Local financial institutions have fewer branches than big banks, and closing even one location makes it harder for them to serve their communities.

In the short term, the Biden administration is asking the industry to help previously unbanked households access their funds. Longer term, some banks see a real opportunity in advising their customers on what to do with the large cash influx.

Growing financial pressures have pushed more adults into living paycheck-to-paycheck and wanting to access their earned pay earlier, calling into question the value of decades-old payroll practices.

The San Francisco data aggregator has committed to minimizing how much data it extracts from bank accounts.

The San Francisco company says it will "modify and strengthen" its filings with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Utah officials and "resubmit at a later date." It's the latest fintech to encounter such a setback, though some later secured approval.

Ando, a challenger bank focused on sustainability, is helping Virginia Community Capital Bank expand its 5-year-old clean energy lending program by finding a bigger pool of depositors who are eager to fund solar loans.