Mt. Gox, the Bitcoin exchange that filed for bankruptcy in Tokyo after millions of dollars' worth of virtual currency vanished from customer accounts, won a temporary halt to lawsuits it faces in the U.S.

A New Jersey appeals court ruled that debt buyers do not have to provide notice to consumers when debts are purchased and assigned but must prove they own the debt and the amount before they can collect. Further, electronic business records are sufficient for proof.

The Bitcoin Foundation appointed Jim Harper, a former lobbyist for eBay Inc.'s PayPal service, to be global policy counsel as the group seeks to persuade governments to let people use the virtual currency.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) in Moultrie, Ga., has agreed to buy Coastal Bankshares in Savannah, Ga.

Chemical Financial (CHFC) in Midland, Mich., has agreed to buy Northwest Bancorp in Traverse City, Mich.

A class action lawsuit filed against student loan collection company, the National Collegiate Student Loan Trust, and the Law Offices of Patenaude & Felix APC, alleges that they used deceptive practices to collect student loan debts in California.

Comerica Bank (CMA) is planning to expand its existing middle-market commercial banking operations at its Dallas headquarters.

With its new checkless checking account, Bank of America is taking a different path than many other large banks that have begun offering prepaid cards.

The Charlotte, N.C., bank offers a model for other community banks that have expanded quickly in recent years but face a pricier M&A market: focus on smaller deals that provide additional liquidity and plug geographic holes.

Four private-equity investors have sold their remaining stakes in BankUnited (BKU) in Miami Lakes, Fla., for almost $393 million.

Joseph Stilwell said in recent regulatory filings that he wants Fairmount Bancorp in Baltimore and Harvard Illinois Bancorp to find buyers. He also filed a document backing Jefferson Bancshares' planned sale to HomeTrust.

Service members, veterans and their families who filed complaints about financial products or services have recovered more than $1 million, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced.

William Rogers, chief executive officer of SunTrust Banks Inc., was awarded $5.78 million for his work last year, 32% less than for 2012.

Fannie Mae researchers attribute the sharp turn in perceptions to winter blues.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could return $179.2 billion in profits to taxpayers over the next 10 years if they continue operating under federal conservatorship, according to White House budget analysts.

A former managing director at the New York investment banking firm Jefferies and Co, has been convicted of multiple offenses involving a scheme to defraud customers trading in residential mortgage-backed securities.

NCO Financial Systems, a collection agency arm of Horsham, Pa.-based NCO Group, plans to lay off 107 workers at its Virginia Beach, Va. call center, according to a notice filed with the Virginia Employment Commission.

AIG's United Guaranty Corp. has again elected to go off on its own and will not join the new trade group being formed by the other private mortgage insurers.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a formal notice that it will mail surveys to consumers to learn about their experiences with debt collectors. Specifically, the survey will ask whether consumers have been contacted by collectors and whether they recognized the debt being collected.

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