Recent Posts
News•Feb 27, 2026
Edward Jones Gets Green Light to Launch Industrial Bank
Edward Jones has secured conditional approval from the FDIC and the Utah Department of Financial Institutions to launch Edward Jones Bank, an industrial loan company slated for early 2027. The new bank will accept deposits and issue certificates of deposit, extending the firm’s credit line portfolio to all 50 states. This approval marks the third industrial loan charter granted in 2025 and follows similar moves by General Motors and Ford. The initiative reflects a broader push by non‑bank financial firms to offer full‑service banking under the industrial loan model.
By American Banker
News•Feb 27, 2026
Banks Need to Rethink How They Train Staff to Fight Financial Crime
Banks are confronting a financial‑crime threat that evolves faster than their compliance training cycles. The profession suffers from a thin talent pipeline, with most hires arriving mid‑career and no standardized academic path. Current training is static, annual, and siloed, while...
By American Banker
News•Feb 27, 2026
Banks Need to Choose Carefully Between Public and Private Blockchains
Stellar’s CEO warns banks that choosing between private and public blockchain infrastructures will create lasting path dependencies. With the tokenized real‑world‑asset market valued around $33 billion, banks are already piloting blockchain‑based settlement and fund tokenization. The article outlines three critical questions—who...
By American Banker
News•Feb 26, 2026
Washington's FS Bancorp to Enter Portland with Deal
Washington‑based FS Bancorp announced a $34.6 million cash‑and‑stock deal to acquire Pacific West Bank, giving its 1st Security Bank subsidiary a foothold in the Portland market. The four‑branch target adds $386 million in assets, expanding the combined institution to roughly $3.6 billion. This...
By American Banker
News•Feb 26, 2026
Exclusive: Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan FHLB Bond Bill
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D‑NV) and Todd Young (R‑IN) introduced the Municipal Investment and Neighborhood Transformation (MINT) Act, restoring a 2008 authority that lets Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) members issue tax‑exempt bonds for community‑development projects. The bill expands the...
By American Banker
Deals•Feb 26, 2026
FS Bancorp to Acquire Pacific West Bank for $34.6M
FS Bancorp, the holding company for 1st Security Bank, announced on Thursday its acquisition of Pacific West Bank for $34.6 million in cash and stock, giving the firm its first presence in Portland. The deal, expected to close in Q3 2026,...
American Banker
News•Feb 24, 2026
Permissibility Is the Real Prize for Banks in Crypto Bill
The U.S. market‑structure bill’s permissibility section would formally allow banks and their holding companies to own and transact in digital assets, effectively expanding the range of activities deemed permissible under the National Bank Act. Critics argue that simply placing an...
By American Banker
News•Feb 23, 2026
Citigroup Strikes Banamex Stake Sales with Blackstone, BTG
Citigroup announced the sale of an additional 24% stake in its Mexican retail bank, Grupo Financiero Banamex, for roughly $2.5 billion. The shares were bought by a consortium that includes Blackstone, General Atlantic, Brazil's BTG Pactual and Mexico's Afore Sura, among others. The...
By American Banker
Deals•Feb 20, 2026
Citizens Financial Group to Acquire Matrix Capital Markets Group Assets
Citizens Financial Group announced it will purchase substantially all assets of Matrix Capital Markets Group, an investment bank serving downstream energy and convenience‑retail sectors. The cash‑funded transaction will be executed through Citizens’ subsidiary Citizens JMP Securities, with Matrix operating as...
American Banker
News•Feb 19, 2026
M&T Says Tricolor-Related Lawsuit Could Lead to Losses
M&T Bank’s Wilmington Trust subsidiary is defending a New York lawsuit alleging it failed to fulfill custodial duties for several Tricolor‑related trusts. Plaintiffs claim the bank breached contracts and fiduciary obligations, seeking unspecified damages, interest and fees. M&T reports that...
By American Banker
News•Feb 19, 2026
Medallion Stresses Home Improvement to Drive 2026 Growth
Medallion Financial, the former taxi‑medallion lender, is pivoting to accelerate home‑improvement loan growth, aiming for mid‑teens percentage expansion in 2026. The strategy is anchored by hiring veteran consumer lender Joel Cannon from Regions Financial to lead a dedicated home‑improvement team....
By American Banker
News•Feb 19, 2026
Global Payments' Turnaround Gets Off on the Right Foot
Global Payments reported fourth‑quarter net revenue of $2.3 billion, a 6 % year‑over‑year increase, while net income fell to $217.5 million, missing consensus forecasts. The results sparked a 13 % surge in the stock as the company completed its Worldpay acquisition and announced a...
By American Banker