Retail & Commercial

Digital currency, especially Bitcoin, picked up in popularity this year as the concept began garnering positive attention from payment players — but a series of negative incidents kept the skepticism alive as well.

The $2.7 billion-asset parent of AnchorBank in Madison, Wis., said Wednesday it has prepaid $150 million in advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank System that were due in 2015.

The FDIC this year has filed more lawsuits against the officers and directors of failed banks than it did last year. That number is expected to grow again next year, and involve smaller institutions.

BBCN execs took a difficult path to build the largest Korean-American bank, but a successful merger in L.A. and a deal in Seattle have put it on course to become a West Coast player — and maybe more.

Total System Services has completed its purchase of ProPay.

2012 was not the kindest of years to Google's mobile wallet, starting as it did with a security breach and ending with speculation that the a plastic card will be added to the otherwise entirely digital wallet.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is finishing a redesign of its headquarters featuring an open floor plan — a sharp departure from the labyrinthine layout of the previous tenant, the OTS.

The payments industry is no stranger to fraud, but there are some key events that stand out over the course of 2012 — and threaten to spill into 2013.

Banking was a tough business to thrive in over the past year. These ten executives stood out for savvy moves that enabled their companies to beat the odds.

Start the New Year right, with new ways to think about widening your bank's customer base, lowering your legal costs, mentoring your executives, maximizing tech investments and more.