Chicago – September 13, 2026 -- Alliant Credit Union, a $20 billion-asset institution with nearly 1 million members, has partnered with Blend Labs Inc. (NYSE: BLND) to launch a fully digital mortgage and home equity lending platform.
Members can move from instant prequalification to full application in minutes
The new system lets borrowers complete mortgage applications independently or with support from Alliant Loan Specialists. Dan Bauer, head of residential lending at Alliant, said the platform is designed to help members move quickly in a competitive housing market and deliver market-leading turn times from application to closing.
Platform will add automated pre-approvals and AI document extraction
Upcoming features include automated pre-approvals, income and asset verification, identity and fraud checks, real-time application status tracking, and digital closing. Alliant also plans to introduce AI-powered tools that extract and populate data from uploaded documents to cut manual entry.
HELOC closing times set to drop to 15 days or less
Alliant intends to extend the Blend-powered experience to home equity lending, including home equity lines of credit. Bauer said the credit union aims to reduce HELOC closing times to 15 days or less, giving members faster access to home equity funds for improvements or debt consolidation.
CEO frames the launch as the first phase of a wider digital overhaul
Alliant CEO Mike Dobbins said consumers now benchmark their banking experience against the best digital platforms across all industries, not just other financial institutions. He said the mortgage platform is one of the first visible steps in a broader effort to modernize every member interaction, from car loans to account management, rather than treating digital transformation as isolated technology projects.