Santander Innoventures Fund says it has earmarked $5 million to Israel-based mobile payment and loyalty provider MyCheck as its first investment.

Community Trust Bank in Ruston, La., has bought four branches in Houston from Hancock Holding in Gulfport, Miss.

Camden National in Camden, Maine, has agreed to buy SBM Financial in Portland, Maine.

Our roundup of the most active dealmakers on whole bank and branch sales for each region during 2014.

Village Bank and Trust Financial in Midlothian, Va., has raised nearly $9 million by selling shares to existing investors.

United Community Banks took hefty hits during the financial crisis due to its focus on real estate lending. Today, the Georgia company is diversifying by building teams dedicated to SBA lending and making other specialty loans.

Two investors in Central Pacific Financial are planning to sell 7.6 million shares in the Honolulu company

First Interstate BancSystem in Billings, Mont., has agreed to buy Absarokee Bancorp. in Absarokee, Mont.

The Securities and Exchange Commission just gave unregistered banks a way to quickly raise capital at a fortuitous time — and marketplace lending platforms a way to reclaim their peer-to-peer roots.

Toronto-Dominion Bank would consider small retail bank takeovers in the U.S. Southeast to expand its branch network on the Eastern Seaboard, Chief Executive Officer Bharat Masrani said.

Farm banks have enjoyed several years of robust loan volume, but declining farm income has them on guard for increases in delinquencies and more eager to use government-guarantee programs.

Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida in Stuart has agreed to buy Grand Bankshares in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Lending analytics firm Orchard Platform has cut a deal with alternative small-business lender Kabbage to allow institutions to invest in the latter's relatively new line of consumer loans.

Atlantic Capital Bancshares in Atlanta has agreed to buy First Security Group in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Not too big, not too small is the place to be, says Thomas Michaud, CEO of KBW. Banks with $5 billion to $50 billion in assets are well-positioned, while smaller banks are looking at ways to join the group.

With sellers opting to take stock rather than cash, how the market values a buyer is important. Thomas Michaud, CEO of KBW, talks about his expectations for bank stocks this year and what those valuations mean for M&A.

While a number of community banks are preparing for lock horns with dissident shareholders, a bank in Indiana managed to work with an activist to avoid a nasty brouhaha.

Southern Missouri Bancorp in Poplar Bluff has filed to sell $20 million in preferred stock it issued to the Treasury Department as part of the Small Business Lending Fund.

Former Federal Reserve Gov. Jeremy Stein has agreed to consult for hedge fund BlueMountain Capital Management, the fund announced Tuesday.

Lendio, an online lending marketplace for small business, raised $20.5 million of equity capital in a recently completed funding round.