Miriam Cross

Amplify Credit Union in Austin, Texas, started thinking about removing all banking fees two years ago. First, it had to overhaul its online account-opening process.

The challenger bank for small-business owners is making it easier for its customers to give their accountants access to their transactions and statements.

Totem's digital banking app is the first created by and for Native Americans. The challenger bank will help each of its partner tribes offer uniquely branded apps that provide banking services, distribute government assistance and teach users how to build their credit.

GoHenry, one of many digital banks for kids and teens in the U.S., is based in London but is broadening its European presence with the acquisition of the French fintech Pixpay.

The bank has set up an online “education center” for consumers, dealers and more that walks people through the charging process and helps buyers estimate ongoing costs.

The digital bank and credit card company is hoping to drive more people to its mobile app with the addition of Online Privacy Protection, a service that removes personal data from people-search sites.

Consumers welcome more generous forgiveness policies and the chance to have past defaults erased from their record, but they need assistance connecting the dots, financial services executives say.

Workers Credit Union installed a life-size hologram of “Olivia” in specialized locations to offload some mundane customer service tasks. It’s also catching the attention of passersby.

The bank is providing dedicated space within its headquarters for clients to collaborate with product designers to develop new ideas.

Instead of a hard sell, Chime, Simmons First and others are trying to convey the benefits of their products in simple terms and in a conversational tone.

To keep customer relationships "sticky," Langley Federal Credit Union will roll out a bill pay feature this summer that tries to mimic the advantages customers get by going directly to the biller site.

Several financial institutions that frequently sponsor fintechs, including Evolve Bank & Trust and Grasshopper Bank, highlighted the problems of fraud at American Banker’s Digital Banking conference.

Companies such as Biz2Credit, Episode Six and VizyPay look for people from varied backgrounds and pitch their flexibility (or, sometimes, strong office culture) in bids to find great employees.

Allan Rayson of Encore Bank has been named American Banker's Digital Banker of the Year for leading a tech transformation and working with fintech partners that help the Arkansas bank serve commercial customers.

The executive has been given an expanded role in which he will tap into Santander Group’s annual $5 billion investment in technology.

Young community banks are using a range of options for digital banking platforms.

The bank has developed Slingshot, a data management tool for customers of data company Snowflake, within its new business unit Capital One Software.

A challenger bank, an alternative credit score company and a proposed federal credit union are improving access to banking and lending for those who have been in prison.

Scott Peters, the first person to serve in this role at the Alabama bank, is tasked with modernizing the institution’s core and improving the quality of customer service.

Clients of neobanks have more difficulty reaching service representatives than those of direct banks. Several firms are trying to change that.