Union Credit Named Banking and Financial Services Winner in the 2026 BIG Innovation Awards

SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Union Credit, the first marketplace that embeds firm, one-click credit offers into everyday digital experiences, is proud to announce that it has been named a Banking and Financial Services Winner in the 2026 BIG Innovation Awards, a global recognition program honoring companies, products, and leaders who are transforming industries through applied innovation, intelligent platforms, and measurable real-world impact.

"The 2026 BIG Innovation Awards winners show that true innovation is no longer about chasing the latest buzzwords," said Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer at the Business Intelligence Group. "It’s about building intelligent platforms, automating workflows with purpose, and making trust, privacy, and resilience the foundation of every breakthrough. These organizations and leaders are not just keeping pace with change, they are shaping the future of global business."

Union Credit was recognized for its outstanding contributions to innovation in banking and financial services. The company has built the nation’s first embedded finance marketplace designed exclusively for credit unions, enabling them to deliver firm, pre-approved and pre-qualified loan offers directly to consumers inside the digital platforms they already trust. Rather than relying on ads, teaser rates, or speculative applications, Union Credit places real, underwriting-aligned credit union offers where borrowing decisions begin, such as checking a credit score, giving consumers better options and trusted local lenders visibility.

In just two years, Union Credit’s marketplace has powered nearly $1 billion in loans and credit lines, connected more than 45,000 new members, and supported lending for over 70 credit unions nationwide. Participating credit unions consistently see higher engagement and stronger conversion from qualified borrowers, while reaching younger, digitally native consumers.

“We are honored to receive this recognition,” said, Dave Buerger, Co-founder and CEO, Union Credit, “Credit unions have always offered competitive, responsible lending, but for too long they’ve been invisible at the exact moment consumers decide to borrow. Union Credit was built to change that by becoming a modern distribution hub for credit unions, helping them show up inside the digital experiences people already trust, without sacrificing transparency, underwriting control, or their cooperative mission.”

Union Credit also extends its impact into local commerce through its Further channel, which embeds credit union financing directly into local merchants’ point-of-sale systems. This allows retailers to offer instant financing from trusted community lenders at checkout, reducing friction at the moment of purchase while providing a responsible alternative to national buy-now-pay-later options and keeping spending within local communities.

Union Credit joins 159 winners recognized for their contributions to innovation across health, financial services, logistics, manufacturing, and enterprise technology. The 2026 BIG Innovation Awards winners reveal a clear trend: innovation is no longer about just having AI, it’s about how you use it. Winners are building platforms, automating workflows, and focusing on trust, privacy, and security as core to their mission.

For more information about the BIG Innovation Awards and to view the full list of winners, visit www.bintelligence.com/posts/2026-big-innovation-awards-159-trailblazers-prove-where-innovation-is-really-happening.

About Union Credit

Union Credit provides consumers with firm, one-click credit offers embedded within their daily activities. The marketplace helps credit unions break into new markets digitally with access to the front end of purchase and financing experiences. Merchants embedding Union Credit benefit from providing customers with local, competitive, and advantageous offers that are in the buyer’s best interest. Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to learn more.

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in business. Unlike many recognition programs, these awards are evaluated by business leaders and practitioners who reward programs, products, and people that deliver real, quantifiable excellence rather than marketing narratives.