A partnership between cloud-based digital banking solution provider Alkami Technology and Idaho Central Credit Union will enable ICCU members to buy and sell bitcoin within their mobile apps and on the credit union’s online banking platform. Bitcoin services are provided by cryptocurrency technology company NYDIG with Alkami’s platform facilitating the deployment.
Claiming the mantle of both the fastest growing credit union in the state, as well as one of the best performing credit unions in the country, ICCU Chief Information Officer Mark Willden said that adding new services such as bitcoin investing are key to ensuring that the credit union maintains its “momentum” and “deliver(s) additional value.” He added, “Fully integrated bitcoin services through NYDIG and the Alkami Platform take us to the next level when it comes to the member experience.”
Idaho Central Credit Union was founded in 1940 and serves more than 480,000 members throughout the state. With 1,600+ employees, ICCU has more than $8 billion in assets.
NYDIG works with Alkami to allow financial institutions to offer their customers and members bitcoin services in a secure and compliant way. NYDIG joined Alkami’s Gold Partner Program over the summer, making it easier for financial institutions to add bitcoin products and services to their offerings and provide them to their customers and members under their own brand.
“The demand for and utilization of digital currencies have expanded exponentially in recent months, leaving many FIs struggling to keep pace and retain these deposit streams within their institution,” Alkami Chief Strategy & Sales Officer Stephen Bohanon said. “Alkami’s partnershp with NYDIG further supports our mission to enable FIs to compete directly against the megabanks and challenger banks to capture this valuable market.”
A Finovate alum since 2009, making its Finovate debut as iThryv, Alkami has grown into a leading cloud-based digital banking solution provider with more than 280 financial institution customers. The company went public this spring, earning a market capitalization of $3.4 billion in its debut on the NASDAQ. Trading under the ticker ALKT.O, the Plano, Texas-based firm raised $180 million in its IPO.
Since its public listing, Alkami has forged a number of partnerships with financial institutions including STAR Bank in November and MainStreet Bank in October. Also this fall, the company announced its acquisition of digital account opening and loan origination provider MK Decision and introduced its new Chief Executive Officer Alex Shootman, formerly the CEO of Workfront. Alkami Board of Directors Chairperson Brian R. Smith said Shootman’s experience in “growing and scaling enterprise software companies” was “essential at this stage of Alkami.”
Today’s announcement from Idaho Central CU comes as NYDIG reports a massive $1 billion growth equity round that gives the company a valuation of $7 billion. The round was led by WestCap and featured participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, FinTech Collective, Affirm, FIS, Fiserv, MassMutual, Morgan Stanley, and New York Life.
The New York-based company now has a total capital of $1.4 billion. The new investment will help NYDIG further develop its platform, taking advantage of recent changes to the bitcoin protocol to introduce functionalities such as bitcoin and lightning payments, asset tokenization, and smart contracts. The company will also use the new funding to add talent to its team worldwide.
“Our roster of partnerships and strategic investors lays the foundation for NYDIG to become the leading provider of Bitcoin solutions for businesses in any industry,” NYDIG co-founder and CEO Robert Gutmann said. “(This) new equity capital will further accelerate progress towards making this exciting network accessible – and useful – to all.”
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