In 1937, a group of teachers in Racine, Wisconsin ran into a problem: there was nowhere for them to save or borrow money at a fair rate. So they built their own solution, a small financial cooperative they called the Racine Teachers Credit Union. Today, that credit union is Educators Credit Union, with 25 branches across southeastern Wisconsin, more than 225,000 members, and a membership base that now includes government workers, healthcare employees, small business owners, and plenty of people who have never set foot in a classroom as staff. What hasn't changed is the reason it exists: members come first. That's the thinking behind Educators' newest offering, Online Stock Trading, Educators' new digital investing experience, powered by Eko.

Digital investing is now available to Educators members, from longtime members who've banked here since the teacher-only days to the newest member down the street, making it easier than ever to invest, build wealth, and take meaningful steps toward long-term financial security, right from the convenience of their existing digital banking experience. Members can manage their own portfolio hands-on, or let Eko do the work for them through hybrid or pre-built, professionally managed options.

Educators built Online Stock Trading the same way its founders built the credit union itself: around what actually works for the member in their community. It runs on Eko's technology, and the shape of it, three ways in instead of one, is an excellent combination of Educators' own not-for-profit, member-first approach, and Eko's accessible and flexible framework in action.

Not every member wants to do the same thing with their money, so Online Stock Trading doesn't make them.

Members who'd rather hand the portfolio-building over to a professional, or want an expert-built starting point they can still tweak, can reach for pre-built or hybrid instead of starting from a blank slate. Nobody has to become a stock-picker overnight just to get started.

A member opening their very first investment account, one catching up on retirement savings later in life, and one who wants to hand-pick every holding are all using the same platform, just differently. That was the point.

Getting members' money moving quickly was one of Educators' requirements for this launch. A member funding their investment account shouldn't have to wait a few business days to see it actually show up and be ready to invest. So Eko worked with Corporate One, a credit union-owned payments cooperative, to connect Educators to the RTP network for real-time payments. Now, when an Educators member moves money into their Online Stock Trading account, it doesn't sit in a queue behind a standard transfer, it's available, and ready to invest in real time.

Real-time payments (RTP) meant real infrastructure work, and it made sense because Educators could point to exactly why faster funding mattered for their members. Eko works to understand the use case and identify functionality enhancements that align with both the product roadmap and market strategy. RTP was a clearly positive enhancement that Eko was proud to deliver for the Educators launch and future FIs.

Educators represents its values through a simple image: a five-petaled flower, with each petal standing for one core value, honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, and excellence. It's a small detail, but it says something bigger: everything Educators does is meant to hold up against those five standards, member by member.

Eko exists because we believe access to quality investing shouldn't depend on wealth or financial expertise. Not-for-profit, member-owned credit unions like Educators have operated on a version of that same belief since the day they were founded, guided by the original credit union principle: “Not for Profit, Not for Charity, But for Service.” [1] Online Stock Trading was built with that principle in mind, customized alongside Educators rather than copied from a template, flexible enough to fit members at any stage of investing, and transparent about expectations and process.

It also reflects what Educators says its own mission is: “to passionately help people by educating, advising and earning loyalty.” [1] Investing is one more concrete way to do that, and it's why Eko is honored to be the platform behind it.

Underneath Online Stock Trading sits Eko's core technology and compliance infrastructure, the same foundation that lets a credit union offer real investing without taking on the cost and risk of building a brokerage integration from the ground up. Educators didn't just get that foundation off the shelf, though. Real-time payments came out of a conversation about what would genuinely move the needle for their members, and because it also fit where Eko's platform was already headed, it made sense to build. That's generally how it works: Eko listens, we figure out together whether an idea serves both the member need and the broader roadmap, and if it does, we build it. From onboarding and member education resources to regulatory support built with privacy, security, and compliance at the forefront, Eko is with Educators every step of the way, so Educators can focus on what they do best: serving their members and the communities across southeastern Wisconsin they've supported for almost 90 years.

In 1937, a small group of teachers built Educators because there was nowhere else for them to save or borrow money on fair terms. Nearly 90 years later, that same credit union, now open to just about anyone in its 15-county service area, is giving its members a place to invest on fair terms, too. Online Stock Trading is simply the newest way Educators is keeping that original promise.

We couldn't be happier to support Educators Credit Union on this journey, and we can't wait to see what their members accomplish.

Educators Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. Founded in 1937 by a group of Racine teachers as the Racine Teachers Credit Union, Educators has grown to 25 branches across southeastern Wisconsin and more than 225,000 members, serving anyone who lives or works within its 15-county Wisconsin and Illinois service area. Guided by its founding principle, members come first, Educators brings that same not-for-profit philosophy to Online Stock Trading, its new digital investing experience, powered by Eko.

Eko is the leading digital investment platform provider, committed to democratizing wealth-building opportunities for all. By partnering with credit unions and community banks, Eko delivers user-friendly investment solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing digital banking platforms. With innovative technology and a member-first philosophy, Eko helps financial institutions empower their members to invest confidently and build long-term financial security.

[1] Mission statement and founding principle as published by Educators Credit Union at ecu.com.

Investments are not NCUA insured, are not deposits, and may lose value. Investments are offered through Eko Investments, Inc. ("Eko"), an SEC-registered investment adviser. Brokerage services are provided by Alpaca Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.