AmeriServ Financial in Johnstown, Pa., and Provident Bancorp in Amesbury, Mass., are the latest community banks to announce plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund.

A large investor in Old Point Financial is looking to gain a seat on the Hampton, Va., company’s board.

Credit Bureau Systems Inc. has acquired the business of Fidelis EMS Billing LLC for undisclosed financial terms.

Itaú Unibanco Holding SA, Brazil's largest bank by market value, will pay approximately $305 million for a stake in a debt collection company and a pool of non-performing loans.

Banks claim bandwidth and security concerns led to interruptions for personal finance apps, but institutions still resist a more secure and efficient portal.

Thomas O'Brien made good on a 2015 promise to turn a profit in every quarter. This year, his goal is to stay profitable to earn back a deferred-tax asset that should meaningfully increase the New Jersey company's valuation.

Bitcoin Direct has a heavyweight behind its latest digital wallet – literally.

After defeating an expert in Japanese chess, this computer program's next task is to figure out if you can make the payments on a new mortgage.

The presidential race is likely to overshadow most political events in 2016 as the first primary states begin voting in February. Accordingly, many of the people on this list are candidates who could win the presidency in November, or at least have the chance to shape the outcome. But there are also some guaranteed players already in place whose actions will help shape banking policy in the year to come. Here are the top 10 to watch.

The CFPB can proceed with a lawsuit against loan servicer CashCall Inc., a federal judge has ruled, thus rejecting the company's objection that the agency was trampling on states' rights.

Fidelity Investments is dropping American Express Co. and Bank of America Corp. as partners for its cash-back credit card, capping a year of fierce competition among networks and lenders for deals that bring in customers.

Unlike the bargain-heavy aftermath of the crisis, acquisitions during the recovery have been hampered by high premiums and unsatisfactory returns.

The 10 most popular BankThink posts of 2015, based on audience page views.

Banks can help ease a severe national shortage in affordable rental properties — and make money doing it.

Opportunities abound, in affordable housing, capital raising, consumer lending and more. We aim to get you thinking about how new developments on many fronts could affect your business as you plan for the coming year and beyond.

Recent high-profile settlements and a New York Times article have drawn fresh attention to problems in the debt collection industry. Many of these could be resolved with the deployment of a trusted national database for consumer debt.

Dilip Ratha, an economist at the World Bank, shows how the power of a simple remittance sent from one family member to another could be magnified to improve the lives of poor people.

Heritage Bankshares in Norfolk, Va., has exited the Small Business Lending Fund, ahead of its proposed deal to be acquired by Southern BancShares in Mount Olive, N.C.

As debt collection abuse cases rise in prominence and regulators ponder new rules, it's time to give the idea of a national debt registry a closer look.

SB Financial Group in Defiance, Ohio, has bought a former Fifth Third Bank branch in Bowling Green, Ohio.