By Arne Gaenz, VP of Customer Success, Strivve
Every digital touchpoint shapes how members perceive their credit union – especially moments related to security, card management, and personal data. As members manage more of their financial lives online, expectations for transparency and control continue to rise.
Recent consumer-protection and industry reports have raised concerns about automatic card-updater services that replace or propagate card credentials without a member’s clear consent. These blind updates may lead to confusion, unwanted charges, or friction when members attempt to manage subscriptions or recurring payments. For marketing and compliance teams, these concerns highlight the importance of digital experiences built on clarity and member choice.
This is where Strivve’s approach stands apart. Strivve enables members to actively choose where their card is placed – reinforcing trust through transparency and strengthening the institution’s brand in the process.
Traditional network-based updater services (such as card-on-file maintenance tools used by major card networks) aim to reduce failed transactions by automatically pushing new card details to merchants. While well-intended, these systems introduce notable risks:
Lack of Consent: Members may be unaware their new credentials were shared with merchants they no longer wish to use.
Brand Confusion: Members may assume the credit union authorized charges or merchant relationships they did not actively renew.
Compliance Concerns: When card details are propagated without explicit permission, institutions may face heightened scrutiny – especially around transparency, disclosure expectations, and auditability.
Support Friction: Surprise charges or continued merchant access often lead to disputes and increased call volume.
For marketing and compliance leaders, these issues directly impact brand trust and regulatory posture.
Strivve’s card placement technology flips the traditional model by making members the decision-makers. Instead of quietly updating merchants behind the scenes, Strivve lets members:
See which merchants they want their card placed with
Update credentials with clear, guided steps
Choose intentionally – not passively – how their financial relationships continue
This consent-driven model strengthens multiple areas:
Brand Trust: Members perceive the institution as transparent, respectful, and secure.
Compliance Alignment: Clear member choice reinforces adherence to privacy and data-handling expectations.
Experience Quality: Fewer unintended merchant charges → fewer disputes → a smoother member journey.
This is card placement designed around choice, not automation.
In a marketplace where digital experience and security are top drivers of loyalty, offering a transparent, member-controlled card-placement process becomes a brand differentiator. Marketing teams can confidently communicate:
“You’re in control of where your card is stored.”
“We don’t share your details without permission.”
“Your digital experience is built for clarity and confidence.”
This message is not only brand-aligned – it’s what today’s consumers expect.
A consent-first model supports stronger compliance practices by ensuring:
Members explicitly authorize how their card is used
Updates are intentional, documented, and transparent
Institutions avoid the ambiguity inherent in blind updater systems
This strengthens audit posture while reducing avoidable disputes and operational strain.
Transparency Builds Trust: Clear, member-initiated card placement aligns with modern expectations for digital respect and choice.
Compliance Confidence Matters: Consent-driven updates support data-protection requirements and reduce risk.
Brand Reputation Improves With Clarity: Members reward institutions that prioritize control and communication.
Strivve Enables Top-of-Wallet Success: With Strivve, card placement becomes a trust-building moment – not a hidden process.
In an era where members demand clarity and control, how you handle card placement becomes a reflection of your institution’s values. Strivve’s top-of-wallet technology strengthens brand trust, simplifies compliance, and ensures members feel in control at every step of their digital journey.
Contact Strivve to get the conversation started!