Bank technology

The continued development of blockchain technologies by banks and other commercial organizations for potential non-bitcoin uses has opened an intense public discussion. On BankThink and social media sites, techies and finance pros are debating whether financial intermediaries can and even should harness an innovation that was designed for a decentralized, trustless digital currency. Here is a sample of the debate.

The Obama administration announced a new cybersecurity strategy on Tuesday, calling for a 35% increase in funding to bolster private and public defenses and the creation of a new chief information security officer position for the government.

Eastern Bank turned to YouTube videos as a way to connect with customers it picked up in a recent acquisition in New Hampshire. It even got a little help from Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.

Asset growth drove the Pennsylvania bank to create software that helps it vet and monitor vendors, with automated tracking of contracts and deadlines and storage of supporting documents.

First National Bank of Central Texas is now arming its bankers with iPads so that they can open accounts for small-business customers on the road.

The banking industry is grappling with a quickly changing technology environment, and that is particularly true for community banks given their fewer resources. Still, several are looking for ways to provide their customers with cutting-edge digital products, overhauling their antiquated systems and using technology to strip out costs and find better uses for their tech teams. The following are ten examples of community banks that have made technology a priority.

Human error opens the door for most cybersecurity incidents. mBank in Poland, U.S. Bank and Bank of the West are working to make consumers more aware of the dangers of bad online habits.

A cybersecurity assessment tool designed to help bankers bolster their defenses against hackers and other cybercriminals is continuing to sow confusion among bankers, with some arguing it is effectively imposing tougher standards on the industry.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

Developers will now be able to access much of Visa's technology and services as the card network looks for ways to meet the demands of consumers increasingly relying on connected devices to transact.

Rather than partner with a startup, 45-year-old Equitable Bank in Canada created a separate brand, EQ Bank, to acquire customers who are ready for an account without a debit card.

It is outside the realm of possibility for bitcoin's blockchain to serve any useful purpose for the intermediaries it was designed to replace.

Louise Roseman, the longtime head of the Federal Reserve's payment systems division, plans to retire this year.

SunTrust Banks in Atlanta has committed $50 million to a credit facility for the online small-business lender Credibly.

As community banks need to make their budgets stretch further, some are looking to vendor consolidation as a way to gain a competitive edge through fewer IT headaches and a more uniform customer experience.

Here are the most common mistakes that would-be financial services disruptors make on their way to trying to execute a great idea and business plan.

Nacha, the bank industry group that oversees the automated clearing house network, has appointed six industry executives to its board.

The Canadian bank's U.S. wealth management arm is moving toward a hybrid digital-human advice platform, partnering with BlackRock's FutureAdvisor to add robo tools for its 1,900 advisers.

There are benefits for banks in fintech collaboration via application programming interfaces, but financial institutions should not let go of customer engagement.

The industry's rapid change is shining a spotlight on middle and senior managers who inherit positions and often have to fix the messes — while maintaining the successes — of their predecessors.