A lot of bank boards have a big knowledge gap when it comes to technology. A recent Accenture study found that, of 109 large banks globally, more than 40% did not have a single board member with a technology background. And the situation is even more worrisome at small banks.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is important, but it barely scratches the surface of former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Michael Oxley's impact on banking.

The blockchain could move from testing to reality, APIs are likely to expand, and more functions will move to the cloud as banks look for ways to fend off fintechs in 2016.

Bank consolidation turned a corner last year as more large banks became comfortable returning to M&A. A panel of investment bankers believes that trend will continue in the coming year.

AmeriServ Financial in Johnstown, Pa., and Provident Bancorp in Amesbury, Mass., are the latest community banks to announce plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund.

A large investor in Old Point Financial is looking to gain a seat on the Hampton, Va., company’s board.

Credit Bureau Systems Inc. has acquired the business of Fidelis EMS Billing LLC for undisclosed financial terms.

Itaú Unibanco Holding SA, Brazil's largest bank by market value, will pay approximately $305 million for a stake in a debt collection company and a pool of non-performing loans.

Banks claim bandwidth and security concerns led to interruptions for personal finance apps, but institutions still resist a more secure and efficient portal.

Thomas O'Brien made good on a 2015 promise to turn a profit in every quarter. This year, his goal is to stay profitable to earn back a deferred-tax asset that should meaningfully increase the New Jersey company's valuation.

Bitcoin Direct has a heavyweight behind its latest digital wallet – literally.

After defeating an expert in Japanese chess, this computer program's next task is to figure out if you can make the payments on a new mortgage.

The presidential race is likely to overshadow most political events in 2016 as the first primary states begin voting in February. Accordingly, many of the people on this list are candidates who could win the presidency in November, or at least have the chance to shape the outcome. But there are also some guaranteed players already in place whose actions will help shape banking policy in the year to come. Here are the top 10 to watch.

The CFPB can proceed with a lawsuit against loan servicer CashCall Inc., a federal judge has ruled, thus rejecting the company's objection that the agency was trampling on states' rights.

Fidelity Investments is dropping American Express Co. and Bank of America Corp. as partners for its cash-back credit card, capping a year of fierce competition among networks and lenders for deals that bring in customers.

Unlike the bargain-heavy aftermath of the crisis, acquisitions during the recovery have been hampered by high premiums and unsatisfactory returns.

The 10 most popular BankThink posts of 2015, based on audience page views.

Banks can help ease a severe national shortage in affordable rental properties — and make money doing it.

Opportunities abound, in affordable housing, capital raising, consumer lending and more. We aim to get you thinking about how new developments on many fronts could affect your business as you plan for the coming year and beyond.

Recent high-profile settlements and a New York Times article have drawn fresh attention to problems in the debt collection industry. Many of these could be resolved with the deployment of a trusted national database for consumer debt.