The deal will give the bank $1.1 billion of loans in a new segment of the equipment finance business.

A credit union CEO takes issue with the narrative that the purchase of community banks by credit unions is a dangerous trend. In fact, he argues, it's rare, and when it happens, it benefits the communities those banks serve.

Visa is introducing a premium service to the Middle East, and Lloyds Banking says its cash protection product is showing results. Plus, Brex teams up with Doordash and more in the American Banker global payments and fintech roundup.

The Denver-based bank-holding company's pending acquisition of Vista Bancshares in Dallas is an opportunity to expand into key fast-growing Texas markets and deepen its talent bench, CEO Tim Laney told analysts.

The CEOs of Pinnacle Financial Partners and Synovus Financial — two banks that recently announced a deal to join forces — say they've ironed out all the critical sticking points that bedeviled previous mergers of equals.

Bill Demchak said at an industry conference that PNC effectively "bought Colorado" with its recently announced plan to acquire the $27 billion-asset FirstBank.

CEO Curtis Farmer tried to assure skeptics Tuesday that the Dallas-based bank is focused on shareholder value and profitability, even as an activist investor group prepares to launch a board fight.

The Columbus, Ohio-based regional bank announced plans to acquire Dallas-based Veritex Financial in July. On Monday, a Huntington executive called the deal a "springboard" for additional organic growth.

The Pittsburgh-based company's plan to buy FirstBank marks its first bank deal since its purchase of BBVA USA in 2021, which rapidly propelled its presence in the South and Southeast.

Equity Bancshares is expanding into Nebraska with the proposed acquisition of Omaha-based Frontier Holdings; Valley National Bancorp taps Patrick Smith as its new president of consumer banking; Northern Trust in Chicago promoted Michael Hunstad to president of asset management; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

The proposed Berkshire Hills-Brookline merger is expected to finalize on Sept. 1; Flagstar Financial has scheduled a special shareholders' meeting to simplify the bank's regulatory structure; former Credit Suisse executives agreed to settle a suit filed by shareholders claiming they failed to maintain adequate risk management; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

On Thursday, the two banks disclosed a presentation that seeks to reinforce the strategic rationale behind the proposed $8.6 billion deal.

Bank of Glen Burnie, which is seeking to recover from a stretch when its assets declined, hopes that its deal for a residential lender can help boost loan production.

The Ohio bank bought DTS Connex to expand its cash management services for businesses with multiple locations, like retailers, restaurants and health care providers.

The faster timelines for completing bank mergers this year reflects a transformed regulatory environment under the Trump administration. In several cases, deals have closed just a few months after they've been announced.

The expansion-minded Hampton Roads-based lender announced plans to acquire Dogwood State Bank just weeks before its plans to close a deal for a Virginia-based competitor.

The 2021 executive order had called on bank regulators to apply more scrutiny to bank deals. Trump-era regulators have already started rolling back those policies.

With its acquisition of a Cleveland-area bank still in the works, the Cincinnati-based bank struck a deal that would provide its first retail presence in Chicago.

As regional bank consolidation heats up, Comerica, First Horizon and Banc of California are among the institutions that analysts see as the most likely targets for takeovers.

In this week's banking news roundup: Fulton Financial's Angela Snyder announces plans to retire as president of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based bank; Columbia Banking System in Tacoma, Washington, finalizes plans for its latest acquisition; Flagstar Financial opens its first private banking office in Florida; and more.