Brazil's Nu Holdings has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national bank charter. The proposed Nubank plans to offer deposit accounts, credit cards, loans and digital asset custody. “This approval isn't just an expansion of our operation; it’s an opportunity to prove our thesis that a digital-first, customer-centric model is the future of financial services globally," David Vélez, Nu Holdings' CEO, said in

Oregon Pacific Bancorp in Florence, Ore., will end 2026 with a new CEO. The company said in a press release that Amber White had become its president, succeeding Ron Green. White, the bank's chief financial officer, will become CEO when Green retires later this year. Oregon Pacific has begun a search to find a new CFO. “I am very proud of the Bank’s accomplishments over the past 19 years and

First Northwest Bancorp in Port Angeles, Wash., will close its branch in Bellevue, Wash., at the end of April. The $2.1 billion-asset company said in a press release that it inherited the branch when it bought Sterling Bank and Trust in July 2021. The closure will save the company $900,000 annually. "Customer preferences continue to evolve, and we are seeing that, for this location, the use of online and mobile

ConnectOne Bancorp in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., plans to close five branches. The $14 billion-asset said in a press release that it will shutter the locations in the first quarter. ConnectOne incurred nearly $1.3 million in expenses in the quarter tied to the planned closures.

Laser Digital Americas Group Holdings, the digital asset unit of Nomura Group, is the latest entity to pursue a national trust bank charter. The proposed Laser Digital National Trust Bank would be supervised by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The proposed trust bank would serve institutional customers by offering custody of digital assets integrated with spot trading of crypto and fiat currencies. "Institutional digital asset markets are

Milestone Bank in Salt Lake City has a new leader. The bank said in a press release that Mark Yung had become its chairman, CEO and president. He will also serve as CEO of Milestone Capital Partners. “I’m excited to join Milestone Bank at such a pivotal moment of its growth trajectory,” Yung said in the release. “The bank has achieved strong growth by moving with speed and being committed

First Financial in Abilene, Texas, has a new leader. The company said in a press release that David Bailey had become its CEO. Bailey, who remains the company's president, succeeded Scott Dueser, who will remain chairman until the 2028 annual meeting. Bailey "is extremely qualified to lead the company with his deep knowledge of the industry, his commitment for excellence and customer service, history of rising through the ranks ... his vision

Prosperity Bancshares in Houston has agreed to buy Stellar Bancorp in Houston. The $38.5 billion-asset Prosperity said in a press release that it will pay $2 billion in cash and stock for the $10.8 billion-asset Stellar. The deal, which is expected to close in the second quarter, priced Stellar at 181% of its tangible book value. Stellar has 52 branches, $7.3 billion in loans, and $9 billion in deposits. Robert