CenterState and South State are the latest regionals to announce a deal driven heavily by the need to compete with larger banks that can afford to spend more on cutting-edge technologies.

The deal will create a bank with $34 billion in assets and operations stretching from Virginia to Florida.

Payments technology conglomerate WEX has agreed to buy two companies — B2B travel payment operator eNett and B2B payment specialist Optal — for $1.7 billion.

The company, which sold the business to a group of former employees, will shut down its operation this quarter.

Bankers may not want to hear this, but communities benefit when credit unions buy banks.

The company will acquire the parent company of First National Bank of Manchester and Bank of Waynesboro for $85 million.

Two major banking organizations objected to a proposal by the agency that would expand the pool of investors in subordinated debt issued by credit unions. They fear it could provide credit unions more financing to buy banks.

The company will pay $64 million to significantly increase its scale in the Tampa Bay area.

There are no provisions in a new NCUA plan that outright bar credit unions from leveraging subordinated debt to acquire a bank. The long-awaited rule on bank purchases, also released Thursday, merely clarifies existing regulations rather than adding new components.

The company will pay $211 million for a bank with 22 branches and $1.2 billion in assets.