What SPIRE Credit Union does

Blaze Credit Union, formerly SPIRE Credit Union, is a member-owned, federally insured (NCUA) credit union founded in 1934 and headquartered in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. The institution operates 29 full-service branches spanning Minnesota from Waseca and Keewatin through St. Cloud, Rochester, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro area, and serves individual members and small-to-medium businesses with a complete retail banking product set organized around five pillars: Save (share savings, certificates, IRAs, money market, HSA), Spend (free checking, dividend checking, Visa credit cards), Borrow (mortgages, home equity/HELOC, personal, student, and vehicle loans), Plan (retirement and investment services), and Connect (branch appointments, advisory access). The product line is delivered through a digital banking portal (digitalbanking.blazecu.com), the Scout NLP-based virtual assistant on the corporate website, and nationwide fee-free access to 129,000+ ATMs and 5,000+ shared branches via the CO-OP Shared Branch network.

The credit union generates revenue through three principal streams: net interest income on its loan portfolio (mortgages, vehicle, personal, student, credit card) and investment securities; transactional and account fees on banking services; and recurring advisory and asset-based fees from Blaze Retirement + Investment Services, which surpassed $1 billion in Assets Under Management in 2026. Distribution is hybrid — a community-led, relationship-based in-branch model layered with digital self-serve channels — and acquisition is supported by an aggressive 2026 consumer pricing stack ($250 new-member free checking bonus, $225 cash-back Visa promotion with 1.5% unlimited cash back). The institution completed a comprehensive 2025 rebrand from SPIRE to Blaze and is currently recognized with BBB accreditation, NMLS 469510, Equal Housing Opportunity designation, and five Gold awards in the 2026 Star Tribune Minnesota's Best program.

Name

SPIRE Credit Union

Legal name

Blaze Credit Union

Website

https://myspire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Blaze Credit Union (formerly SPIRE Credit Union) is a Minnesota-based, member-owned credit union founded in 1934, operating 29 branches statewide and serving consumers and SMBs with deposits, loans, credit cards, and a $1B+ AUM retirement and investment book.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking / Consumer Credit Union

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130), Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cooperative Banks (Member-Owned Commercial/Retail) (FSABAEAF), Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending
• Credit union membership
• Wealth management
• Mortgage and auto loans

Headquarters

HQ city

Falcon Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Credit unions primarily generate revenue through interest earned on loans (mortgages, personal loans, vehicle loans, credit cards) and investments. This is the core revenue driver for the institution.
2. Fee-based Services: Various banking fees including checking account fees (though free checking is offered), ATM fees, loan origination fees, and other financial service charges.
3. Investment Services: Retirement and investment services including advisory fees, generating revenue from members' assets under management which exceeded $1 billion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SPIRE Credit Union (operating as Blaze Credit Union) is a member-owned credit union providing deposit products, consumer and mortgage lending, credit cards, and wealth management services to individuals and small businesses across Minnesota. It distributes these services through 29 physical branches, an online and mobile banking platform, a digital virtual assistant (Scout), and shared-branching/ATM partnerships, with member deposits federally insured through NCUA.

Product overview

Blaze Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services organized around five core banking functions: Save (savings, certificates, IRAs, money markets, HSA accounts), Spend (checking accounts, credit cards), Borrow (mortgages, home equity, personal loans, student loans, vehicle loans), Plan (retirement and investment services), and Connect (branch services, appointments). The digital banking platform provides 24/7 access to accounts. The credit union serves members through 29 branches throughout Minnesota with both digital and in-person service options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blaze Retirement + Investment Services: Wealth management and retirement planning services offered by Blaze Credit Union, which has exceeded $1 billion in Assets Under Management.

