RBFCU Resolves Direct Deposit Delays After Technical Glitch

Credit union spent $2.1 million to fix ACH processing issues affecting 32% of members

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:26am

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An extreme close-up of intricately connected gears, levers, and mechanical components in shades of steel grey, bronze, and black, conceptually representing the complex inner workings of a financial institution's technological infrastructure.The technical glitch that delayed direct deposits for thousands of RBFCU members underscores the fragility of aging credit union core banking systems struggling to keep pace with real-time payment demands.San Antonio Today

Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU) resolved a technical glitch that had delayed direct deposits for thousands of customers in San Antonio. The credit union spent approximately $2.1 million in emergency IT consulting and overtime labor to restore normal processing after a weekend disruption tied to ACH network synchronization errors.

Why it matters

RBFCU's direct deposit issue highlights systemic vulnerabilities in the credit union sector, where many institutions still rely on aging core banking platforms that struggle to keep pace with real-time payment demands. This incident underscores the competitive pressures credit unions face to modernize their technology or risk losing members to digital-only banks.

The details

The root cause was a misalignment between RBFCU's FIS Profile core banking platform and the Federal Reserve's FedNow service rollout schedule, creating a timing window where ACH batch files were not properly sequenced for same-day settlement. While FedNow launched in 2023, only 18% of U.S. credit unions had integrated it by Q1 2026, compared to 67% of community banks.

  • RBFCU resolved the direct deposit delays by Friday, April 18, 2026.
  • RBFCU filed internal budget reallocations with the NCUA on April 16, 2026 to cover the $2.1 million in emergency IT costs.

The players

Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU)

A $18.7 billion credit union with 1.3 million members, making it the third-largest credit union in Texas.

FIS Profile

RBFCU's core banking platform that experienced synchronization issues with the Federal Reserve's FedNow service.

FedNow

The Federal Reserve's real-time payments service that was only integrated by 18% of U.S. credit unions by Q1 2026.

Credit Union National Association (CUNA)

The trade association representing credit unions, whose CEO Melissa Marquez commented on the need for modernization grants.

NCUA Chairman Todd Harper

The National Credit Union Administration chairman who acknowledged the pressure on credit unions to maintain public confidence through technological transformation.

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What they’re saying

“Credit unions are caught in a bind—they serve communities that need instant access to funds the most, yet they lack the capital reserves to modernize at the speed of fintechs or big banks. Until the NCUA provides targeted modernization grants, incidents like this will recur.”

— Melissa Marquez, CEO of CUNA Mutual Group

“We are examining whether current capital rules adequately support the technological transformation required to maintain public confidence in the credit union system.”

— Todd Harper, NCUA Chairman

What’s next

RBFCU has announced a $110 million multi-year core modernization plan, targeting full FedNow and RTP integration by Q4 2027 to address the underlying technology gaps exposed by this incident.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing divide between credit unions that treat technology as a strategic imperative and those that view it as a cost center. Without accelerated investment in cloud migration, API-enabled cores, and real-time settlement capabilities, even large, well-managed credit unions will continue to face avoidable operational hiccups that erode member loyalty.