St. Cloud Financial Credit Union EVP Chase Larson to Lead Stand With Crypto Minnesota

Chase Larson, the Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, has been appointed as the Minnesota Chapter President for Stand With Crypto. This appointment marks a significant bridge between traditional credit union leadership and grassroots digital asset advocacy, highlighting how financial executives are increasingly engaging with the regulatory frameworks governing emerging technologies.

What was announced

The appointment of Chase Larson to lead the Minnesota chapter of Stand With Crypto places a seasoned financial executive at the helm of regional advocacy for digital assets. Stand With Crypto is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that serves as a grassroots advocacy hub, designed to mobilize crypto users, developers, and supporters. The organization’s primary objective is to champion clear, common-sense regulations for the cryptocurrency industry, with the goal of fostering economic freedom and protecting the sector's innovation potential.

Larson brings extensive institutional experience to the role, having served as Chief Lending Officer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) since 2021 and as Executive Vice President since 2023. At SCFCU, Larson has been the primary executive driving the institution’s digital asset strategy, which includes the implementation of the CU-Digital Asset Vault. His leadership in traditional finance is evidenced by the growth of SCFCU’s business and commercial lending operations, which expanded from inception to more than $60 million in just 36 months. This performance led to the institution being recognized as one of the top five fastest-growing commercial lending credit unions in Minnesota in 2024.

The move comes at a time of significant crypto adoption within the state. Data from Stand With Crypto indicates that 13% of adults in Minnesota currently own cryptocurrency. Nationally, the demographic profile of these owners is notably young and middle-income; 70% of crypto owners in the United States are Gen Z or Millennials, and 77% report an annual household income of less than $100,000.

"I accepted the Minnesota Chapter President role with Stand With Crypto because I believe clear, thoughtful crypto policy is critical for innovation, consumer protection, and our state’s economic future. I’m excited to help give Minnesotans a voice in shaping how digital assets are regulated and integrated into our financial lives."

Chase Larson at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union.

The companies involved

St. Cloud Financial Credit Union is a Minnesota-based financial cooperative that has differentiated itself through a dual focus on aggressive commercial lending growth and digital asset integration. The institution has moved beyond traditional credit union services to develop specialized solutions like the CU-Digital Asset Vault, positioning itself as a forward-leaning player in the regional banking market. Its recent recognition as a top-five growth leader in Minnesota’s commercial lending space underscores a strategy of rapid portfolio diversification and modernization under its current executive leadership.

Stand With Crypto is a non-partisan, 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to building a pro-crypto policy environment through grassroots mobilization. Unlike traditional corporate lobbying groups, it focuses on empowering individual participants in the crypto ecosystem—including builders and everyday users—to engage directly with the legislative process. By establishing state-level chapters, the organization seeks to decentralize its advocacy efforts, ensuring that regional economic interests and local crypto ownership statistics are represented in the broader national conversation regarding digital asset regulation and economic freedom.

What this means

This appointment is a clear signal that the credit union movement is no longer content to sit on the sidelines of the digital asset debate. By placing a Chief Lending Officer—a role traditionally defined by risk management and conservative fiscal oversight—into a leadership position at a crypto advocacy group, the industry is signaling that digital assets are being viewed as a legitimate component of the future financial stack. The pressure is now on regulators to provide a framework that allows these highly regulated institutions to scale their digital offerings safely. For the wider fintech sector, this move suggests that the battle for regulatory clarity is shifting from Silicon Valley to the local community level, where traditional financial leaders hold significant political and economic sway.