Silvergate Capital in La Jolla, Calif., and EJF Capital in Arlington, Va., have launched a joint investment vehicle that will focus on early stage fintechs. The $12.8 billion-asset Silvergate said in a press release Thursday that the EJF Silvergate Ventures Fund will also invest in digital currencies, payments and banking and specialty finance technology.The companies did not disclose the financial aspects of the partnership. EJF’s “investment strategy and financial services industry

Customers Bancorp in West Reading, Pa., is introducing a new website and logo to support its efforts to become a more fintech-focused financial institution. The $19.1 billion-asset company said in a press release Thursday that the move also reflects a push to offer more products and services nationwide. Customers already has national exposure after making $10 billion of Paycheck Protection Program loans and launching a blockchain-based real-time payments platform for cryptocurrency and

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has given conditional approval to a bank planned in Moultrie, Ga. The agency is requiring the organizers of Moultrie Bank & Trust to raise $20 million before opening, according to the Dec. 13 order. Organizers applied for deposit insurance in July. A consultant for the group said at that time that Donna Lott would serve as the bank’s CEO, while Collin Batchelor would be the

Home Bancorp in Lafayette, La., has agreed to buy Friendswood Capital in Houston. The $2.7 billion-asset Home said in a press release Wednesday that it will pay $67 million in cash for the parent of $445 million-asset Texan Bank. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter. The move makes Home’s first entry into Texas. "This merger provides Home Bancorp the opportunity to expand our geographic footprint into Texas," John Bordelon, the

Bank of the James Financial Group in Lynchburg, Va., has agreed to buy Pettyjohn, Wood, & White, a registered investment adviser in Lynchburg.  The $943 million-asset Bank of the James said in a press release Wednesday that Pettyjohn, Wood & White has more than $650 million of assets under management. The firm provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, individuals, corporations, charitable organizations and pension and profit-sharing plans. The price was not disclosed. Bunny Wood will remain

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., has agreed to buy DH Capital, an investment banking firm in New York. DH Capital, which also has an office in Boulder, Colo., serves companies in the Internet infrastructure, software and next-gen IT services, and communications sectors. The $170 billion-asset Citizens did not disclose the price it paid. DH Capital has completed more than 200 M&A transactions totaling about $35 billion in value. “The DH Capital team brings

Genesis Bank in Newport Beach, Calif., has created a program to support entrepreneurs.The $57 million-asset de novo said in a press release Wednesday that it had formed the Genesis Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship, a business accelerator and advisory division. The group will focus on accelerating entrepreneurship and growth for businesses, government and municipal entities, commercial enterprises and nonprofits. Through partnerships, Genesis would offer trust and estate planning, insurance, leadership development and

Shareholders have approved the pending sale of Pacific Enterprise Bancorp in Irvine, Calif., to of BayCom in Walnut Creek, Calif. The votes had some last-minute drama when Shaul Kopelwitz, a big Pacific Enterprise shareholder, disclosed that he would vote against the $53 million deal. He took issue with the discounted pricing of the acquisition. The $2.1 billion-asset BayCom agreed in September to buy the $647 million-asset Pacific Enterprise. BayCom said it has already