Commercial lending

BlueVine, an online small business lender based in Redwood City, Calif., said Wednesday that it has closed a $49 million funding round.

Fifth Third Bancorp has invested in an online lending firm that makes loans to franchisees of popular retail chains.

Some are replacing legends, others are overseeing major mergers or product launches, and at least one big-bank CEO is on the hot seat. These are the industry executives to keep an eye on in the new year.

A week after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency created a new federal charter for fintech firms, California's financial regulator is calling on other states to work together in making their licensing system more palatable to companies.

OnDeck Capital, the New York-based online small-business lender, has obtained a $200 million revolving debt facility from Credit Suisse.

As regulators open the door to fintech firms applying for bank charters, what has already been a long journey to this point is only going to get more intense.

A dozen publicly traded banks have raised more than $1 billion in recent weeks, taking advantage of surging stock prices. Additional banks are expected to follow, setting the stage for more M&A and other growth moves.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency faces a challenging task as it attempts to add financial inclusion requirements to its pending fintech charter without following the exact blueprint of the Community Reinvestment Act.

U.S. Bancorp in Minneapolis has raised its expectations for its net interest margin in the fourth quarter, citing the recent increase in benchmark rates.

And that was only the beginning. Bank CEOs speaking in New York provided a long list of financial reforms that they would like to see under the incoming Trump administration.

Key details — like exactly how many regulations companies will face — remain to be worked out on the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's new limited-purpose charter for fintech firms, leaving the industry divided on whether the charter is a good idea.

Construction loans are a big source of interest income for community banks but also carry a lot of risk. A few fintech firms say their platforms can reduce the risk and improve the lending process.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will start granting limited-purpose bank charters to fintech companies, but intends to maintain high standards for new entrants.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

The recent shake-up at CAN Capital could spark greater scrutiny of a sector that has drawn comparisons to the bubble-era subprime mortgage market.

The credit reporting firm TransUnion has unveiled a new partnership that is designed to provide more thorough data to investors in marketplace loans.

Anthony Labozzetta, CEO of Sussex Bancorp in New Jersey, isn't afraid of change. His unusual approach to banking helped Sussex emerge from the financial crisis with momentum. Now he's building a branch model that could serve as a blueprint for growth-minded banks.

You'd rather have a heart surgeon who has done a lot of bypasses than a novice, right? Perhaps the same thinking should apply to commercial lenders, according to several university researchers challenging the orthodoxy that making too many of the same kind of loans can only spell doom.

NewDominion Bank created a new slogan and marketing campaign to target younger prospects and newcomers to Charlotte, N.C. Only time will tell if the effort will succeed and help the bank survive on its own.

CAN Capital said Tuesday that CEO Daniel DeMeo has been placed on a leave of absence. Parris Sanz, the company's chief legal officer, is now serving as acting CEO.