Banking

Top SBA lenders are warning about the impact of a prolonged shutdown. NewtekOne skipped providing fourth-quarter guidance after its CEO said the situation was too cloudy to forecast.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., asked acting Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chair Travis Hill, who has been tapped to lead the agency permanently by President Trump, for a report within 30 days about progress made in the agency's sexual harassment scandal, saying his vote is contingent on that report.

In comment letters on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new rulemaking on personal financial data rights, consumers begged the agency to protect their data from misuse.

Reports that JPMorgan is planning to allow the use of crypto collateral against loans are good news for the crypto market. But Noelle Acheson argues that it's even better news for bank lending.

American Banker's 2025 Small Business Banking conference yielded lessons about the need for speed, simplicity and safety in small-business lending. Other key takeaways included the significance of digital payment options and the importance of continuing to process SBA loan requests during the government shutdown.

Credit analysts say climate risk could still pose a financial threat to financial institutions, even though the federal government has taken an ax to Biden-era climate guidance.

Brian McEvoy, chief retail banking officer at Webster Five in Central Massachusetts, says community banks are in a unique position to serve more small businesses. He was a speaker Tuesday at American Banker's 2025 Small Business Banking conference.

Park National Corp's $317 million, all-stock deal for First Citizens Bancshares would give the buyer a presence in markets that are expected to grow faster than its legacy Ohio footprint.

The challenger bank in the third quarter launched Cash Coach, an AI-powered customer insights engine that helps consumers optimize earned interest in deposit accounts and minimize interest charges on credit cards. SoFi plans to roll out a "more comprehensive" SoFi Coach that incorporates all areas of financial services as part of its strategy to rival banks.

FirstSun Capital Bancorp plans to buy First Foundation in an effort to accelerate its Southern California growth. The $785 million transaction follows FirstSun's failed takeover of Seattle-based HomeStreet.

When a bank's customer dies, a patchwork of rules and regulations that vary by jurisdiction create a potential nightmare for survivors and creditors alike. The industry should converge around agreed-on best practices.

In an environment of persistent economic unease, banks have a unique opportunity to help small businesses, Sekou Kaalund, U.S. Bank's head of branch and small business banking, said at American Banker's 2025 Small Business Banking conference.

A national bank charter will help UBS Bank USA to expand offerings for wealth management clients, according a company memo.

Banks should seize the opportunity to assert themselves as a key partner for consumers when it comes to verifying their identities across multiple platforms and services.

Nicolet Bankshares has agreed to buy MidWestOne Financial in an $864 million, all-stock deal. The acquisition will move the Wisconsin-based buyer into Iowa and the Twin Cities, while also allowing it to vault past a key regulatory threshold.

Boston-based Eastern Bankshares is focused on organic growth, but it would "evaluate the opportunity" for M&A if a deal presents itself, its CEO said Friday. The comments came four days after an activist investor criticized the bank's recent M&A transactions.

Some customers reportedly complained about getting locked out of their accounts after signing up for the bank's new Strata Elite credit card. "We feel like we have done the right thing for all of our good customers," Pam Habner, Citi's head of U.S. branded cards, said Tuesday.

The Long Island-based bank hasn't been profitable in eight quarters, but executives maintain that it's on the right path, citing more loan book diversity, lower expenses and an improved margin.

The Richmond, Virginia-based bank expects to build 10 branches in Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina, over the next three years. M&A is on the back burner as the company also works to capitalize on its recent acquisition of Sandy Spring Bank in Maryland, CEO John Asbury said.