CRB Group Acquires Accrue to Boost Loyalty Tech

Cross River adds Accrue's incentive and wallet technology while naming Evan Russo as its new company president.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Financial Services

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CRB Group has entered an agreement to acquire Accrue to integrate incentive and loyalty tracking tools into its platform. As part of the move, Accrue employees will join Cross River while company CEO Michael Hershfield transitions into a new leadership role.

Why it matters

The acquisition reflects the industry convergence of digital payments and loyalty rewards into singular user experiences. By incorporating Accrue's branded wallet and incentive features, Cross River aims to enhance the capabilities available to its partners.

CRB Group secured $50 million in funding during March 2026. These funds are intended to support company expansion into AI, global markets, and crypto-related capabilities.

The players

CRB Group

This financial institution provides technology infrastructure and banking services to businesses and developers.

Accrue

This technology firm offers solutions for tracking customer incentives and branded digital wallet features.

Michael Hershfield

He is the chief executive officer of Accrue who will transition to a leadership position at Cross River.

Evan Russo

He has been appointed as the new president of Cross River.

The details

The deal combines Accrue's specialized technology for earning incentives with the established Cross River technology stack. This strategic move is designed to enable partners to offer integrated payment and rewards experiences on a wider scale.

March 2026: CRB Group raised $50 million in funding.
October 20, 2026: Cross River announced the acquisition and its new president.

Market Landscape

This acquisition follows the broader market trend where financial platforms are increasingly folding rewards and wallet features into their core payment services. It positions Cross River to compete more aggressively in the crowded digital payment sector by offering integrated loyalty tools.

Customers of partner platforms may eventually see more streamlined rewards and wallet experiences as Accrue's tools are integrated. There is currently no change to account accessibility or pricing for existing end-users.

The takeaway

Companies are moving away from siloed applications to provide unified financial services that prioritize customer retention through integrated incentives. These consolidations suggest that businesses will continue to prioritize platform-wide reward programs to gain a competitive edge.