The challenge of how to responsibly extend small-dollar credit can be met, and it starts with knowing the needs of the borrower.

Banks' reputations have started to recover from the beating they took after the financial crisis, according to several recent surveys. American Banker reporters discuss how better technology has helped banks' customer satisfaction levels return to pre-crisis levels, despite ongoing reputational issues for some of the biggest banks.

Consumer spending growth slowed in November despite strong holiday retail sales on Thanksgiving and the next day, according to First Data Corp., a global payments processing and electronic commerce company.

Coinbase Inc., a provider of online Bitcoin accounts and transaction services, raised $25 million in funding led by Andreessen Horowitz.

A grocery chain's decision to shutter its Chicago stores will reportedly shrink JPMorgan Chase's (JPM) branch count in the city by 12%.

The issues Google solves with KitKat were among its biggest hurdles, but it's still too soon to declare a winner in the mobile wallet race.

JPMorgan Chase, the target of multiple Justice Department investigations, tentatively agreed to pay about $2 billion to resolve probes into whether it ignored warning signs about Bernard Madoff's crimes, according to a person briefed on the matter.

Pacific Mercantile Bancorp (PMBC) in Costa Mesa, Calif., is getting out of the mortgage business to focus on business banking.

The bold-faced names of government, technology and finance have jumped into peer-to-peer lending, one of the fastest-growing - and buzziest - new segments of financial services, led by players like Lending Club and Prosper. Here are some of the celebrities who have decided to embrace peer-to-peer lending.

Northwest Bancorp. (NBCT) in Spokane, Wash., has raised $12.5 million after selling common stock and issuing subordinated notes and warrants.

The several wearable computing rings being developed have been well-received, but the small devices could have hardware limitations that keep them from widespread use as a payments tool.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is taking a strong stance against lenders that use contract clauses that block consumers from going to court in a report due out Thursday that will likely lead to new regulations.

EverBank (EVER) in Jacksonville, Fla., is laying off 302 employees, or about 7% of its workforce, as it quits the business of servicing defaulted home loans.

Walter Investment Management (WAC) has bought $30 billion of mortgage servicing rights from an unnamed bank.

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council on Wednesday issued final guidance aimed at helping, banks, credit unions and other financial institutions manage risks related to social media.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday released its final rule defining what constitutes a "qualified mortgage."

Price caps on debit card swipe fees were supposed to spell the demise of free checking accounts, but new research from the Kansas City Fed reveals otherwise.

Toronto-Dominion Bank surpassed Royal Bank of Canada as the country's largest lender by assets for the first time after a decade-long expansion in U.S. consumer lending.

Senate Banking Committee leaders reiterated their optimism Wednesday for forging a bipartisan housing finance reform plan, but offered little additional detail on when legislation will emerge.

Small-business loan approval rates by both large and small banks jumped in November, rebounding from an October lull in which the government shutdown caused a backlog in applications.