Combined with its pending acquisition of HSBC's East Coast branches, the deal would give the Rhode Island-based Citizens a top-10 deposit market share in metropolitan New York.

The card brand's recent deals to buy Tink and Currencycloud for a combined $3 billion are meant to give it a stronger presence in fast-growing fintech markets.

The Aurora, Illinois-based buyer said it would pay $297 million to acquire West Suburban Bancorp in Lombard, Illinois.

The $542 million acquisition would more than double the Florida-based bank's assets and deposits in one of the nation's most competitive markets.

Buying the cross-border payment and software company can help the card brand provide more services to fast-growing challenger banks.

A flurry of activity in recent weeks has prompted chatter on earning calls about banks’ merger ambitions. While some CEOs bemoaned high asking prices, others said they are making more inquiries, identifying targets and, in some cases, closing in on deals.

As a combined entity, Aite Group and Novarica will have 70 analysts to assist hundreds of bank and financial services clients.

MoneyGram International, one of the largest money-transfer services in the U.S., has received preliminary takeover interest from Stellar Development Foundation and the private equity firm Advent International, according to people familiar with the matter.

The gap is widening between the $144 billion-asset Navy Federal Credit Union and the rest of the industry. That’s putting pressure on smaller credit unions to bulk up through acquisitions in hopes of remaining relevant.

The Tennessee company said merger costs tied to its Iberiabank acquisition are up $40 million from previous estimates. However, savings from additional branch closings and unexpected revenue gains should soften the blow.