Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Patriot National in Conn. raising $26 million through new offering

Patriot National Bancorp in Stamford, Conn., is raising $25.6 million by selling securities. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has signed purchase agreements to sell nearly 19.2 million shares of voting common stock and nearly 12.8 million shares of non-voting common stock to unnamed buyers. The shares will be issuable six months […]

Solowin Holdings in Hong Kong in talks to buy U.S. bank charter

Solowin Holdings in Hong Kong is planning to buy a U.S.-licensed bank. The company, which specializes in traditional and digital assets, said in a press release that it “is in the advanced stages of negotiating” an acquisition through a designated affiliate. The acquisition would only involve the charter; all assets and liabilities would be removed […]

CB Financial Services in Pa. sells underperforming securities

CB Financial Services in Washington, Pa., has repositioned its balance sheet. The company said in a press release that it sold $129.6 million of investment securities at an after-tax loss of $9.3 million. The securities included $121.1 million of mortgage-backed securities/collateralized mortgage obligations, $5 million of U.S. government agency securities, and $3.5 million of municipal […]

Potomac Bancshares in W.Va. to rebrand its bank

Bank of Charles Town in West Virginia is rebranding. Potomac Bancshares, the holding company, said in a press release that the bank will change its name to Potomac Bank on Nov. 3. The new name reflects the bank’s growth and expanding regional presence. The new brand is designed to reflect the diverse communities that the […]

Equity in Kansas to enter Nebraska with Frontier acquisition

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has agreed to buy Frontier Holdings in Omaha, Neb. The $6.4 billion-asset Equity said in a press release that it will pay $122.8 million in cash and stock for the parent of the $1.4 billion-asset Frontier Bank. The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, priced Frontier […]

Land of Lincoln Credit Union to buy Williamsville State Bank in Illinois

Land of Lincoln Credit Union in Decatur, Ill., has agreed to buy Williamsville State Bank and Trust in Illinois. The $475 million-asset credit union said in a press release that it will pay cash for the $97 million-asset bank. The price wasn’t disclosed. The deal is expected to close in the first half of next […]

Washington bank shortens name

Pacific Crest Savings Bank in Lynnwood, Wash., has abbreviated its name. The bank said in a press release that it has rebranded as Pacific Crest Bank. The new name “allows us to better represent who we are today, while staying true to the values and relationships that have defined us for years,” Sheryl Nilson, the […]

Old National-backed de novo gets conditional FDIC approval

Organizers of a proposed de novo bank in Indianapolis are one step closer to opening. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. gave conditional approval to the group behind Generations Community Bank. The group must raise $24 million in initial capital before the proposed minority depository institution can open. Generations would also be a community development financial […]

Group looks to open de novo bank in central Florida

A group in Florida is looking to open a bank. Organizers of the proposed Portrait Bank in Winter Park applied to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Aug. 27. The filing wasn’t immediately available. A group called E&J Focus in Winter Park submitted a trademark application for Portrait Bank. E&J’s managers, based on corporation filings, are […]

Battle Financial received Fed BCH approval

The organizers of the proposed Battle Financial in Edwards, Colo., have received approval from the Federal Reserve to become a bank holding company. The approval allows the group to complete its pending purchase of Stearns Bank Upsala in Upsala, Minn. Stearns Financial first disclosed plans to sell the $65 million-asset bank in March. The price […]

Commercial Bancgroup in Tennessee plans initial public offering

Commercial Bancgroup in Harrogate, Tenn., is planning an initial public offering. The $2.3 billion-asset company plans to raise $173 million, according to published reports. Net proceeds would be largely used to repay debt tied to the Community Trust Loan Agreement and to redeem outstanding subordinated debentures and trust preferred securities. Hovde Group is the sole […]

American Bancorp in Ga. to buy New Republic Bank in North Carolina

American Bancorp in Macon, Ga., has applied to buy New Republic Partners in Charlotte, N.C. The application said that the parent of the $491 million-asset American Pride Bank would indirectly acquire the $196.7 million-asset New Republic Bank. American did not disclose how much it will pay for New Republic.

