EWA programs are not loans, no matter how loudly critics insist that they are. They provide a vital source of liquidity to hardworking families.

Banks cannot shrug off the impact of sudden account closures as inevitable collateral damage involved in fighting money laundering.

Michelle Moore, Tim Spence, Ankit Bhatt, Patrick Sells, Dontá Wilson and Allan Rayson have moved up, moved on or tackled new technology projects since they were recognized by American Banker for their leadership in innovation in recent years.

Here is a highlight of 10 great American Banker Magazine features from the year. Topics range from redlining to the Most Influential Women in Fintech.

In American Banker's Leaders Forum, our journalists interviewed top executives from across the banking and fintech sectors as well as regulators who keep them in line.

Arizent research shows that financial institutions will continue paying much closer attention to artificial intelligence next year.

Bank investor Kenneth Lehman and investment firm Castle Creek are providing the funds to the Virginia-based bank, whose fintech friendly strategy has gotten it in trouble with regulators. The bank's stock has sunk 70% this year.

The process allows artificial intelligence and machine learning to train on the data of many banks, without compromising customer privacy.

Banks, payment companies, mortgage lenders and insurance providers are racing to seize an advantage from generative artificial intelligence. Some have been especially aggressive in deciding which workflows — or entire jobs — can be handed off to AI.

Six North American banks did well in Evident's latest assessment of banks' AI efforts, but JPMorgan and Capital One have a clear lead. 

Many banks, especially smaller ones, will have to rethink how they lend to small businesses and automate manual processes.

States need to think twice about allowing earned wage advance programs. They look increasingly like predatory lending.

Digital banking apps such as HMBradley, Greenlight and MoneyLion have either chosen or been forced to find revenue streams beyond their direct-to-consumer business lines.

The Cincinnati, Ohio, bank also promoted three other top executives to new roles. All of the changes will be effective in early 2024.

Visa, Mastercard and Global Payments discuss impacts on customer service, web content, security and more.

The $225 billion-asset Citizens Financial Group has partnered with the fintech Pinwheel to streamline the process for new account holders to switch the direct deposit of their paychecks from their old banks.

Alex Holmes talks about money transfers, the tough economy and the role of crypto wallets in the firm's future.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signs a law banning medical debt on credit reports; PayPal's former CEO Dan Schulman will exit the board; community banks boost small-business loan approvals; and more in the weekly banking news roundup.

The roundup of top banking tech news for 2023: Ally Bank's path into the world of generative artificial intelligence, JPMorgan Chase's fallout from its deal with the college financial-planning website, banks across the U.S. increasingly fell victim to cyber attacks and more.