The London-based bank payment network Earthport is expanding its application of distributed ledger technology (a system best known for its use with Bitcoin) to enable real-time cross-border payments and potentially reduce risk.

The FTC announced that judges for its Robocalls: Humanity Strikes Back contest selected a first place winner for the $25,000 cash prize for building a mobile app that blocks and forwards robocalls to a crowd-sourced honeypot.

The North Carolina company had made it clear it would pursue more acquisitions after closing its purchase of the $19 billion-asset Susquehanna Bancshares earlier this year.

First National Bank of Pana in Illinois has agreed to buy The State Bank of Blue Mound in Illinois.

New Supplemental Performance Metric should encourage lenders serve lower credit scores borrowers.

PeoplesBank in Holyoke, Mass., will promote its chief financial officer to lead the bank, as Chief Executive Douglas Bowen plans to retire.

First State Associates in Hawarden, Iowa, has agreed to buy Miner County Bank in Howard, S.D. The banks expect the deal to close later this quarter or early in the fourth quarter.

The rise of mobile payments has had only a narrow impact on the use of cash, according to a new report from the ATM Industry Association and the business strategy consulting firm Tremont Capital Group.

Leader Bank in Massachusetts developed software to get renters paying their bills online. It solved a hassle for landlords, helping the bank win their business. Now, Leader is preparing to sell the ZRent tool to other banks.

The rise of mobile payments has had only a narrow impact on the use of cash, according to a new report from the ATM Industry Association and business strategy consulting firm Tremont Capital Group.

Cross County Bank in Wynne, Ark., has agreed to buy three Arkansas branches from SouthBank in Huntsville, Ala.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a regulatory mandate to shrink. But that's easier said than done, given the government-sponsored enterprises' outsized presence in the mortgage industry, as their latest quarterly results show.

The $120 million-asset mutual thrift filed its application with federal regulators this month. Citizens expects the formation to be completed by the first quarter, Chief Executive Tommy Johnson said in an interview.

Officials in Mahanoy City, Pa. will direct delinquent garbage accounts to a new collection agency that will charge people an added 25% late fee on all overdue accounts but will collect no additional fees from the city.

Indictments are still pending in the case of an alleged Bitcoin money laundering scheme involving a tiny low-income credit union in New Jersey.

Minnesota lawmakers plan to introduce legislation next year to curb payday lending after a previous proposal failed that would have limited the number of loans consumers can take out to four.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a regulatory mandate to shrink. But that's easier said than done, given the GSEs' outsized presence in the mortgage industry, as their latest quarterly results show.

Cheviot Financial in Cincinnati has elected James Williamson chairman.

Bank of Hawaii in Honolulu has hired Sheh Bertram as chief information officer.

Entegra Financial in Franklin, N.C., has agreed to buy two South Carolina branches from Arthur State Bank in Union, S.C.