Hello, FinTech community. Welcome to our FinTech Top Voice Interview Series.
The latest FinTech Interview with Kirsten Knoll Longnecker, CMO, Plinqit is an interactive Q&A-styled conversation.
Kirsten Knoll Longnecker is the chief marketing officer of Plinqit, where she oversees the company’s go-to-market strategy across its suite of deposit growth tools, including its flagship white-labeled savings product, High Yield Savings by Plinqit. In addition to her career in fintech, Longnecker serves on the content steering committee for the Association for Financial Technology. She also participates in several professional organizations, including CMO Coffee Talk, Together Digital, and the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network.
Let’s start…
FinTech Insights (FTI): Hi Kirsten, welcome to the FinTech Top Voice Interview Series. Please share your tech journey with us.
Kirsten: My journey into tech has been an eclectic mix of creativity and strategy. My background is rooted in marketing, where I’ve always been passionate about storytelling and connecting with audiences. About a decade ago, that passion intersected with the dynamic world of fintech. Joining Plinqit was a natural step for me, as it allowed me to merge my marketing and content strategy expertise with a mission to make financial literacy and savings more accessible. It’s been incredibly rewarding to lead marketing efforts in a space where we can genuinely make a difference in people’s lives.
FTI: Plinqit has been making waves in the fintech space. Could you walk us through some of your latest enhancements and how they empower end users in their financial journeys?
Kirsten: One of our most exciting recent developments is the launch of High Yield Savings by Plinqit (HYS). This product is truly a game-changer for financial institutions looking to drive new, high-growth deposits while offering a meaningful solution for end users. HYS is a fully white-label solution that allows banks and credit unions to quickly establish a digital or affinity brand offering attractive interest rates to customers – helping them compete effectively in today’s digital-first environment.
Why is this so impactful? The top high-yield savings accounts offer annual percentage yields (APYs) that are more than 10 times higher than the average rates of traditional savings or checking accounts. Yet, according to our 2024 State of Savings Report, only 20% of people are currently using a high-yield savings account, with over half of Americans (54%) who don’t use one saying they are likely to open one in the future. This represents an untapped opportunity for financial institutions to capture the business of these optimization-smart savers.
For consumers, it’s a way to grow their savings quickly. For financial institutions, it’s a powerful tool for driving deposit growth and market share.
Banks using HYS have successfully attracted high-income customers, with over 40% of users reporting household incomes of $100,000 to $249,999 and an average account balance of more than $40,000. It’s such an efficacious way to achieve growth without cannibalizing existing deposits. Innovations like these keep me curious and invested in the roles that Plinqit plays in shaping the future of financial services.
FinTech Insights: Fintech Top Voice: Interview with Tendü Yogurtçu, CTO at Precisely
FTI: Without giving too much away, can you share a sneak peek into Plinqit’s roadmap? What are some of the near-term product plans or updates we can look forward to?
Kirsten: In the near future, we’re focused on expanding our offerings in ways that align with Plinqit’s mission to provide financial institutions with tools that drive deposit growth while supporting customers’ financial well-being.
The launch of High Yield Savings by Plinqit has been a fairly jaw-dropping success, with strong demand from financial institutions of all sizes. Building on that momentum, we’re prioritizing enhancements to our product suite to meet the evolving needs of consumers – particularly younger generations as they progress along their financial journeys – and the financial institutions that serve them. Our goal is to set Plinqit up for its next phase of growth by continuing to deliver innovative, impactful solutions that help financial institutions compete for a share of wallet.
Exciting, right?
FTI: AI is redefining industries worldwide. From your perspective, how is it shaping the global fintech landscape, and what implications does it have for solutions like Plinqit?
Kirsten: I think of AI in fintech like evolution. Most of the fintech “species” are rapidly adapting and seeing not only the potential but also the benefits, and some of the “species” are hanging back at the familiar watering hole. It’s revolutionizing how financial institutions understand and interact with customers, but they need to leave the known for the lesser known.
For Plinqit, AI has sped up and improved our end-user support and marketing processes, and I’m looking forward to the ways in which our Product and Tech teams incorporate it.
FTI: Closer to home at Plinqit, how are evolving consumer demands for fintech features influencing product development and the adoption of your platform? Are there any surprising trends you’ve noticed?
Kirsten: I believe Americans are seeking more financial support in the wake of challenges brought by the pandemic, inflation, and historically high interest rates. Not handholding, but true foresight and advocacy for people’s financial well-being.
Traditionally, people have been incentivized to spend through credit card points and cashback offers. In the U.S., credit card debt rose by $27 billion to $1.14 trillion in Q2 2024, indicating that consumers are increasingly relying on credit for daily expenses. While these rewards may feel like support in the short term, they don’t set people up for lifelong financial wellness – and when consumers aren’t financially healthy, it negatively impacts the banks and credit unions that serve them.
At the same time, excess savings from the pandemic era, estimated to have peaked at $2.1 trillion in 2021, have dwindled significantly, with less than $190 billion remaining by mid-2024, according to Statista. This highlights how financial pressures are mounting, making tools that encourage saving more relevant than ever.
We’re seeing a shift in consumer priorities as more people recognize the importance of saving. This has driven significant adoption of Plinqit’s white-label savings product. Banks using High Yield Savings by Plinqit have collectively generated more than $2 billion in deposits to date. These account holders are reaping the rewards of higher returns on their savings, which is infinitely more impactful for their financial futures than accumulating credit card points. This trend reflects a broader understanding across the industry: empowering consumers to save effectively benefits everyone.
