Warren, Sanders skewer bank CEOs over dividends

The Senate Democrats asked the leaders of the six largest U.S.-based GSIBs how much each could increase lending capacity or reduce interest rates for borrowers if shareholder returns remained steady.

PNC to acquire FirstBank in $4.1B deal

The move would triple PNC’s presence in Colorado and boost its Arizona footprint by more than a dozen branches, the bank said.

Dive Deposits: Cook mortgage drama takes a back seat for a day

Lawyers for the beleaguered Fed governor and President Donald Trump both expanded on their arguments while a nominee for a different central bank seat took the spotlight.

SEC closes Swedbank investigation after 6 years

Probes by the Justice Department and New York’s financial regulator remain amid alleged money laundering issues tied to the Swedish lender.

Banks seek to reconcile AI governance gaps

Financial sector IT leaders struggle to reduce adoption risks and strengthen governance, according to a FICO and Corinium Global Intelligence study.

Citi, BNY, UBS and others see $8.3M in CFTC penalties

The settlements come amid a “sprint” to resolve nonfraud allegations – including a throwback to Biden-era off-channel communications issues. The regulator has one remaining commissioner.

Central Florida de novo targets early 2026 opening

The group behind prospective lender Portrait Bank has submitted regulatory applications and increased its capital target based on strong response, said Erik Weiner, who will serve as CEO and president.

Deutsche Bank doubles down on net-zero commitment

In an updated transition plan, the German lender said it will uphold its climate targets as they are “part of a prudent risk management practice as well as a business opportunity.”

Revolut names ex-SocGen CEO as Western Europe chair

The British neobank has snapped up a number of former SocGen personnel and is now in the process of building out its Western Europe bank, headquartered in SocGen’s hometown, Paris.

Trump nominee Miran calls Fed independence ‘critical’

In testimony, Stephen Miran pledged not to be President Donald Trump's "puppet," but drew flak from Democrats for saying he would return to his White House post after a potential Fed term expires.

Updated Sept. 5, 2025

BNY offers cyber, AI training for community bankers

The program is set to address cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics – topics that came up in a survey of community bankers BNY fielded last year.

JPMorgan to launch digital retail bank in Germany in 2026

Germany will be the Wall Street bank’s second European retail market after entering the U.K. in 2021.

FNB dives deeper into the Southeast

First National Bank aims to add more branches in North and South Carolina, joining a growing list of banks doubling down on their presence in the region.

Kansas bank to broach Nebraska in $122.8M deal

Equity Bancshares’ merger with Frontier Holdings, set to close in the fourth quarter, is expected to bolster the Wichita lender’s footprint with seven added locations, along with $1.4 billion in new assets.

JPMorgan Chase’s ‘small bites’ approach to growth pays off

The largest U.S. lender is closely tracking customer migration as it maps out where to add more branches, its Southeast consumer-banking lead says.

U.S. Bank revives bitcoin custody

The Minneapolis-based lender paused its bitcoin custody offering in 2022, but “enhanced regulatory clarity” has brought the service back to life, an executive said.

Fed’s Cook defends mortgage details

Lawyers argued the government was aware — before the central bank official was nominated — of the “inconsistencies” that prompted President Donald Trump to fire her.

Gemini IPO aims for $2.2B valuation

The crypto exchange plans to sell 16.67 million shares at between $17 and $19 each in the offering, and expects to list on Nasdaq under the ticker GEMI.

Figure eyes $4.13B valuation in IPO

The blockchain startup and certain investors aim to sell more than 26 million shares at $18 to $20 each. The company outlined go-public plans during the same week as crypto exchange Gemini and BNPL provider Klarna.

HSBC US CEO leaves for Deutsche Bank

Lisa McGeough took the helm of the British lender’s U.S. operations in January. Jason Henderson, deputy head of U.S. banking at HSBC, has stepped into McGeough’s former role.

Morgan Stanley wants Fed to lower its stress capital buffer

The request comes a year after Goldman Sachs successfully petitioned the central bank to reduce its stress capital buffer.

Cook hearing ends with no ruling

A judge in the dispute over the alleged firing of the Fed governor by President Donald Trump grilled lawyers on each side over the notions of cause, notice and due process.

Illinois credit union to buy bank; NCUA closes Maryland credit union

Fewer CU-bank deals have been announced in 2025, and the NCUA has been plagued with changes.

JPMorgan Chase flags end of government checks

The bank says it’s striving to make branch customers aware of the federal government’s plan to stop sending paper checks Sept. 30.