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Deals•Feb 3, 2026
Columbia Financial to Acquire Northfield Bancorp for $597M
Columbia Financial, a $11 billion asset bank based in New Jersey, announced a $597 million acquisition of New York‑based Northfield Bancorp, giving Columbia its first presence in New York City. The deal, announced Monday, is expected to close in Q3 and includes a second‑step capital raise of up to $1.9 billion.
American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 31, 2026
First Independence Bank Acquires Metropolitan Capital Bank Assets in FDIC-Facilitated Deal
The FDIC placed Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust into receivership and entered a purchase‑and‑assumption agreement with Detroit‑based First Independence Bank, which will acquire $251 million of assets and $212.1 million in deposits. The transaction, announced on Jan. 31 2026, is expected to cost the...
American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 28, 2026
Prosperity Bancshares to Acquire Stellar Bancorp for $2 Billion
Prosperity Bancshares announced a $2 billion cash‑and‑stock acquisition of rival Stellar Bancorp, creating the second‑largest Texas‑headquartered bank with $54 billion in assets and the top deposit share in Beaumont. The combined entity will retain the Prosperity name and the deal is expected...
American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 22, 2026
Rain Raises $250M in Funding Round at $2B Valuation
Stablecoin-card infrastructure provider Rain announced the closing of a $250 million funding round, valuing the company at nearly $2 billion. The round was completed earlier this month, underscoring growing investor interest in crypto-linked payment solutions.
American Banker Technology
News•Jan 15, 2026
California Penalizes Nexo $500,000 for Risky Crypto Loans
California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation fined Nexo Capital $500,000 for offering 5,456 crypto‑backed loans to state residents without a required financing license. The loans, issued between July 2018 and November 2022, lacked any credit‑worthiness assessment and were marketed...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 15, 2026
On-Chain Vault Services Could Give Banks an On-Ramp to Crypto Markets
On‑chain vaults are smart‑contract wallets that automatically allocate stablecoins to the highest‑yielding DeFi strategies. They provide non‑custodial, 24/7 redeemable exposure with yields ranging from 3.7% to over 7%, outpacing many traditional money‑market funds. The piece argues banks could adopt these...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 15, 2026
Goldman Surges Past Estimates, Despite Apple Card Costs
Goldman Sachs reported fourth‑quarter 2025 earnings that topped Wall Street forecasts, posting $14.01 earnings per share and $4.62 billion net income, well above analyst expectations. Revenue slipped to $13.45 billion, missing estimates, largely because the Platform Solutions unit logged a $1.68 billion loss...
By American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 15, 2026
Portage Takes Over $280M Fintech Portfolio From Point72 Ventures via Continuation Fund
Point72 Ventures announced the transfer of its fintech holdings to a $280 million continuation fund managed by Portage, the fintech arm of Sagard. Goldman Sachs Alternatives led the fund investment, and Portage will oversee roughly 40 fintech assets, with former Point72...
American Banker Technology
News•Jan 14, 2026
Two-Hour Outage Hits Monzo Banking Services
Monzo experienced a two‑hour outage on Jan 14, 2026 that degraded its mobile app, card payments, and transfers for thousands of customers. The disruption began at 10:31 a.m. ET and ended at 12:36 p.m. ET, after the bank fixed a core issue but did not disclose...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 14, 2026
Fifth Third, Comerica Plan to Close $10.9B Merger on Feb. 1
Fifth Third Bancorp and Comerica plan to finalize their $10.9 billion merger on February 1, after receiving Federal Reserve approval and other regulator sign‑offs. The combined entity will hold roughly $290 billion in assets, ranking it as the 16th‑largest insured depository institution in the...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 14, 2026
Trump's CCCA Boost Is Misguided; the Bill Would Harm Military Families
The Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), backed by President Trump, would cap credit‑card APRs and force merchant‑selected routing, slashing interchange fees that fund rewards and specialized products. Military‑serving banks and credit unions warn the bill will tighten credit, eliminate low‑interest...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 14, 2026
Strong Consumer Results Push Wells Fargo Profits Higher
Wells Fargo posted a $5.4 billion fourth‑quarter profit, 5.5% higher than a year earlier, and lifted full‑year 2025 net income to $21.3 billion, up 7%. The bank lifted its 2026 net interest income target to $50 billion, a 5% increase, after shedding a...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 13, 2026
Crypto-Friendly Lender Old Glory to Go Public Through SPAC
Old Glory, a lender focused on crypto‑backed financing, announced it will go public through a merger with the special purpose acquisition company XYZ Capital. The transaction values Old Glory at roughly $300 million and is expected to raise about $200 million in...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 13, 2026
What U.S. Bank's Innovation Leaders Liked at CES This Year
U.S. Bank’s innovation team, led by chief innovation officer Don Relyea and head of R&D Todder Moning, scouted the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show for technologies that could be integrated into the bank’s services. The bank recently launched AI and blockchain...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 13, 2026
Trump Backs Durbin-Marshall Swipe Fee Bill
President Donald Trump publicly urged Congress to pass the Credit Card Competition Act, a bipartisan bill championed by Sens. Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall that would curb swipe‑fee monopolies. The legislation would require large banks to give merchants a choice...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 13, 2026
BNY Surges Past Wall Street's Expectations
Bank of New York Mellon posted a record fourth‑quarter revenue of $5.18 billion, up 7% year over year, and net income of $1.47 billion, a 27% increase. Earnings per share came in at $2.02, beating analysts’ $1.90 consensus by 12 cents. The...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 13, 2026
JPMorgan's Profit Dips as It Preps for Apple Card Portfolio
JPMorgan reported fourth‑quarter net income of $13 billion, but earnings per share fell to $4.63, missing forecasts after a one‑time $2.2 billion credit‑loss provision tied to its expanding credit‑card business. The bank will replace Goldman Sachs as the platform for Apple’s $20 billion...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 12, 2026
It Used to Be a Fintech Partner. Now the Bank Is Buying It.
