Northeast Bank and its fintech lending partner Newity have engineered a surge in 7(a) loans that has helped the Portland, Maine-based bank boost profits as tightened regulatory standards made the loans harder to get.

The continued investment in branches is a continued investment in bankers. A well-trained, motivated banker turns a physical location into a relationship hub.

BankUnited hires Wells Fargo's James Mackey to be its new chief financial officer; Ponce Bank President and CEO Carlos Naudon is named chairperson of the Community Development Bankers Association; Jefferson Bank announces the retirement of longtime President and CEO Danny Butler; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

Growing loans was a tall order in 2024, but banks that could do just that were able to outperform their peers.

Complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have skyrocketed in the first half of 2025, due in part to an increase in payment scams generated by social media that target peer-to-peer payment platforms such as Zelle, Venmo and other apps.

The Evansville, Indiana-based bank has hired Tim Burke to oversee commercial and community banking, along with wealth, credit and marketing.

Eastern Financial Corp. provides a rich source of low-cost deposits that the larger Mercantile Bancorp can put to work in funding its much stronger loan growth.

A July pickup in activity is just a start, experts say. The banking industry's drive for scale and greater efficiency is expected to drive a renewed wave of consolidation, pushing the institution count lower.

Administration of the Community Development Financial Institution Fund at the Treasury Department will be led by the CDFI Fund's legal counsel following the resignation of the fund's director.

Kate Luft, a former chief of staff for Citi CEO Jane Fraser, is now running the company's U.S. retail banking business. In her first interview since getting the job, Luft discussed what banks can learn from airlines and the advantages that incumbents have over fintechs.

We could be on the cusp of serious economic instability. Smart bankers should take the time to do a deep dive into the risk profile of their customers, and identify potential trouble spots.

The banking subsidiary of Western Alliance Bancorporation is discarding six brand names to unify under the Western Alliance Bank moniker; longtime JPMorgan advisor Vishal Idnani will join Western Alliance as its next CFO; First Community in Lexington, South Carolina, will acquire Signature Bank of Georgia; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

The North Carolina-based regional bank still expects its revenue to outpace its spending this year, though if interest rates hold steady, it could "create some risk," a top executive said Friday.

Prosperity Bancshares announced plans to buy Corpus Christi-based American Bank Holding Corp. in an all-stock deal.

How banks can cater to this desire to prioritize experience spending and support customers to do more of what they love

The OCC, Fed and FDIC issued a letter this week clarifying the rules governing crypto safekeeping, which emphasize proper management of cryptographic keys.

CEO Brian Moynihan plans to keep directing some of the bank's excess capital into new market expansions, he said Wednesday. "Organic growth is the reality," given the bank's already dominant U.S. market share, he said.

The global bank reported solid second-quarter results as executives maintain confidence in the bank's ability to achieve a return on tangible common equity of 10-11% next year. But an analyst said Citi's progress on reducing expenses will hinge on its ability to get freed from various enforcement actions.

John Buran shares how his New York bank and its small business customers are faring with tariff uncertainty — and how some have quickly changed suppliers and modified business plans — in the latest American Banker podcast.