Will Hernandez

Whether it’s applying for a loan through a mobile app or building an investment portfolio via robo adviser, users want to know they can quickly and easily speak to a human being if they run into problems, top executives said at American Banker’s Digital Banking conference this week.

There’s a long list of reasons traditional lenders haven't kept up with the needs of entrepreneurs, says Judith Erwin, the head of Grasshopper Bank in New York. One is not asking for enough feedback.

The CEO of the digital-only bank Chime says it has quadrupled its membership in a year. So why doesn't his counterpart at Varo believe him?

The Los Angeles company has established a network that is designed to help verify the identities of consumer and small-business borrowers. It says 20 lenders are participating and that it is trying to recruit more.

In a study of 27 global markets, the U.S. ranked near the bottom for consumer use of fintech, raising questions about why Americans appear reluctant to dive in.

Alkami Technology said it would use its latest round of funding to expand its white-label services for small banks and credit unions.

Paramount Financial Technologies says its software can help banks answer key questions about their branch networks, including when it makes sense to expand them.

Regional and small banks are striking digital partnerships and launching new savings offerings as they attempt to steal away business from bigger institutions.

On his watch, the $170 billion-asset HSBC USA became the first bank in the world to deploy a customer-facing robot in a branch. It's also the first bank to use wearable technology to help front-line branch staff.

The online lending marketplace will use the equity financing from WestBridge Capital to diversify the digital products its offers banks trying to compete for small-business borrowers, its CEO says.