Amid intense regulatory scrutiny, market volatility and economic uncertainty, 10 bank M&A deals have been scrubbed so far this year after 13 were scuttled last year. Deal activity has risen slightly lately, but the new normal is hard to gauge.

Washington Trust shares plunged after the Westerly, Rhode Island, company disclosed it booked an office deal in the third quarter, boosting the size of its portfolio while other lenders are pulling back.

The Indiana bank said it agreed to acquire CapStar Financial in an all-stock deal that would hasten its growth in Tennessee.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra says that a recently proposed data-access rule would provide a competitive edge to small banks over their larger competitors.

American Bank of Oklahoma agreed to a consent order in August to settle allegations from the Department of Justice over redlining. However, the institution strenuously objected to references to the Tulsa Race Massacre in the agreement and asked that the language be stricken.

Billy Beale joined the small Virginia bank in May, several months after its fintech partnership strategy landed it in hot water with regulators. "There's still a lot of just blocking and tackling that we've got to do to get the bank to work the way it's supposed to," he says.

The San Antonio-based lender is introducing new products targeted at borrowers who make less than 80% of their county's median income. The loans, which will qualify for Community Reinvestment Act credit, could help expand access to the state's increasingly expensive housing market.

Central Valley Community Bancorp's agreement to buy Community West Bancshares, slated to close in the second quarter, would create a $3.6 billion-asset bank in the Greater Sacramento region.

Blue Ridge Bank in Virginia changed course after its rapid growth in the fintech partnership business landed it in hot water. But the path back to a traditional community banking model is also proving to be bumpy.

Other banks likely will follow the lead of the Richmond, Virginia, company and tap the equity in their branch networks as alternative sources of capital grow more costly, experts say.