Powering BNPL for banks and credit unions

From Banker to Builder: How Bryce Deeney Is Putting Banks Back in the BNPL Game

Most fintech founders avoid banks. Bryce Deeney made one his launchpad.

The Unlikely Move That Sparked a Big Idea

After a decade in fintech—spanning sales, marketing, and product—Bryce Deeney made a counterintuitive career move: he joined a credit union.

For most startup builders, working inside a traditional financial institution sounds like a detour. For Bryce, it was the turning point.

“Banks were losing the battle to direct-to-consumer fintechs,” he recalls. “They had the relationships. They just didn’t have the tools.”

That gap—and the opportunity it represented—would soon become the foundation for equipifi, the company he co-founded to help banks fight back.

A Modern Payment Tool, Built for Banks

Launched in 2021, equipifi delivers white-label Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) infrastructure purpose-built for banks and credit unions. It integrates directly into existing checking and debit products—no third-party redirects, no brand confusion. Just the bank, offering what consumers want, under its own name.

It’s not just a good idea. It’s working.

• 61 of the 65 U.S. financial institutions offering BNPL to checking account holders are powered by equipifi
• 20x revenue growth and 45x usage growth in the past year
• Seamless user experience = better retention, better engagement, better economics

The Grit Behind the Growth

Success didn’t come easy. equipifi’s early years tested the team.

“We had a bank partner fail. We restructured the team. We had all-hands where we weren’t sure we could make payroll,” Bryce admits.

But the mission never wavered—and neither did the product.

“We’ve never pivoted,” he says. “We’ve just had to build faster.”

That consistency is what turned equipifi from an idea into a category leader.

The Stakes Are Rising

As financial giants like FIS partner with fintechs like Affirm, the pressure on regional banks and credit unions is intensifying. For Bryce, it’s a wake-up call.

“Do you want to be top of wallet? Then you need to control the brand, the relationship, the product.”

equipifi gives institutions the tools to do just that—without handing over the keys to a third party.

Just Getting Started

With over 9,000 financial institutions in the U.S. and 45,000 globally, equipifi’s opportunity is massive—and largely untapped.

“We’re the snowflake on the iceberg,” Bryce says. “In ten years, offering BNPL through your checking account will feel as normal as having a debit card.”

Why We Backed equipifi

At SixThirty, we invest in founders who see what’s broken—and build what’s next.

Bryce Deeney isn’t just modernizing payments. He’s helping banks reclaim their role in the financial lives of their customers. That’s a future worth building.