are amassing a huge following of “members” online using social networking.

I’m not saying that you should turn your mobile banking app into TikTok. No one wants another noisy feed or cat videos. But there’s a middle ground where digital doesn’t just mean efficient – it means connected.

It matters because connected members stay. They’re more likely to trust you with their next goal, whether it’s buying a home or starting a business. They’re more likely to refer a friend, because the experience wasn’t just transactional.

It isn’t easy to build this stuff, I know first-hand. You’ll test features that flop. You’ll release an update and immediately hear what’s broken, weird or just plain unnecessary. Welcome to product life.

But when you get it right, people notice. They come back.

A standout example of blending digital innovation with human-centric service is Umpqua Bank’s “Go-To” app. 

In essence, Umpqua took the trust and personal connection of a community bank and recreated it in a mobile experience, letting customers choose a personal banker (complete with photo and profile) and text them directly for advice on anything from budgeting to loans.
The results speak volumes: During the pandemic, sign-ups for Go-To spiked by 30%, as customers embraced the convenience of having a known, friendly banker on call via app. 

Users can nurture one-on-one relationships over time, building the kind of trust and familiarity usually found at a neighborhood branch. By designing digital tools that preserve community values and personal service, Umpqua has kept younger customers engaged and loyal. It’s a blueprint for going digital without losing the human touch.

There’s a trust angle here, too. The internet is full of advice – some of it helpful, a lot of it not. 

There’s growing evidence that today’s young adults often feel underserved and misinformed by traditional financial institutions, especially on digital platforms. 

For instance, a recent Intuit Credit Karma study found that 77% of Gen Z and 61% of millennials actively seek financial advice on social media – not from banks or credit unions.

But this comes at a cost: 37% of Gen Z and 25% of millennials ended up in trouble (even facing things like IRS audits) after following online financial advice.

Equally alarming, about one in four young adults have been scammed by bad actors posing as financial “experts” on apps like TikTok and Instagram. 

These data points highlight a digital disconnect – millennials and Gen Z aren’t getting the guidance or trust they need from traditional finance, so they’re turning to influencers and forums, often with harmful results. It’s a clear call-to-action for community-oriented institutions to step up: If you don’t provide credible, engaging digital content and tools, someone else (unqualified) will.

The next generation is craving trustworthy guidance in an accessible format, and it’s our job to deliver it.

What if your credit union could offer not just information, but interpretation? A place inside their mobile banking app where members could hear from people they trust – maybe even staff – in ways that feel authentic? You don’t need to be perfect. Just present.

Insights from Wellthi’s original research underscore that younger consumers thrive on community and shared knowledge in their financial lives. In fact, 58% of Gen Z report consulting friends or family for financial advice, nearly matching the rate at which they trust banks. 

They’ve grown up crowdsourcing information, so it’s only natural they expect their financial tools to incorporate that peer-to-peer trust. Wellthi’s user studies even found that young adults want finance to feel collaborative. As one respondent said: “Gen Z wants that same collective accountability … We want saving to feel like a group project, not homework.”

In other words, the next generation is looking for community engagement and transparency in their financial services. They gravitate toward apps that let them share goals, celebrate each other’s progress and learn together – a modern, digital take on the old-fashioned credit union ethos of people helping people.

By tapping into this social mindset, banks and credit unions can significantly boost trust and engagement. The takeaway from Wellthi’s research is clear: If you build digital banking experiences that encourage community and conversation, you won’t leave the younger generation behind – you’ll be inviting them in.

Sometimes we talk about “humanizing” digital. But maybe the better goal is “normalizing” it. Making it feel like a natural extension of how your team already engages members about their finances – together, empowering, in community.

If digital is where the next generation starts their financial journey, member communities have to meet them there too. Not as a banner or a tagline, but as a digital experience. Something they feel. Something that sticks.

Consider Daylight, a digital banking platform built for the LGBTQ+ community. They’ve created a space where members see themselves represented, can access community-focused financial content, and even join group savings challenges for goals like gender-affirming care or debt reduction. It’s banking built around identity and support.

Then there’s SoFi’s in-app community forums, where users share financial goals, struggles and wins. It’s not just peer advice – it’s a peer movement. SoFi even gamifies this with badges and shoutouts, making the community part of the product.

And don’t overlook Ally Bank’s “Bucket” savings goals feature, which lets users organize savings visually and socially – similar to digital envelopes. It’s a subtle but powerful way to make finances feel like a shared, purposeful journey instead of a solo grind.

These examples show that community isn’t just a vibe – it’s a competitive advantage. When digital tools reflect real relationships, people stick around. Credit unions can – and should – lean into this.

We know this works because younger potential members are already flocking to Reddit, TikTok, Youtube – you name it – to connect with other people to talk about their finances, struggles and wins. The data shows that 80% of Americans under 45 are intentionally going to social networking platforms for saving, investing and finance advice – not credit unions. 

Why not build this aspect of community into a banking app? Is that a radical idea? 

No.

That’s the part we can – we get to – build. If we succeed, it just might be the most credit union thing we’ve done in a long time.