Velera Index Shows Spending Strength—And A Tougher Segmentation Challenge For CUs
By CU Today Staff —
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.--U.S. consumer spending remained resilient into early 2026, but signs of growing segmentation are emerging, according to Velera’s January Payments Index, which shows continued strength in card usage and mobile wallets alongside evolving credit balances and delinquency trends that could reshape risk management for credit unions.
“Velera's payment trends reflect strong consumer spending that propped up the overall economy in 2025,” said Ryan Myers, SVP, Advisors Plus, Velera. “The Fed cut rates in December, and while more cuts are expected in 2026, they’ll likely come slowly given weak job growth. That means spending should hold up, but it will likely be concentrated among higher-income households — widening the K-shaped economy. Credit unions need to get comfortable segmenting their members and tailoring products to manage risk without missing out on payment revenue from more affluent consumers.”
Key takeaways for December include:
The full report is available for download here.
Originally reported by CU Today.