Bank technology

Innovate Finance, a U.K.-based fintech industry body, will open a blockchain technology research lab in partnership with the government and IBM co-cofounded Hartree Center, a high performance computing and data analytics research facility.

New York's banking regulator has reached an agreement with four of the banks developing an online message service to store records for potential access by regulators and other officials.

Blockchain technology associated with Bitcoin has caught the eye of bankers, but now comes the hard part: figuring out where it can be used — international payments, treasury services or elsewhere — without wasting a lot of time and money in experimentation.

Federal regulators have cited F.N.B. Corp. in Pittsburgh for violating rules to protect consumers from unwanted, automated text messages.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week, including banks' subpar shareholder value and how big-data advocates can better communicate with critics who worry about the technology's potential discriminatory effects.

In the relatively small universe of mobile banking apps created for business clients, the standouts offer views of worldwide account balances and customized news feeds.

As part of American Banker's series on the C-Suite, chief information officers, chief technology officers and others serving in similar roles at banks shared their insights into how the industry is being affected by technology, where they wish they could spend more time and what it takes to be a driving force in their institutions.

Apps that help people manage their money on a day-to-day basis are all the rage among millennials. Here are the most effective of the bunch.

Bankers are already planning app improvements after seeing the new features of the Apple Watch, iPhone 6S, iPad Pro and Apple TV that were revealed this week.

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., has been picked by Apple to provide financing to customers who want to upgrade to a newer model iPhone.

The blockchain technology company Chain has raised $30 million in a round including participation by Citi Ventures, Nasdaq, Capital One, Visa, Fiserv and Orange.

Supporters of big data tend to be at loggerheads with people who are concerned about fair lending issues. In order to have a productive conversation, both sides need to distinguish between the goals of the lender and the goals of the general public.

BBVA Compass' Simple said it has removed fees for its checking accounts and other banking transactions.

Get a dose of hope from the W-20 and Afghan girls who code. And get a dose of inspiration too, as persistence pays off for Mary Callahan Erdoes, the 'Math Queen of Wall Street,' and likewise for Irene Bergman, the 'Oldest Woman on Wall Street.'

Orchard Platform, which provides services to institutional investors in the marketplace lending industry, has raised $30 million in additional funding.

Iron Mountain, the leading provider of document storage, is buying its main rival. If the merged company tried to raise prices, it might be the final straw that motivates banks to shift data storage to the cloud.

Few banks consistently earn more than four stars in the Apple and Google App Stores. The rare high performers listen to users and pioneer new features.

Westpac Banking Corp. said Monday it will increase annual investment in technology and simplifying operations by 20 percent as it seeks to boost efficiency and cut costs.

Graduate business students — some of whom previously worked at traditional financial services companies — have been organizing fintech clubs at universities to explore the dramatic changes in banking and to find potential employers.

Trunomi, a startup that aims to simplify account sign-ups and know-your-customer compliance for banks, has raised $3 million.