Spain's largest lender is looking to buy Webster as part of an effort by Executive Chair Ana Botin to expand in the U.S.

The average number of days it takes for large bank M&A deals to close has drastically shrunk from the past two years, according to a new report.

Jim Gold of Steward Partners thinks impending advisor retirements will continue driving smaller RIAs into M&A deals with big acquirers — even as AI turns many investors into "do-it-yourselfers."

The latest acquisition activity points to the importance of decisions lenders make regarding their MSRs in 2026 and some considerations unique to each company.

Amerant Bancorp in Coral Gables, Florida, appointed Carlos Iafigliola its permanent president and CEO; Morton Community Bank in Illinois reached a deal to buy a three-branch franchise in the Land of Lincoln; Bank First in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, agreed to acquire PSB Holdings; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

The two fintechs will increase distribution of a 'pay by bank' option that has picked up steam in recent years as merchants and consumers seek relief from card fees.

New bank capital rules have changed the calculus for many banks in the U.S., eliminating many of the barriers that prevented midsize institutions from growing. The result will likely be a rapid spike in mergers.

The Mississippi lender's pending acquisition of OFB Bancshares, the parent company of One Florida Bank, offers an entry point into the fast-growing Orlando market.

The Canadian bank signed an agreement to sell the businesses to Stonepeak, an alternative investment firm in New York. The move will free up capital and allow the bank to invest in higher growth-potential areas.

Opportunity favors the prepared, and Cambridge Savings Bank had been saving for years to buy a nearby rival. Now, as the mutual bank announces plans to acquire First Seacoast Bank, it says it's found "the right deal at the right time."

Carter Bankshares wants to widen its footprint in the Carolinas and may look to buy a bank, especially in South Carolina, where it set up a loan production office in November. The Virginia bank recently resolved a long-running dispute with a major commercial borrower.

Banner Bank is poised to merge with Bank of the Pacific in an all-stock deal valued at $177 million. The two Washington-based commercial banks both have branches in Washington and Oregon.

San Diego County Credit Union won a court ruling that should help in its effort to get out of its deal to merge with a local competitor. A lawyer for SDCCU said he believes the judge's decision "signals the end of any merger between the two institutions."

Miami's Ocean Bank appointed Yuni Navarro to its board of directors; Indiana-based Interra Credit Union announced it will acquire The Hicksville Bank in Ohio; JPMorganChase hired Chris Mihok from Keefe Bruyette and Woods; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

The Spanish banking giant is seeing improvement in its U.S. business, which is set to expand significantly if its pending acquisition of Webster Financial gets approved.

The Chicago-based fintech, which offers high-cost loans, has agreed to acquire the parent company of BNC National Bank. The deal would grant OppFi a national bank charter, which offers a way around state interest rate caps.

For the Denver-based parent company of Sunflower Bank, the first quarter of 2026 was not entirely sunny. Loans grew dramatically, but so did charge-offs, with the lender charging off two credits worth more than $10 million.

The investment firm's Alternatives division comprised a majority of the online lender's $60 million Series C funding round.

In evaluating Enova's proposed acquisition of Grasshopper Bancorp, regulators must decide whether to allow lending products with annual percentage rates of nearly 100% into the national banking system.

The all-cash, 750 million euro deal to buy Talon.One marks a notable shift from the fintech's M&A strategy that has historically favored build versus buy.