Wilson created an app from scratch in the middle of a large merger, he's setting up “client journey rooms” where customers co-create technology with technologists, and he's moving the bank forward into cloud computing.

The digital-only bank, which entered the U.S. about two years ago, said Thursday that it is closing roughly 500,000 customer accounts here and will prioritize growth in Eastern Europe.

No matter the outcome of the confirmation battle over Saule Omarova — the Biden administration nominee for comptroller of the currency whom many bankers view as too liberal — policymakers must still resolve this fundamental question: Are banks public utilities or private companies with special privileges?

Lincoln Parks at Heritage Bank in Georgia built from scratch its social media following, a digital-only way to open accounts and (in 48 hours) a Paycheck Protection Program lending system. For these and other efforts, Parks is a runner-up for American Banker’s Digital Banker of the Year.

The company, whose software is used by four of the top five U.S. banks, says it will use the money to improve its identity verification and fraud detection technology.

Even as the pandemic has hastened adoption of digital banking, industry officials say branches remain vital points of contact with consumers.

Many of the consumers who embraced online and mobile channels during the pandemic are seeking help from human bankers more than ever, according to research from Cornerstone.

Despite some bumps in the early days of the Paycheck Protection Program, small businesses report that they had positive experiences with lenders. Savvy banks are channeling the good vibes to generate more revenue from a sector that has sometimes been overlooked.

Hispanic adults are underbanked compared with their white counterparts, according to the Federal Reserve. Challenger banks such as Tend and Viva First are reaching out to this population with bilingual services and low-cost money transfers.

Accrue Savings is introducing a savings account that is tied to specific retailers, allowing customers to gradually accumulate the amount they need to buy an item and earn cash rewards for making progress toward their goals.