Organizers planning Seattle-area de novo bank

A group has applied to open a bank in Bellevue, Wash. Organizers of the proposed United Development Bank submitted an application to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Aug. 21. The application wasn’t immediately available. A public notice tied to the application listed 25 organizers, including Charlie Guildner, a former president and CEO of North Cascades […]

OCC lifts AML-related consent order against Anchorage Digital Bank

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has terminated a 2022 consent order against cryptocurrency custody bank Anchorage Digital Bank. The order was tied to Anchorage’s “failure to adopt and implement a compliance program” in accordance with anti-money laundering standards. The OCC said it lifted the order after determining that the bank’s “compliance with […]

First Exchange in W.Va. promoting lending chief to become CEO

First Exchange Bank in White Hall, W.Va., has finalized its CEO succession plan. The $383.5 million-asset bank announced in a press release that Clayton Rice will assume leadership on Nov. 1. Rice, the bank’s chief lending officer, will succeed Bill Goettel, who is retiring. The board ” is deeply grateful for the leadership and vision […]

CFPB reopens debate over controversial open banking rule

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reopened debate over open banking, issuing a new advance notice of proposed rulemaking The notice, which kicks off a rewrite of the CFPB’s Section 1033 data-access rule, is scheduled to appear in the Federal Register on Aug. 22, with public comments due 60 days later, around Oct. 21, 2025. With […]

California Credit Union League unveils new brand

The California Credit Union League has rebranded. The association said in a press release that it changed its name to California’s Credit Unions to better reflect its mission and the 245 members it represents. “Our new name, California’s Credit Unions, is the fullest expression of who we are and the role we hold in the […]

BancPlus in Miss. shuffles leadership due to key retirements

BancPlus in Ridgeland, Miss., is making several executive and board moves. The $8 billion-asset company said in a press release that Kirk Graves will become its chairman, president, and CEO on Jan. 1. Graves, the company’s chief operating officer, will also become president and CEO of BankPlus on July 1. Graves will succeed Bill Ray […]

Dedham Savings in Mass. finalizes CEO succession

Dedham Institution for Savings in Dedham, Mass., has a new leader lined up. The $2.5 billion-asset bank said in a press release that Victoria Kane will take on the role on Sept. 1. Kane, who is chief people officer, will succeed Peter Brown, who remains the bank’s CEO and chairman and CEO of its holding […]

Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod taps CFO to become its leader

Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod in Yarmouth Port, Mass., has its next CEO lined up. The $1.6 billion-asset bank said in a press release that Erik Porter will also become its president in October. Porter, who is the chief financial officer, will succeed Lisa Oliver, who is retiring. “The talented and hardworking team at The […]

Atlantic Union in Va. cutting 51 jobs at former Sandy Spring ops center

Atlantic Union Bankshares in Richmond, Va., is continuing to cut jobs tied to its recent acquisition of Sandy Spring Bancorp in Olney, Md. The company disclosed in a WARN Act notice that it plans to eliminate 51 positions in a former Sandy Spring operations center in Columbia, Md. The cuts will take place in October. Atlantic […]

Triumph in Texas to cut 5% of its workforce

Triumph Financial in Dallas is cutting about 5% of its workforce. The $6.5 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that the layoffs, along with other initiatives, should lead to about $4.5 million of charges, mostly occurring in the third quarter. Based on Triumph’s full-time employee count on June 30, that would be about 80 […]

Horizon in Ind. to sell stock to reposition its balance sheet

Horizon Bancorp in Michigan City, Ind., is planning to sell common stock. The $7.7 billion-asset company disclosed in a slide presentation that it plans to sell at least $90 million of stock. Horizon said in a press release that it expects to grant its underwriters a 30-day option to buy up to an additional 15% of […]

Fifth Third bolsters payments capabilities with DTS Connex purchase

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati has acquired DTS Connex, a cash management software provider. The company did not disclose how much it paid for DTS Connex, which focuses on solutions for multi-location businesses such as retailers, restaurants, and healthcare providers. “Within commercial payments, we’ve built a robust cash processing business that strengthens client relationships beyond […]

Fintech Casca raises $29M from Canapi, Huntington, Live Oak and others

Casca, a fintech looking to build an AI-native loan origination system, raised $29 million in its Series A funding round. Lukas Haffer, the fintech’s CEO, said in a LinkedIn post that the round was led by Canapi Ventures and included Huntington Bank, Live Oak Bank, Bankwell Bank, Alliance Funding Group, Peterson Ventures, Clocktower Ventures, and […]