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In the news this week: A consumer group filed a complaint against Starbucks over its mobile app and reloadable gift cards, Apple Pay added a new payment tech firm, The Clearing House hired Amanda Stewart as its new marketing chief, and more.

Reading Cooperative Bank and Queensborough National Bank and Trust are among those that see value in being close to fintech startups.

Jonathan McKernan, a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. board, voiced concerns about the growing influence of Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street on publicly-traded banks, suggesting regulators should more actively review their interactions.

Southern Bancorp in Little Rock, Arkansas, plans to put $250 million in equity capital it received from the Treasury Department to good use making mortgages and acquiring banks.

These executives have taken charge at firms like PayPal, Discover and Early Warning Servcies during a volatile time for the entire industry.

The use of digital wallets to finance the Hamas attack on Israel highlights the need for tighter controls on the transfer of cryptocurrencies.

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., was seen as a frontrunner to replace outgoing Rep. Patrick McHenry as the top Republican on the House Financial Services Committee before his announced retirement from Congress Thursday afternoon.

In comment letters to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau concerning its proposed rule to allow consumers to share their banking data with third-party providers, banks worry about implementation costs while fintechs fear the rule will stymie innovation.

One of the smallest banks in the country hasn't consistently made a profit since 2007 and has been the subject of enforcement actions. The FDIC's public rebuke against it indicates a last-ditch effort to figure out a less messy solution than receivership.

Alberto Musalem, a finance professor with experience in both the public and private sectors, will take over the reins at the regional reserve bank in April.