Spiral’s Big Bet: Better Banking Starts With Purpose

In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with Shawn Malamed, co-founder and CEO of Spiral, to discuss how credit unions and community banks can build more heart-centered digital banking experiences. Shawn shares his journey from building fintech companies and leading innovation at Morgan Stanley to launching Spiral, a platform designed to help members save money, reach personal goals, and give back to their communities through everyday banking activity. They explore why personalization, financial wellness, and community impact are becoming essential for deposit growth and retention—and how credit unions can use modern fintech tools to compete while staying true to their mission.Subscribe for more fintech insights! 🚀Follow the Pod:https://twitter.com/fintechcombineFollow Kris Kovacs:https://twitter.com/ManagementByteshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-JonesFollow Anson Beckler-JonesInstagram - @ansonandcoYoutube - @ansonandco______________________________________________________00:00 – Welcome to The Fintech Combine with Kris Kovacs00:17 – Introducing the Powered by Curql Series00:45 – Meet Shawn Malamed, Co-Founder & CEO of Spiral01:22 – From Entrepreneur to Morgan Stanley Innovation Leader03:20 – Why Shawn Left Wall Street to Start Spiral04:32 – The Mission: Building Heart-Centered Financial Services05:23 – How Spiral Transforms Checking & Savings Accounts06:20 – Roundups, Saving Goals & Giving Back to the Community07:25 – How Spiral Integrates Into Mobile Banking Platforms08:19 – How Fast Credit Unions Can Launch Spiral08:52 – Member Adoption: Who Uses Spiral the Most?09:43 – Using Charitable Giving to Strengthen Local Communities11:53 – The Inspiration Behind the “Upward Spiral” Concept13:03 – Why Credit Unions Are a Perfect Fit for Spiral16:16 – Banks vs Credit Unions: Spiral’s Customer Base17:53 – How the Curql Accelerator Helped Spiral Grow20:12 – Lessons From Building a Neobank22:20 – Why Most Neobank Models Struggle Long-Term25:00 – Why Fintech Innovation Still Needs Credit Unions27:14 – Advice for Chief Innovation Officers at Credit Unions29:00 – Personalization: The Future of Member Engagement31:27 – Generational Differences in Saving Money33:07 – Building Fintech for Credit Unions vs Big Banks36:23 – Lessons From Starting Three Fintech Companies38:38 – How to Connect With Spiral39:05 – Closing Thoughts from Kris Kovacs