The banker’s guide to back-to-school 2026
As summer comes to an end, there are a surprising number of things to keep an eye on. Here is American Banker’s handy cheat sheet for the rest of the year.
Truist, Fifth Third pause sales tied to life-insurance probe
The banks are tapping the brakes on their role as sale channels for Delaware Life Insurance Co. amid a U.S. investigation of billionaire financier Mark Walter’s sprawling business empire.
What bankers expect from bank M&A this year
Mergers have been rising during the second Trump administration. That’s likely to continue, experts say. Here’s the state of M&A in the banking industry.
Small firms hate SBA’s new size standards; lenders are intrigued
The Small Business Administration’s proposed rule increasing the size of firms eligible for government-backed loan programs could boost the appeal of SBA loan programs to banks and credit unions, but it’s drawing sharp criticism from smaller firms.
What banks can do about the latest Chinese hacking campaign
Financial institutions were among 300-plus U.S. organizations robbed in a 2024 campaign.
Advisors rethink Roth IRA conversions after the OBBBA
The 2025 tax law changed the factors involved in the decision to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth.
Payment processors targeted in Florida gambling lawsuit
Five payment companies were named as defendants in a case that could set a precedent for both prediction markets and the financial firms working with them.
Affirm extends hot streak, challenging credit card industry
The buy now/pay later lender posted its most profitable quarter, but analysts and company CFO Rob O’Hare said there’s plenty of room in its addressable market and an opportunity to compete for market share.
Ex-U.S. Bank exec’s discrimination suit can continue: Judge
A lawsuit accusing U.S. Bank of harassing and discriminating against its former head of AI can proceed following a federal magistrate judge’s ruling. The suit’s defamation and blacklisting claims, however, were thrown out.
Former Tennessee congressman hired by Truist
A former Democratic congressman will serve as vice president of wholesale banking at Truist Financial; Bank of America’s $72.5 million settlement with sex trafficking victims of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein is approved by a New York federal judge; HDFC plans to challenge the bankruptcy resolution involving a personal guarantee by media tycoon Subhash Chandra; […]