Velera Extends Credit Card Offerings Through New Partnership
Payments CUSO will add programs through a Texas CUSO for lessening turn-downs and buying portfolios.
Velera, the nation’s largest payments CUSO, announced a partnership Wednesday with a Texas CUSO that buys and manages credit card portfolios and uses artificial intelligence.
St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Velera announced it has agreed to offer services provided by RAI Partners Inc., a CUSO founded in 2021 and based in San Antonio.
Velera described RAI Partners as “a fintech CUSO dedicated to providing a suite of data-driven, AI-powered products for credit unions, community banks and companies interested in embedded fintech. Its mission is to strengthen the credit union ecosystem through data-driven products that unlock growth and engage members.”
It said RAI Partners will work with Velera to offer credit unions access to its offerings, including turn-down programs and acquisitions of credit card portfolios.
Brian Scott, Velera’s EVP and chief growth officer, said the agreement extends Velera’s services “into two spaces that we believe can truly elevate a credit union’s operations and garner success.”
“This partnership is just one of many ways in which Velera is acting on its commitment to delivering our credit unions with the tools they need to build deep, lasting member relationships, while driving smart service and growth,” Scott said.
RAI Partners’ turn-down programs are designed to help credit unions accept card applicants who would otherwise be declined. It runs parallel to a credit union’s existing card program.
RAI Partners also can buy a credit union’s credit card portfolio, but keep it under the credit union’s brand. Meanwhile, RAI Partners can enhance the card’s features, increase the portfolio, manage day-to-day activities and generate “new data, insights and leads.”
RAI Partners’ website says it serves credit unions, community banks and fintechs. It doesn’t show what credit unions are tied to the CUSO or list its board members.
It lists Ed Preuss as co-founder and CEO. Preuss’ LinkedIn page shows he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Notre Dame in 2008 and earned an MBA from Harvard in 2015.
“At RAI Partners, we are committed to offering credit unions and financial institutions with access to user-centric fintech offerings to drive member engagement and satisfaction,” Preuss said in the Velera news release. “We are proud to be working alongside Velera – an organization that holds similar values and goals – to advance credit union growth now and into the future.”
RAI Partners announced the launch of its fintech platform in November 2023, saying it already had more than 2,000 credit unions in its network. Besides credit cards, it said its services extend to secured and unsecured installment loans and structured lending offerings.