Bitcoin’s history is a fascinating story unparalleled in the worlds of tech and finance for its colorful characters, mystery and intrigue.

Nine former officers and directors accused of hiding problems at Superior Bank in Birmingham, Ala., will pay more than $1 million in penalties as part of settlements with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has rejected a nonprofit housing group's allegations of racial discrimination against U.S. Bank. HUD found that the bank properly maintain foreclosed homes in predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhoods and in some cases spent more rehabilitating the homes than in white areas.

BankUnited of Miami Lakes, Fla., has exited the retail mortgage origination channel. It originated loans through its retail banking branches in Florida and New York.

American National Bankshares in Danville, Va., has named Cathy Liles its chief accounting officer.

Even without a change in federal law, banks can manage the risks associated with the marijuana business, argues a former federal bank examiner who now works in the cannabis industry.

Middlesex Savings Bank in Natick, Mass., has promoted a senior banker to chief commercial credit officer.

U.S. lawmakers called for federal investigations into Clayton Homes, the mobile-home business at Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, after the Seattle Times and BuzzFeed News wrote that the company targeted minority borrowers and charged them higher interest rates on average than whites.

Independent mortgage lenders are expecting a wave of consolidation prompted by excessive compliance costs, a tepid housing recovery and the need for more capital to grow their businesses. Roughly 20% to 25% of independent companies could be eliminated or change hands in less than two years.

Loading mobile wallets at the ATM is one of several ways Andy Mattes, CEO of Diebold, envisions consumers using their smartphones alongside cash machines.

GC Services LP, a nearly 60-year-old accounts receivable management company, has been sold for undisclosed terms.

PayPal Holdings has named the head of a cryptocurrency firm to its board.

Consumers increasingly fell behind on their payments in several loan categories in the third quarter as economic growth cooled.

There is a growing belief that reserves for energy loans should represent 5% of a bank's exposure to the sector. Three banks have already announced plans to move in that direction, prompting speculation as to which other lenders will be next.

Officials in Montezuma County, Col. hope a Web-based collection management system will help them collect more than $311,000 in debt owed by current and former inmates.

The opportunity for banks from the dramatic growth in deposits goes beyond just funding loans.

A large Texas-based debt collection law firm will pay $3.4 million to settle accusations it illegally practiced law in California without having any lawyers in the state.

As fintech pitches itself as the future of consumer financial services to bankers, regulators, legislative staffers and journalists, it's not enough to claim that innovations are better. We nontechies want an explanation why, in layman's terms.

Mortgage loan officers have gotten a lot of referral business through formal marketing services agreements. Now that these agreements have come under regulatory scrutiny, referrals are going to depend even more heavily on providing real estate agents and consumers with the best mortgage experience, as a means to generate word-of-mouth marketing.

Codorus Valley Bancorp in York, Pa., will soon have a new leader for its bank.