Avallonn
Chart the Unseen
Bringing clarity to credit union and regional bank performance
What We're Watching
Here are the credit unions and regional banks in focus.
Actively designated for their risk posture, community presence, and
financial behavior.
Each institution is monitored for shifts in liquidity, leadership decisions, lending strategy, or public trust.
These insights spotlight organizations that are shifting position—whether improving, declining, or under new scrutiny—and reflect the evolving dynamics of local finance.
Our live monitoring ensures the public stays informed about the institutions shaping the future of community finance.
Engineered with visibility in mind,
the Ember Designations analyzes credit union and regional bank performance through the lenses of risk, liquidity access, and community trust.
The Ember Designation
The Ember Designation brings a signature methodology to measuring credit union and regional bank performance.
Each designation pairs an easy-to-understand title with a distinctive number, blending transparent financial standards with meaningful insights into how institutions operate, lend to members, and build social trust.
We reverse the logic of internal bank exams to match public intuition: 5 is best, 1 is worst.
Flawless
Exemplary performance across relationship quality, institutional soundness, liqudity access, community governance, and innovation.
Elite-level public trust.
5
Superior
High-performing and dependable. Strong fundamentals with limited risk exposure, sound lending practices, and stable community impact.
Reliable and well-positioned for growth.
4
Unremarkable
Acceptable institution with moderate gaps in agility, innovation, or relationship depth. Meets baseline expectations for liquidity and institutional function. Community value is present, but not exceptional.
A stable but unremarkable performer.
3
Stressed
Noticeable internal or reputational strain. Marked concerns in liquidity, oversight, or lending direction. Community presence may be weakening.
Under strain and in need of corrective action.
2
Critical
Severe risk indicators across key performance areas. Diminished public trust and operational vulnerability.
Urgent intervention required.
1
Navy Federal
Credit Union
Insight:
Navy Federal maintains strong liquidity, digital reach, and a robust member network—but recent regulatory penalties have tarnished its reputation. In 2024, the CFPB fined the institution $95 million for surprise overdraft fees, exposing gaps in member protections and undermining public trust.
Despite its operational resilience, the enforcement action signals governance concerns and a need for corrective clarity in member-facing policies.
Stressed
2
Pentagon Federal Credit Union
Insight:
PenFed operates with reliable liquidity and respectable lending reach, but remains conventionally managed with limited innovation in credit access or member relationships. While institutionally sound, its performance reflects few standout traits in community visibility agility, or strategic lending direction.
The credit union meets baseline expectations—yet lags behind peers in differentiating itself across relationship depth and financial creativity. .
A stable but unremarkable performer.
Unremarkable
3
VyStar CreditUnion
Insight:
VyStar's prolonged online and mobile banking outages in 2022, coupled with ongoing member service complaints, signals deep operational instability. The institution's crisis response failed to reassure members, damaging both internal credibility and public trust.
Though VyStar remains active, its reputational and technical vulnerabilities continue to raise questions about oversight and future resilience.
Critical