Banking trade groups have called for congressional hearings following the Jacksonville, Fla.-based credit union's agreement to purchase the $1.6 billion-asset Heritage Southeast Bank, the largest deal of its kind to date.

The deal will see the $16 million-asset Georgetown FCU join the $258 million-asset PAHO/WHO. The combined institution will serve more than 7,500 members.

With its deal for Century Bancorp, Eastern will significantly boost its deposit share in greater Boston while gaining an entrée into several new business lines, including cannabis banking.

The Chicago fintech, which currently offers personal loans and credit cards, will add deposit accounts with the acquisition of Level.

The announcement comes about six months after Boston-based Eastern raised $1.7 billion through an initial public offering.

The Department of Justice in the Trump administration hatched a plan to consider reforming its bank-merger review process, raising industry hopes about overhauling the outdated regime. But progressives want the agency to give more thought to the harm bank combinations cause consumers, including further branch closings.

HoldCo Asset Management is trying to convince shareholders ahead of an April 27 vote that the deal's $900 million price is too low, while Boston Private's board characterized its negotiations as "carefully designed and calibrated."

The Boston company has acquired three insurance agencies since becoming fully stock-owned in October 2020.

The Brink's Company has expanded its cash management and payment solutions portfolio through the acquisition of PAI Inc., a privately held provider of ATM services in the U.S.

Longstanding familiarity with each other and years of informal talks helped the companies negotiate their $7.6 billion merger in just two months.