Source: AdobeStock.
After enhancing its digital banking abilities in the past year, the Los Alamitos, Calif.-based Southland Credit Union announced it will now offer cryptocurrency buying and selling services to its members.
In a statement Monday, officials with Southland ($1 billion in assets, 61,257 members) said it became the second credit union in California to collaborate with the bitcoin company NYDIG and with the credit union's "fully integrated digital banking mobile app feature, Southland Credit Union Members can now buy, sell and hold bitcoin in a secure digital asset account."
According to details from the credit union, it has updated its mobile app to include cryptocurrency features, which offer an easier way for members to enroll and fund bitcoin purchases from their Southland account. The credit union stated it is offering $5 in free bitcoin to members who enroll before Oct. 18.
"After the successful launch of our enhanced digital banking services in 2021, Southland made a commitment to continue delivering cutting-edge technologies to our members," Southland President/CEO Tom Lent said. "Credit unions like Southland have an opportunity to provide safe and accessible cryptocurrency services to our members, and we are excited to integrate this technology into our digital banking platform."
"NYDIG is thrilled to partner with the forward-thinking team at Southland," NYDIG Head of Banking Solutions Rahm McDaniel said. "As the second credit union in the Southern California area to launch bitcoin services with NYDIG, this partnership is monumental for the wider adoption of bitcoin, and marks one more step towards NYDIG's vision of bitcoin for all."
In Monday's statement, Southland officials said the credit union "intends to explore ways to expand its cryptocurrency offerings" beyond the buying and selling of bitcoin sometime in the future.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
