Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

FineMark Holdings in Fla. raises $30M via private placement

FineMark Holdings in Fla. raises $30M via private placement

FineMark Holdings in Fort Myers, Fla., raised $30 million through a private placement. The $4.1 billion-asset company sold common stock on March 29, according to data compiled by Performance Trust Capital Partners. Performance Trust had no additional details about the private placement.

April 8, 2024
Mode Eleven in Wyo. winding down BaaS ops after Fed order

Mode Eleven in Wyo. winding down BaaS ops after Fed order

Mode Eleven Bancorp in Hulett, Wyo., will voluntarily dismantle its Banking-as-a-Service platform after being hit with an enforcement action from the Federal Reserve. The parent of the $110 million-asset Summit National Bank entered into a cease-and-desist order with the Fed on March 28. The order barred the bank from engaging in "expansionary activities related to the fintech business strategy” without written Fed approval. Those activities include creating new subsidiaries, business

April 8, 2024
NYCB’s new CEO asks investors to back steps to complete recapitalization

NYCB’s new CEO asks investors to back steps to complete recapitalization

The new leader of New York Community Bancorp is making the case for shareholders to back steps needed to fully recapitalize the Hicksville company. Joseph Otting, a former Comptroller of the Currency, said in a regulatory filing that addressing the $114 billion-asset company’s issues will not occur overnight – but it is doable. “We understand that regaining your trust and confidence will take time and consistent results,” he said in

April 8, 2024
Bancorp 34 in Ariz. hires bank vet Ciaran McMullen as CEO

Bancorp 34 in Ariz. hires bank vet Ciaran McMullen as CEO

Bancorp 34 in Scottsdale, Ariz., has a new leader. The $1 billion-asset company said in a press release that Ciaran McMullen had become its chairman and CEO. McMullen, a veteran bank CEO, succeeded Jim Crotty, who resigned. "We appreciate Jim’s dedication and hard work on behalf of the Company over the past four years, including through the merger with CBOA Financial ... as well as the completion of private placement

April 5, 2024
Blue Ridge in Va. raises $150M, reaffirms timeline for BaaS exit

Blue Ridge in Va. raises $150M, reaffirms timeline for BaaS exit

Blue Ridge Bankshares in Charlottesville, Va., has completed its capital raise led by Kenneth Lehman and Castle Creek Capital and confirmed that will fully exit its Banking-as-a-Service business by the end of this year. The $3.1 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it raised $150 million by selling common stock, convertible preferred stock, and warrants to buy preferred shares. Blue Ridge said it will use the proceeds to

April 5, 2024
Michigan State FCU’s CUSO invests $6.2M in eight fintechs

Michigan State FCU’s CUSO invests $6.2M in eight fintechs

Reseda Group, a wholly owned CUSO of Michigan State University Federal Credit Union in East Lansing, has invested $6.2 million in eight fintechs. The $7.6 billion-asset credit uni0on said in a press release that its CUSO made new investments CU Lift Fund, direct auto loan funding; CURevl, college planning and education finance; Debbie, personal financial management; Origence, lending technology; Members Mobile (4G/5G mobile phone services for credit union members; and

April 5, 2024
KeyCorp to invest $25M in pact with community advocacy group

KeyCorp to invest $25M in pact with community advocacy group

KeyCorp and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition have reached an agreement to invest $25 million into minority and underserved markets. Jesse Van Tol, the NCRC’s CEO, made the announcement at the organization’s Just Economy conference, starting that the agreement resolves a dispute between the parties. The NCRC had raised concerns in the past about the Cleveland company’s mortgage lending practices The $188 billion-asset Key will provide $17 million to fund

April 4, 2024
Fintech Brim Financial raises $85 million in funding

Fintech Brim Financial raises $85 million in funding

Brim Financial, a Toronto company that sells tech to help banks launch and manage credit card programs, has raised $85 million of Series C funding. The fintech, founded in 2017, said in a press release that the funding round was led by EDC Investments and included Vistara Growth, White Owl Group, Epic Venture and Zions Bank. Brim, which has partnerships with Mastercard and TrueNorth, said the funding will support its

April 3, 2024