Financial institutions that are considering technology to power digital and mobile payments have an unconventional choice—the underlying blockchain structure that enables bitcoin to hasten execution and cut costs.

Eastern Bank turned to YouTube videos as a way to connect with customers it picked up in a recent acquisition in New Hampshire. It even got a little help from Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.

Asset growth drove the Pennsylvania bank to create software that helps it vet and monitor vendors, with automated tracking of contracts and deadlines and storage of supporting documents.

Heartland Financial USA in Dubuque, Iowa, has completed its acquisition of CIC Bancshares in Denver and made related executive moves.

Dick Evans, chairman and CEO at Cullen/Frost Bankers in San Antonio, discusses the decline in oil prices, and what it means for energy lending at the $28.6 billion-asset company.

Sunshine Financial in Tallahassee, Fla., has agreed to name a new board member in exchange for a truce with an activist investor.

Pioneer Bank in Dripping Springs, Texas, has promoted Elizabeth Blose to chief financial officer as it works to finalize a merger deal and relocate its headquarters.

Under the new model, tax preparers must pay lenders for originating loans and are prohibited from passing costs on to borrowers. But consumer advocates argue that pricing of tax preparation services is so opaque that customers could be paying loan fees and not even know it.

Bankers need to let investors know in advance what types of deals they are willing to pursue, along with the financial parameters. Doing so is a critical step in managing shareholder expectations at a time when consolidation is heating up.

Chesapeake Bank & Trust in Chestertown, Md., has named former community bank chief executive Ray Tarrach to its board. Tarrach had been president and CEO of Chestertown Bank, which was renamed Mercantile Eastern Shore Bank in 2004.

U.S. bankruptcy filings reached 52,522 in January, 11% lower than 59,092 filings in January 2015, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute, which used data from Epiq Systems Inc.

CenterState Banks in Davenport, Fla., will record a first-quarter $17.5 million net loss on the early termination of its loss-share agreements associated with seven failed banks.

An ordinance in Killeen, Texas limiting payday lending businesses will be reviewed Tuesday by the Killeen City Council.

The election of a Republican president could be the first prerequisite to repealing the financial reform law, but banks still need to argue their case for why repeal is necessary.

The FCC is reviewing possible rules to allow companies using modern dialing technologies to call consumers on their cell phones concerning government-related debts including student loans and mortgages.

First National Bank of Central Texas is now arming its bankers with iPads so that they can open accounts for small-business customers on the road.

The banking industry is grappling with a quickly changing technology environment, and that is particularly true for community banks given their fewer resources. Still, several are looking for ways to provide their customers with cutting-edge digital products, overhauling their antiquated systems and using technology to strip out costs and find better uses for their tech teams. The following are ten examples of community banks that have made technology a priority.

Park Sterling in Charlotte, N.C., has hired Donald Truslow as its next chief financial officer.

LendingClub won over debt investors with algorithms that quickly assess borrowers' creditworthiness, making it easy for banks, hedge funds and others to snap up billions of dollars of consumer loans arranged through its online platform. Those algorithms still have some kinks.

Human error opens the door for most cybersecurity incidents. mBank in Poland, U.S. Bank and Bank of the West are working to make consumers more aware of the dangers of bad online habits.