Americas

Texas' SB 1281 introduces harsher penalties — up to life in prison — and targets check fraud as banks report rising financial crimes tied to stolen mail.

The Texas attorney general has accused WEX Bank of "debanking" a firearm supplier, but the Maine-based bank said it does not discriminate against any industry.

The prolific purchaser is entering the state in a bid to expand its Southwest presence.

Cincinnati-based First Financial scooped up Westfield Bank near Cleveland after Westfield's parent company decided to exit the bank space and focus on its core insurance business.

The Cincinnati bank aims to grow in northeast Ohio with the acquisition of Westfield. The deal is expected to boost First Financial to a $20.6 billion institution.

Lipkin, who built Valley National Bancorp from a small community bank into a regional institution with 200 branches in four states, passed away this week at age 84.

The bank's investors hope to see the small community bank in Utah transform and grow into "a minority-owned version of Ally," as board chair Ashley Bell put it.

NB Bancorp's deal for Provident Bancorp is the fourth announced in the Bay State since December. It comes nearly three years after bad crypto mining loans led to massive losses at Provident.

The Florida bank plans to buy Villages Bancorp for $710.8 million, marking its second in-state acquisition of 2025.