Union Bankshares is poised to become a nearly $12 billion-asset bank in a state that lost most of its midsize institutions in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The merger is expected to be completed by year-end, and the combined institution will have assets of more than $1.2 billion, serving more than 105,000 members.

The company agreed to buy Commerce Bancshares, which has three branches in Boston.

The $701 million acquisition will make Union the biggest community bank based in Virginia.

Post-merger, the Long Island-based Bethpage will have assets of about $7.4 billion.

Readers opine on legacy core systems, the negative messaging around the Troubled Asset Relief Program, Jamie Dimon defending his Trump ties, and more.

The Trump administration must weigh risks to national security in its review of the $1.2 billion deal. Its decision will shed light on whether — given the president’s “America First” rhetoric — Chinese investment is still welcome in the U.S. financial services sector.

The bank, based on the east coast of Florida, is bulking up on the Gulf. It has agreed to buy NorthStar Bank in Tampa a month after buying another bank in the same city.

In March 1998, American Banker reported plans by Norwest Corp. to establish sales quotas and step up cross-selling. Three months later, the Minneapolis bank announced a merger with Wells Fargo.

Attractive demographics, a large supply of startups that appeared built to sell and a surplus of smaller banks struggling with high expenses have combined to make the Mid-Atlantic one of the most active regions for mergers and acquisitions.

Banks and nonbanks are typically foes, but banks made 34 nonbank M&A deals through mid-May, emerging as buyers in two-thirds of them. Many buyers are eager to pad fee income by adding investment, specialty finance or insurance firms; sellers are typically looking to cut costs. Here is a roundup of such deals this year.

In an extensive interview, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker talks about the challenges facing community banks, the biggest threat to the financial system and the possibility of interest rate hikes later this year.

MoneyGram’s stockholders have voted to approve a deal to be purchased by China’s Ant Financial for $1.2 billion.

The $489 million acquisition is among the ten biggest bank M&A deals announced this year.

The company also said it believes there are no regulatory obstacles that will derail its planned acquisition of Astoria Financial.

The Federal Reserve is asking Sterling to address deficiencies tied to its collection, verification and reporting of CRA data from 2014 to 2016.

Bank First has agreed to pay $76 million in cash and stock for Waupaca Bancorp. The company should have nearly $1.8 billion in assets when it completes the deal.

PrivateBancorp investors approved a $4.9 billion takeover by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce after the Toronto-based lender sweetened its deal twice to win over shareholders.

Brent Beardall, who recently took the helm at Washington Federal, discusses having excess capital, myriad potential fintech partners and why he would tweak — not repeal — Dodd-Frank.

Belpre Savings Bank and Doolin Security Savings Bank are planning to create a mutual with nearly $100 million in assets.