Coastal Financial, a $4.6 billion community bank, announced the acquisition of GreenFi, its longest‑standing fintech partner, to avert a cash crunch and buy time for a strategic review. GreenFi, a climate‑focused challenger bank spun out of the bankrupt Aspiration, raised $17 million...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 12, 2026
Legal Battle Sours Merger Between San Diego Credit Unions
San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU) and California Coast Credit Union (Cal Coast) have entered a legal dispute that threatens their planned merger, which would create a $13 billion asset institution serving over 600,000 members. SDCCU issued a termination notice and...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 9, 2026
Prosperity Bancshares Closes One M&A Deal, Gets Thumbs-Up for Another
Prosperity Bancshares completed its $322 million acquisition of American Bank Holding Corp., adding 18 branches across Central and South Texas. The bank also secured Federal Reserve approval to purchase Southwest Bancshares, a $2.4 billion‑asset institution with 11 additional branches. Combined, the deals...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 9, 2026
'Chaotic Web' Of Tech Keeps Bank Fraud Victims in Limbo
The article recounts a consumer’s six‑week ordeal after a smishing attack led her bank to block both credit and debit cards, while fraudsters continued to use the compromised account. It highlights how legacy mainframe cores and fragmented software across branches,...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 9, 2026
As QT Ends, Bank Regulators Now Hold the Real Growth Lever
The Federal Reserve has ended its quantitative‑tightening program, shifting the primary engine of U.S. growth to commercial‑bank lending. At the same time, recent executive orders have put a central‑bank digital dollar on hold, leaving private‑bank‑issued stablecoins and deposits as the...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 9, 2026
How Trump's Institutional Investor Homebuying Ban Could Impact Loans
President Trump is pushing bipartisan legislation to bar large institutional investors from buying single‑family homes, echoing a Democratic effort to improve housing affordability. Data shows institutional owners hold roughly 0.4% of the nation’s single‑family inventory, with only 2% of investor‑owned...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 8, 2026
OCC Moves to Formalize Non-Fiduciary Activities for Trust Banks
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued a proposed rule that formally authorizes national trust companies to engage in non‑fiduciary activities, replacing ambiguous language with a clear regulatory definition. The change codifies practices that already support roughly...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 8, 2026
Fed to Reopen Penny Deposits After Industry Outcry
The Federal Reserve announced that, starting Jan. 14, it will once again accept penny deposits from banks and credit unions at all commercial coin‑distribution locations. The reversal follows industry backlash after the Fed halted penny intake at many terminals last fall,...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 8, 2026
Broad Global Uptake of Dollar-Denominated Stablecoins Is No Sure Thing
President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act, creating a U.S. framework for dollar‑denominated stablecoins. Analysts forecast the market could reach $3 trillion by 2030, a ten‑fold increase. However, most other jurisdictions lack comparable rules, and many are likely to impose limits...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 8, 2026
Small California Bank Lands Investment From Local Farm Giant
Pacific Valley Bank announced that Taylor Fresh Foods has taken a 16.3% ownership stake, including 9.9% of common shares, in the Salinas‑based community bank. The capital infusion is intended to fund organic growth as the bank’s assets have risen from...
By American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 8, 2026
Taylor Fresh Foods Invests 16.3% Stake in Pacific Valley Bank
Pacific Valley Bank announced that Taylor Fresh Foods has acquired a 16.3% ownership stake, investing an undisclosed amount. The corporate investment will support the bank’s growth and expand its lending capacity, with Taylor Fresh Foods taking a minority, non‑controlling position.
American Banker Technology
News•Jan 7, 2026
Rep. Hill Rolls Out Community Bank Deregulation Package
House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill unveiled a community‑bank deregulation package aimed at curbing regulatory "flip‑flop" when administrations change. The bill proposes tailoring provisions, eliminating reputational‑risk components from examinations, standardizing stress tests, raising size thresholds and redefining brokered deposits....