FTI: How can FinTechs enhance the customer experience?
Kirsten: Fintechs have a unique opportunity to collaborate with financial institutions to truly transform the customer experience. By combining cutting-edge technology with the trust and deep community roots of banks and credit unions, fintechs can deliver solutions that not only meet but anticipate customer needs. This collaboration is key to driving deeper engagement and wallet share.
As someone who has been in fintech long enough to see the effects of economic contraction and expansion on financial institutions and their communities, it’s clear that periods of economic volatility create significant challenges for most people. Inflation has made saving more difficult, and many Americans are relying on credit to make ends meet. At the same time, the higher interest rate environment over the past few years has increased competition for deposits among banks. Financial institutions are working hard to balance these competing pressures while continuing to serve their communities.
Fintechs that partner with banks and credit unions can play a critical role in this process by offering tools that encourage financial wellness, such as automated savings or high-yield savings solutions. These innovations not only help customers better navigate financial uncertainty but also support financial institutions in building stronger relationships with their customers.
FTI: What is the future of fintech platforms? Which industries would benefit the most from the new and emerging innovations in fintech?
Kirsten: The future of fintech is incredibly exciting, particularly as younger generations, like Gen Z, continue to influence the industry. This digital-first generation is driving demand for more personalized, transparent, and technology-forward financial solutions. They expect intuitive, mobile-friendly experiences that deliver instant results, and their preferences are shaping the way financial institutions and fintechs develop products.
We’re also seeing a growing emphasis on hyper-personalized financial products tailored to individual needs. This approach not only deepens engagement but also empowers consumers to take charge of their financial journeys. For Gen Z, many of whom are reaching financial maturity and beginning to save for larger life goals – or even launching businesses – these solutions can make a transformative difference.
In addition, Gen Z’s strong focus on social and environmental issues is reshaping the industry’s priorities. Sustainable and ethical financial products, paired with greater transparency from financial institutions, are becoming increasingly important. As fintech platforms evolve, we expect to see a seamless blend of secure banking and innovative digital tools that align with these values while delivering on convenience and trust.
Financial institutions play a crucial role in this evolution. By partnering with fintechs, they can extend their reach and offer solutions that resonate with younger consumers. This collaboration will empower not only Gen Z but also other demographics to achieve financial wellness, ultimately fostering stronger, more inclusive financial ecosystems. At Plinqit, we’re dedicated to staying ahead of these trends and ensuring our products meet the needs of all generations, especially the tech-savvy Gen Z, who will undoubtedly lead the way in shaping the future of financial services.
FinTech Insights: Fintech Top Voice: Interview with Arcady Lapiro, CEO & Founder at Agora Financial Technologies
FTI: You’ve been a prominent voice in fintech. Could you tell us about the top events or conferences in 2025 where you’ll participate as a speaker or attendee?
Kirsten: I’m thrilled about the opportunities in 2025 to connect with leaders and innovators across the fintech space. One highlight is Fintech Meetup, taking place in March, which has become a premier gathering for the industry. It’s a fantastic platform for sharing insights, exploring partnerships, and discussing the future of financial services.
This year, I’m especially excited that our founder and CEO, Kathleen Craig, will be speaking on a panel titled Compliance or Collapse: What Fintechs Need to Do to Get it Right. Compliance is a critical issue for fintechs navigating growth, and Kathleen’s insights will undoubtedly spark meaningful discussions about how fintechs and financial institutions can align their strategies to meet regulatory demands while continuing to innovate.
Beyond Fintech Meetup, I look forward to attending the Association for Financial Technology (AFT) summits and a couple of other key events that bring together thought leaders to shape the future of fintech. It’s always reinforcing to exchange ideas, identify trends, and learn how we can collectively make financial services more accessible and impactful for everyone.
FTI: Please suggest one fintech-based book for our readers.
Kirsten: One book I highly recommend is Think Like a Brand, Not a Bank by Allison Netzer and Liz High. This insightful read challenges financial institutions to break free from traditional mindsets and embrace a more consumer-focused approach. Despite the regulatory hurdles that can sometimes stifle innovation, the authors emphasize the importance of creating a customer experience that people want to engage with and feel a part of.
Netzer and High share strategies for banks and credit unions to think beyond their products and services and instead focus on building emotional connections with their customers. By taking cues from some of the world’s most successful brands, financial institutions can differentiate themselves in a competitive market and drive loyalty in ways that go beyond interest rates and account features. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to transform the way we think about marketing and engagement in financial services.
If I can throw in a bonus book recommendation, it would be Using Behavioral Science in Marketing by Nancy Harhut. Harhut showcases real-world use cases and data-backed consumer behavior research in very digestible lessons that anyone can implement to see immediate improvement in engagement, response rates, and ROI. I find the human mind and emotions to be such a fascinating landscape, and this book is one I turn to again and again for proven ways to prompt consumer action.
FTI: To wrap things up on an inspiring note, could you tag a fintech leader or researcher whose insights you’d love to see featured in our FinTech Top Voice interview series?
Kirsten: I’d love to see Kathleen Craig, founder and CEO of Plinqit, featured in your series.
Kathleen brings a unique perspective as both a former banker and an intuitively innovative fintech leader, offering deep insights into the intersection of technology and financial services. Her expertise and forward-thinking approach have made her a trusted voice in the industry, and I know she’d provide incredible value to your audience.
FinTech Insights: Top 10 Financial Software Solutions