Products and services

• Digital Banking Online and mobile banking platform enabling members to access accounts, manage finances, transfer funds, pay bills, and perform transactions. Includes login portal at digitalbanking.blazecu.com and Scout virtual assistant.
• Share Savings Accounts Primary share savings account that establishes membership eligibility in the credit union for new members.
• Free Checking No-monthly-fee checking account featuring a Visa debit card with Minnesota pride designs and a qualifying-conditions new-member bonus.
• Dividend Checking Interest-bearing checking account that pays dividends on collected balances.
• Certificates Term share certificates with fixed rates and maturities for members seeking guaranteed returns on deposits.
• Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts offering Traditional and Roth IRA options for individuals planning long-term retirement savings.
• Money Market Accounts Tiered-rate money market savings accounts with limited check-writing privileges for higher-yield savings while maintaining liquidity.
• HSA Money Markets Health Savings Account money market product designed for individuals covered by high-deductible health plans to save tax-advantaged funds for medical expenses.
• Mortgage Loans Purchase and refinance mortgage products (conventional, FHA, VA) with locally originated underwriting and Mortgage Loan Officer assistance.
• Mortgage Refinance Refinance mortgage options allowing existing homeowners to adjust rate, term, or loan structure.
• Home Equity Loans & HELOC Home equity loan and home equity line of credit (HELOC) products enabling members to borrow against accumulated home value.
• Vehicle Loans Auto purchase, refinance, and recreational-vehicle (RVs, motorcycles, boats) financing products with competitive fixed rates.
• Visa Credit Cards Visa credit card products offering cash back rewards, including a new-cardholder bonus structure and ongoing cash-back earnings on purchases.
• Personal Loans Unsecured installment loans with transparent, published rates and a quick application workflow for general personal financial needs.
• Student Loans Education financing products supporting members pursuing undergraduate or higher-education studies.
• Retirement & Investment Services Wealth management and retirement planning sub-brand (Blaze Retirement + Investment Services) providing advisory consultations and investment planning for members, with AUM exceeding $1 billion.
• Optional Loan Coverage Optional member-paid protection plans covering outstanding loan balances in specified circumstances.
• Business Banking Services Business banking offerings, including business checking accounts, business lending, and cash management for small-to-medium Minnesota businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1 billion+ in Assets Under Management for retirement and investment services
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• NCUA (National Credit Union Administration)coreOthersFederal agency that insures deposits up to $250,000 and regulates credit unions. All Blaze deposits are federally insured through NCUA.
• CO-OP Shared BranchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing Blaze members access to the CO-OP shared branch network with 5,000+ branches and 30,000+ ATMs nationwide, enabling convenient banking nationwide.
• Equal Housing OpportunitycoreOthersHUD-affiliated program ensuring fair access to credit and housing. Demonstrates Blaze's commitment to non-discriminatory lending practices.
• Better Business BureausupportingOthersBBB accreditation demonstrating Blaze's commitment to transparent business practices and member satisfaction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bremer Bank: St. Paul-based regional bank with branches across Minnesota and the upper Midwest offering personal and business banking. Comparable as a Minnesota-anchored broad incumbent competing for similar retail deposits and lending relationships.
• Bell Bank (formerly Bell State Bank & Trust): Upper-Midwest community bank with Minnesota branches providing personal banking, mortgages, and wealth services. Comparable as a broader incumbent competing for the same retail customer base in Minnesota and the upper Midwest.
• U.S. Bank: Minneapolis-headquartered national bank with deep Minnesota retail and commercial banking presence. Competes with Blaze on deposits, mortgages, and credit cards across the same Minnesota geography, with vastly larger scale.
• Alliant Credit Union: Large US credit union serving members nationwide with full digital banking. Comparable as a credit union competitor pursuing a digitally-led, broad-membership model that targets Minnesota residents without needing a branch.

Direct peers

• Hiway Credit Union: St. Paul-based credit union serving Minnesota members with checking, savings, lending, and investment services. Directly comparable regional credit union competitor with similar membership-driven model and product mix.
• Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union: Minnesota-headquartered credit union offering full personal and business banking across the state. Comparable as a Minnesota community credit union with overlapping branch coverage, deposit/lending products, and wealth services.
• Wings Financial Credit Union: Minnesota-based member-owned credit union serving similar Twin Cities and statewide personal/business banking segments. Closest direct peer given shared geographic footprint, full-service depository/lending model, and similar size category.
• First Alliance Credit Union: Minnesota-based credit union offering full deposit, lending, and retirement services to members in the region. Similar community credit union model with overlapping Minnesota retail banking market.
• TopLine Federal Credit Union: Minnesota-based credit union providing personal and business banking, mortgages, and wealth services across the Twin Cities metro. Comparable community credit union with overlapping geographic and product footprint.

Regional players

• Connexus Credit Union: Wisconsin-based credit union expanding into Minnesota through digital and shared-branch channels. Comparable member-owned credit union model serving adjacent upper-Midwest geography with overlapping deposit and lending products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SPIREc
• Facebookfacebook.com/myspire

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPIRE Credit Union