CCFNB Bancorp in Bloomsburg, Pa., and Muncy Bank Financial in Muncy, Pa., decided to take a second chance at romance. The $944 million-asset CCFNB and the $633 million-asset Muncy Bank were nearing a definitive agreement in April 2022 when talks ended over a disagreement on “operational matters,” according to a regulatory filing tied to their pending merger. The companies would “rekindle” their talks a year later, reaching an agreement in

Nearly 60 entities have been certified to use the Federal Reserve’s real-time payments system. The central bank said in a press release that 57 early adopter organizations, including financial institutions and service providers, have completed formal testing and certification for its FedNow Service. FedNow is expected to launch in late July. Early adopters are performing final trial runs to confirm readiness to support live transactions. Those participants include 41 financial

First Bank in Creve Coeur, Mo., will have a new CEO in 2024. The $6.6 billion-asset bank said in a press release that Shelley Siefert will retire at the end of this year. Siefert, who has served as CEO since 2019, will be succeeded by Mikel Williamson, who recently stepped down as Texas president of Happy State Bank. Williamson, who was Happy State’s CEO when it was sold to Home

Sendwave, a Boston-based remittance firm owned by Zepz, plans to open a neobank backed by Piermont Bank in New York. The fintech said in a press release that Sendwave Pay will offer U.S. customers a debit card and reimbursement for international transaction fees when the card is used internationally. “Investing in meaningful innovations to serve the needs of cross-border communities is part of our purpose and at the heart of

Bangor Savings Bank in Maine is planning to introduce its first suite of credit card products. The $7.4 billion-asset Bangor Savings is set to launch “everblue” for retail and commercial clients, Bob Montgomery-Rice, the bank’s president and CEO, told the Bangor Daily News. Business credit cards are set to debut, while consumer cards will launch in July. The product is the latest expansion move for Bangor Savings. The bank has

While the Fed approved a branch application by Vantage Bank Texas in San Antonio, a member of its board raised questions about the review process. The $3.5 billion-asset Vantage was seeking permission to open a location in Houston. At least two commenters objected, claiming that Vantage had discriminatory lending practices. Despite unanimous board support,Fed Gov. Michelle Bowman said process improvements are needed. “I support the approval of this application,” she

The Federal Reserve has approved an application by Banco de Reservas de la República Dominicana in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to open representative offices in New York and Miami. The $18.5 billion-asset Banreservas is the biggest commercial bank in the Dominican Republic. The bank is 100% owned by the Dominican Republic. The offices would act as liaisons with the bank’s current and prospective U.S. clients. They would also promote and

Coastal Financial in Everett, Wash., has created a virtual world to promote its Banking-as-a-Service fintech partners. The $3.5 billion-asset company launched Coastal World, an immersive 3D web platform that “promotes, educates, and informs visitors about digital banking solutions that best fit their lifestyle, values, or specific financial situations through a fun and engaging online experience.” The company is considering a number of features in the future, including banking tools, gamified