Financial institutions

Year to date through Dec. 31, 2019. Dollars in thousands.

Year to date through Dec. 31, 2019. Dollars in thousands.

Full-time equivalent, as of Dec. 31, 2019. Dollars in thousands.

Companies like Amazon, Apple, PayPal Netflix, Uber and others have made it so easy to transact that consumers are left wondering why their bank or credit union cannot provide them with the same kind of seamless and tailored experiences, says Payrailz's Mickey Goldwasser.

Demand has soared for mental health services as bank employees put in long hours, supervise kids while working at home and endure personal crises. Citi, BofA, Fifth Third and others are getting creative to help them decompress during the pandemic.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency watered down numeric metrics that some groups blasted and allowed more institutions to opt out of the new regime. But whether the agency has won over any detractors remains to be seen.

Craft Bank, which plans to open this summer, is in the final stage of raising $30 million in initial capital.

The Small Business Administration gave lenders some direction ⁠for closing out Paycheck Protection Program loans. Bankers say it's an encouraging start, but they want more protection from liability and a concession on nonpayroll expenses.

With the stakes now higher than ever, we can expect to see a marked acceleration in payments transformation initiatives, says Icon Solutions' Simon Wilson.

Lenders are scrambling to pause ranchers’ loan payments as meat processing plant shutdowns during the pandemic threaten $25 billion in losses for the livestock industry.