Fintech

The California-based credit union has seen significant growth among young members, but satisfaction rates were on the decline among all demographics due to long lines and wait times.

Scott Page, CEO of CoBiz Bank, will retire in a few days. He will be succeeded by Steven Bangert, the company's chairman and CEO. The company's chief financial officer will also become its chief operating officer.

The company will gain four Chicago-area branches as part of the $41 million all-cash acquisition for the parent of ABC Bank.

David Becker is trying to prove to investors that his Indiana bank can succeed over the long term. With the rise of online banking and fintech firms, Becker is a community banker worth watching in the new year.

Bank M&A started off with a bang this year, with eight of the 10 biggest deals taking place in the first six months. North Carolina and Florida accounted for six deals on the list.

Both in dollar and transaction volume, credit card use is growing at a faster pace than debit use, but one industry group predicts that overall credit union lending could decline in 2018

Blockchain technology has uses beyond bitcoin, and many companies see merit in using it to handle cross-border payments. But blockchain isn't the only solution to the inefficiencies of international money movement.

Both in dollar and transaction volume, credit card use is growing at a faster pace than debit use. Much of the growth is coming from affluent consumers who value rewards like 2% cash back on purchases.

Mobile wallets have always been a hard sell. In many countries, credit and debit cards work well enough that consumers don't want to learn a new way to pay. But banks and technology companies are committed to bringing their wallet apps to market. In an effort to stay competitive, these companies have spent considerable effort to get their wallets to stand out not only against competitors, but against the compelling option to keep using cash and cards.

Companies like Visa and Mastercard make decisions about security in secrecy, without enough input from banks and merchants.