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 7, 2026
Bowman Details Regulatory Relief Agenda for Community Banks
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman announced a potential overhaul of the regulatory framework for community banks. She proposes separating community‑bank oversight from larger institutions, updating asset thresholds by indexing them to nominal GDP, and reducing data‑reporting burdens....
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 7, 2026
Lloyds Pushes Tokenized Deposits
Lloyds Banking Group issued a tokenized deposit on the public Canton Network and used it to purchase a UK gilt, marking one of the first real‑world applications of blockchain‑based deposit tokens. The move highlights banks’ push to offer tokenized deposits...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 7, 2026
How Non-Payments Became Big Business at Visa and Mastercard
Visa and Mastercard are rapidly expanding value‑added services to offset slowing card‑payment growth and mounting regulatory pressure. Mastercard posted $3.4 billion in VAS net revenue, a 25% year‑over‑year rise, while Visa’s VAS reached $17.5 billion, up 9% YoY. Both networks are forging...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 7, 2026
Restricting Industrial Loan Charters Would Be Bad for the Economy
Industrial banks, regulated and FDIC‑insured, provide crucial credit to small businesses, gig workers, and underserved Main Street enterprises. Since their creation in 1987, only one has failed, and capital ratios are roughly 50 % above industry averages, indicating strong safety. Proponents...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
Venezuela-Focused Crypto Startup Loses $341K in Cybertheft
Kontigo, a Venezuela‑focused crypto fintech, reported a cyber‑theft that drained about $341,000 USDC from 1,005 user accounts. The company said it has fully refunded the affected users despite losing access to U.S. banking partners like JPMorgan Chase and Checkbook due...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
Yield Issue in Play as Senate Looks to Crypto Bill Markup
The Senate Banking Committee is poised to mark up a crypto market‑structure bill as early as next week, despite lingering partisan gaps. Lawmakers are debating provisions that would curb stable‑coin issuers from offering yield‑like rewards, a practice the American Bankers...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
Bankers Fear Economic Struggle in 2026
American Banker’s 2026 Predictions survey of 174 banking executives highlights growing anxiety over tariff volatility, recession and stagflation, and a volatile regulatory environment. Eighty‑eight percent expect tariff shocks, while more than half forecast a U.S. recession and global slowdown, and...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
Fifth Third-Comerica Deal Easily Wins Shareholder Approval
Fifth Third and Comerica secured near‑unanimous shareholder support for their $10.9 billion merger, with 99.7% and 97% votes respectively. The combined entity would hold about $288 billion in assets, making it one of the decade’s largest bank deals. Despite the approvals, the...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
FDIC Watchdog Pushes Back on Ernst Whistleblower Claims
The FDIC’s Inspector General Jennifer Fain responded to Sen. Joni Ernst’s whistleblower allegations, concluding that most claims of fraud, favoritism, and misused travel funds were unsupported or already resolved. Internal reviews found no irregular year‑end Deposit Insurance Fund spending, justified...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
Why the CFPB's EWA Opinion Won't Dramatically Impact Fintechs
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an advisory opinion stating that employer‑partnered earned‑wage‑access (EWA) products are not credit under the Truth in Lending Act, dropping the earlier free‑product requirement and loosening payroll‑deduction rules. While fintechs view the guidance as validation...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
The CFPB's Small-Dollar Lending Rule Has Clearly Backfired on Consumers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s 2017 small‑dollar lending rule, revived in 2025, imposed strict payment‑attempt limits and mandatory notices. Online Lenders Alliance data show the rule has driven higher delinquency, default and collection rates, while forcing lenders to tighten credit...
By American Banker Technology
News•Jan 6, 2026
Overdraft Fee Income Is on the Rise at These Big Banks
Several large U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Citizens Financial and TD Bank, reported higher overdraft‑related revenue in the first three quarters of 2025, with JPMorgan up 7.66% and Citizens up 16.9% year‑over‑year. The increases come despite overall overdraft income remaining...
By American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 6, 2026
Fifth Third and Comerica Secure Shareholder Approval for $10.9B Merger
Fifth Third and Comerica received near‑unanimous shareholder approval for their $10.9 billion merger, with 99.7% and 97% votes respectively. The deal still awaits Federal Reserve approval and faces a lawsuit from activist investor HoldCo Asset Management. If completed, the merger would...
American Banker Technology
News•Jan 5, 2026
Marquis Breach Toll Rises to 80 Banks, 824,000 Consumers
A ransomware attack on marketing vendor Marquis Software Solutions has been revealed to have compromised personal data of at least 823,548 customers across 80 banks and credit unions. Internal emails suggest Marquis paid the Akira group to keep the stolen...
By American Banker Technology
Deals•Jan 1, 2026
Commerce Bancshares Completes $585M All‑stock Acquisition of FineMark Holdings
Commerce Bancshares finalized a $585 million all‑stock purchase of FineMark Holdings on New Year’s Day, expanding its wealth‑management platform to $90 billion in assets under administration. The deal marks the bank’s first acquisition in 12 years and positions it for growth in...
American Banker Technology