United Financial Credit Union has deployed a youth banking programme, in partnership with Nuuvia, to support financial education for younger members.
The US-based credit union announced that it has launched SmartStart, a digital banking programme for children and teenagers built on Nuuvia's youth banking technology. United Financial Credit Union manages over USD 340 million in assets and serves approximately 22,000 members, according to company data.
Platform capabilities and programme structure
SmartStart operates through United Financial Credit Union's existing digital banking infrastructure and provides mobile-based account management for young users with parental oversight functions. The platform includes customisable savings goals with progress tracking, parental controls for debit card spending limits, automated allowance payments, rewards linked to chores and academic performance, and budgeting tools.
The programme was developed with partial funding from the Michigan Credit Union Foundation (MCUF), which provides grants to credit unions for financial education and community programmes. United Financial Credit Union positioned the initiative as part of its strategy to engage younger demographics and establish banking relationships with families earlier in the financial lifecycle.
According to Jessica Gwizdala, Vice President of Marketing at United Financial Credit Union, traditional member acquisition methods have proven less effective with younger audiences. The credit union identified a need for mobile-first banking experiences tailored to digital-native users and their parents.
Technology integration and competitive positioning
Nuuvia's platform integrates with United Financial Credit Union's core banking systems to provide youth-specific account features while maintaining the credit union's control over deposits, card revenue, and customer data. The technology is designed to support financial institutions in retaining member relationships across multiple generations within family units.
Nuuvia specialises in youth banking solutions for community banks and credit unions. The company's platform combines functional banking capabilities with educational elements and gamification features intended to increase engagement among younger users.
Youth banking programmes have emerged as a focus area for financial institutions seeking to build long-term member relationships and address declining engagement with traditional banking channels among younger demographics. Community banks and credit unions face competition from digital-only banking platforms that target family banking segments with mobile-first products.
As detailed by Marcell King, President and COO of Nuuvia, financial institutions require youth-specific digital experiences that integrate with specialised checking and savings accounts designed for minors. The platform allows parents to assign interest rates for loans to children and monitor spending activity through the same digital banking interface used for adult accounts.
United Financial Credit Union joins other US credit unions deploying youth banking technology as part of broader digital transformation and member retention strategies.
