Commerce eyes wealth-management gains after sealing M&A deal
The Kansas City, Missouri-based bank completed its first bank acquisition in 12 years on New Year’s Day. Now it’s focused on retaining and growing FineMark Holdings’ high-net-worth clients in markets such as Southwest Florida, South Carolina and Arizona.
Brazilian digital bank PicPay files for U.S. IPO
PicPay is making a second attempt at entering the U.S. market as a profitable digital bank and a competitor to fellow Brazilian fintech Nubank.
Venezuela-focused crypto startup loses $341K in cybertheft
Attackers stole over $340,000 in stablecoin from the Venezuela-focused app. The incident adds to recent troubles including frozen accounts at JPMorganChase.
FDIC watchdog pushes back on Ernst whistleblower claims
The FDIC inspector general said internal and external reviews found little evidence to support a whistleblower’s allegations of fraud, retaliation and abuse within the FDIC’s watchdog office.
Fifth Third-Comerica deal easily wins shareholder approval
The deal still faces a lawsuit from activist investor HoldCo Asset Management, which contends that Comerica didn’t properly shop itself before agreeing to sell to Fifth Third.
Bankers fear economic struggle in 2026
American Banker research highlights growing concerns about an economic downturn, regulatory volatility and open-banking risks.
Yield issue in play as Senate looks to crypto bill markup
As the Senate Banking Committee stands poised to mark up crypto market legislation within days, banks are focused on blocking crypto exchanges from offering rewards on stablecoins, which they fear could siphon deposits away from community banks.
Why the CFPB’s EWA opinion won’t dramatically impact fintechs
Earned wage access fintechs say the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s advisory opinion provides important clarity on the finance product, but legal experts warn that its practical impact could be minimal.
Fed’s Barkin optimistic about market uncertainty in 2026
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Tom Barkin said economic uncertainty should ease in the coming year as businesses gain confidence in sustained demand and adapt to the new policy environment.
The CFPB’s small-dollar lending rule has clearly backfired on consumers
The effort by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, meant to benefit borrowers, has instead led to higher delinquency rates, increased defaults and more loans being sent to collections.