Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Investor group agrees to buy Uinta Bank in Wyoming

Investor group agrees to buy Uinta Bank in Wyoming

Integra BG, a group formed earlier this year, agreed to buy Uinta Bank in Mountain View, Wyo. Integra BG did not disclose in its LinkedIn post what it plans to pay for the $208 million-asset Uinta. The plan is to rebrand Uinta as Tanager Bank. Integra also plans to conduct a private capital raise and implement new technology. “The combined experience of the board and management team will provide leadership

October 15, 2025
Proposed Erebor Bank secures conditional OCC approval

Proposed Erebor Bank secures conditional OCC approval

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued conditional approval for Erebor Bank, a proposed de novo backed by Peter Thiel and Palmer Luckey that would incorporate stablecoin into its business plan. The OCC's decision authorizes the organizers of the planned Columbus, Ohio, de novo to advance toward a pre-opening examination. Erebor, which still needs approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., aims to serve  technology companies involved

October 15, 2025
Kitsap Credit Union in Washington invests in AI startup D8TAOPS

Kitsap Credit Union in Washington invests in AI startup D8TAOPS

Kitsap Credit Union in Bremerton, Wash., invested in AI startup D8TAOPS. The credit union said in a press release that it became the first credit union in Washington state to gain approval from the state regulator to make the equity investment. Kitsap said the investment in D8TAOPS, an Oregon-based AI and data orchestration firm, will help modernize its operations, improve efficiency and enhance the member experience. The size of the

October 15, 2025
Blockchain-focused Telcoin in Nebraska raises $25 million

Blockchain-focused Telcoin in Nebraska raises $25 million

Telcoin in Norfolk, Neb., which is looking to open a blockchain-focused digital bank, raised $25 million in a pre-series A funding round. The company said in a press release that the funds would capitalize Telcoin Digital Asset Bank, which has received conditional approval for a Nebraska Digital Asset Depository Institution charter. The plan is to open later this year. Otter & Co. Capital Holdings was among the investors. “Telcoin is

October 15, 2025
Ponce Bank in New York switches to national bank charter

Ponce Bank in New York switches to national bank charter

Ponce Bank in New York converted to a national bank charter. The bank, a unit of Ponce Financial, had been a federally chartered stock savings association. Ponce Financial also became a financial holding company, which lets it engage in activities that are "financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity," according to a press release. The new charter allows the bank to receive municipal deposits in New York.

October 14, 2025
LendingTree founder and CEO dies in ATV accident

LendingTree founder and CEO dies in ATV accident

Doug Ledba, founder and CEO of LendingTree in Charlotte, N.C., died in an all-terrain vehicle accident over the weekend. The online lending platform said in a statement that Scott Peyree, its president and chief operating officer, had become the CEO, while Steve Ozonian, previously the lead independent director, is now the chairman. “Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation, and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the

October 14, 2025
Organizers look to form new bank in Southern California

Organizers look to form new bank in Southern California

A group is looking to form a bank in Southern California. Organizers of the proposed TriCoast Bank in Torrance filed applications with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation in mid-September. The applications weren't immediately available. The state regulator noted on its website that the group plan to have offices in Torrance and Encino. A call to Jim Jones at Carpenter & Co.,

October 13, 2025
Former CFPB director Mick Mulvaney to chair SOLO advisory board

Former CFPB director Mick Mulvaney to chair SOLO advisory board

Mick Mulvaney, former acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will chair a new advisory board at SOLO. The fintech, founded by data scientist Georgina Merhom, is looking to create a customer data sharing network and mount a challenge to existing credit bureaus. SOLO recently announced plans for SOLO introduced its Customer Data Clearinghouse concept in July, a large-scale, bank-led effort that includes banks, fintechs, and other financial service

October 10, 2025