Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

First Guaranty in La. hit with credit-related consent order

First Guaranty in La. hit with credit-related consent order

First Guaranty Bancshares in Hammond, La., has entered into a consent order with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions directed toward addressing credit issues. The $4.1 billion-asset company disclosed the enforcement action in a regulatory filing. The order stems from an examination conducted in mid-2025 and covers a broad set of issues spanning board oversight, capital levels, classified assets, credit administration, commercial real estate

August 12, 2026
BofA to pay up to $1.9 billion for stake in Indian lender

BofA to pay up to $1.9 billion for stake in Indian lender

Bank of America in Charlotte, N.C., has agreed to buy up to a 49.9% stake in a lending business in a joint with Jio Financial Services in Mumbai, India. BofA will pay up to $1.9 billion, in the form of equity shares and warrants, for a stake in Jio Credit, a digital-first lender with $3.2 billion of assets under management. The investment, which initially gives Bank of America a 26.5% equity

August 12, 2026
Blue Ridge in Virginia widens 2Q loss on troubled loan

Blue Ridge in Virginia widens 2Q loss on troubled loan

Blue Ridge Bankshares in Charlottesville, Va., booked a bigger second-quarter loss than it initially reported after increasing reserves on a problem loan. The $2.3 billion-asset company said in a press release that it lost $1.3 million in the second quarter, compared with the $200,000 loss it originally disclosed in late July. The company had previously reported an $800,000 profit for the first quarter. Blue Ridge said the commercial borrower tied

August 11, 2026
HBT to buy Tri-County Financial in Illinois for $205 million

HBT to buy Tri-County Financial in Illinois for $205 million

HBT Financial in Bloomington, Ill., has agreed to buy Tri-County Financial Group in Mendota, Ill. The $6.7 billion-asset HBT said in a press release that it will pay $204.6 million in cash and stock for the $1.6 billion-asset Tri-County. The deal, which priced Tri-County at 131% of its tangible book value, is expected to close in the first quarter. Tri-County has 19 branches, $1.3 billion of loans, and $1.3 billion

August 10, 2026
CCBank in Utah rebranding as Accordia Bank

CCBank in Utah rebranding as Accordia Bank

CCBank in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and its mortgage subsidiary are rebranding. The bank and Security Home Mortgage will rebrand as Accordia Bank and Accordia Mortgage. The change "is a strategic marketing and brand decision driven by ... significant growth," the bank said. "Recognizing that the organization had outgrown its current name, leadership initiated a rebrand to establish a strong, distinctive identity that reflects the institution's scale, sophistication, and ambition today."

August 9, 2026
OCC denies bunq’s application to charter a U.S. national bank

OCC denies bunq’s application to charter a U.S. national bank

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has rejected an application from Dutch fintech bunq to launch a national bank in the U.S., citing capital, management, and safety-and-soundness concerns that spanned nearly every factor regulators weigh in chartering decisions. The application, filed under the proposed name bunq US Bank, was sponsored by Bunq US Holding, a company that would be majority owned by Ali Niknam, who also holds majority

August 8, 2026
Great Lakes Credit Union in Ill. backs data integration CUSO

Great Lakes Credit Union in Ill. backs data integration CUSO

Great Lakes Credit Union in Bannockburn, Ill., has invested in Nook, a credit union service organization (CUSO) that provides data integration, member relationship management, and engagement technology for credit unions. Nook said the investment will support development of its data infrastructure and technology. The amount wasn't disclosed. "Our investment in Nook reflects our belief that credit unions should help shape the technology they rely on," Michael Abraham, the credit union's chief

August 7, 2026
AltaOne FCU in California invests in earned wage access platform

AltaOne FCU in California invests in earned wage access platform

AltaOne Federal Credit Union in Ridgecrest, Calif., has invested in Veep Software. As part of the investment, the companies launched AnyTimePay, an earned wage access platform that lets members access wages they have earned before payday. The amount of the investment wasn't disclosed. "At AltaOne, we are always looking for innovative ways to strengthen the financial well-being of our members," Stephanie Sievers, AltaOne's CEO, said in a statement. "Too often,

August 7, 2026