Activist investor prods Washington bank to sell

Down Range Capital Opportunity Fund is urging the board of $2.3 billion-asset Cashmere Valley Bank to find a buyer, saying its value “can only be unlocked” through a sale.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 29, 2026

PNC’s wealth unit targets mass-affluent clients with lending option

The Pittsburgh-based lender is pursuing a national identity, and national banks have put more focus on a securities-based lending-type solution in recent years, an executive said.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 29, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Banking Dive

Challenges in banking are as varied as lenders. One Alaska credit union is solving how to serve a vast rural base, while a Chicago bank anticipates the regulatory uptick that accompanies growth.

By Banking Dive staff

PNC names CISO, while Truist powers up in wealth

PNC’s new chief information security officer and Truist’s new wealth head each spent decades with, and climbed the ranks at, their prior employers.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 28, 2026

Huntington banks on fee growth amid deposit cost competition

As the regional lender’s deposit costs edge up, strong fee revenue can offset the bank’s slightly lower than expected net interest income, CFO Zach Wasserman said.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 27, 2026

Banco Popular CEO to retire

Puerto Rico’s largest lender is moving its CFO, Jorge García, into its chief executive role when Javier Ferrer exits the bank Aug. 31.

By Dan Ennis • July 27, 2026

Tasks, not customer tiers should drive bank AI use: Deloitte

Everybody needs “to be heard, comforted, educated in times of high stress,” a Deloitte consultant said. Customers who are lower on the value scale need to receive the same excellent experience “or you're going to lose them.”

By Caitlin Mullen • July 24, 2026

Alaska bank to buy Oregon lender for $167.3M

By acquiring Medford, Oregon-based People’s Bank of Commerce, Anchorage-based Northrim Bank will grow to $4.2 billion in assets and 32 branches.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 23, 2026

Black-owned banks Optus, M&F to merge

The roughly $105 million deal, set to close in the fourth quarter, will create a $1.3 billion-asset entity, the largest Black-owned bank in the country, the institutions said Wednesday.

By Dan Ennis • July 23, 2026

CBA banking school offers ‘immersive’ education for would-be execs

How one executive education program became a proving ground for the banking industry's future leaders, like Eastern Bank President Quincy Miller.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 22, 2026

Ohio’s First Financial expands Chicago footprint in $208M deal

Acquiring northwest Indiana’s Finward Bancorp would give First Financial an extra $2 billion in assets and 24 added branches around the nation’s third-largest market.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 22, 2026

How Bank of America’s rewards program courts Gen Z

The bank’s redesigned loyalty program, which made it easier to become a member, added more than 3 million customers in the seven weeks since launch.

By Kristen Doerer • July 22, 2026

Fed bans former Illinois bank exec

James Burns, a former chief lending officer, approved loans based on inflated appraisals, causing the acquirer of his employer to lose money.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 21, 2026

Ex-TD Bank employees sentenced to prison for money laundering, fraud involvement

Former TD assistant store manager Wilfredo Aquino processed bank checks totaling $92 million for money laundering network leader Da Ying Sze, in exchange for about $11,000 worth of retail gift cards.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 21, 2026

Citizens to exit agreements with CoreCivic, GEO

Citizens called the end of its relationships with the ICE contractors “a business decision” that “does not reflect any change in our view regarding these companies' business models or operations.”

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 20, 2026

Kansas’ Small Business Bank fails

The Fed last month gave the Lenexa, Kansas-based lender 30 days to increase its equity, after two previous enforcement actions. It’s the fourth bank collapse of 2026 and the second in seven days.

By Dan Ennis • July 20, 2026

Banks report operational changes driven by AI adoption

Executives at Bank of America, Citi and JPMorgan Chase highlighted the scale of ongoing AI adoption efforts and effects on operations.

By Makenzie Holland • July 20, 2026

Citizens to close about 100 in-store branches for 50 retooled ones

The stand-alone branches will give greater emphasis to advice, private banking, wealth and serving small businesses, the bank said Thursday.

By Dan Ennis • July 17, 2026

Truist’s Rogers: Lyons CEO appointment brings ‘certainty’

There was “probably a little uncertainty of my timeline,” the outgoing CEO said Friday, and naming Mike Lyons to the role provides “assurance.”

By Caitlin Mullen • July 17, 2026

State AGs blow whistle on OppFi, Enova deals

Twenty state attorneys general, led by Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, wrote a letter urging the OCC, Fed and FDIC not to approve the proposed fintech purchases of banks.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 17, 2026

OCC terminates Quontic consent order

Quontic CEO George Lazaridis said the bank viewed the remediation process “as an opportunity to strengthen the foundation of our bank.”

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 16, 2026

Former BNY exec seeks to launch community bank in Pittsburgh

Sagehaven Bancorp aims to focus on serving small and mid-market companies and mid- to high-net-worth individuals and is projected to open in April 2027.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 16, 2026

NC’s First Bank to buy SC lender for $166M

Buying Carolina Bank & Trust would add 14 branches to First Bank’s existing 113-location footprint and push the acquirer well past $13 billion in assets. The deal is set to close by the first quarter of 2027.

By Dan Ennis • July 15, 2026

Bank of America’s chatbot Erica continues to amplify digital engagement

Active users of Bank of America’s chatbot grew 23% year over year to 24.6 million.

By Kristen Doerer • July 15, 2026

Citi flags potential for more severance this year

The bank, which has reduced headcount by about 5% over the past year, is focused on finding efficiencies to fund investments, executives indicated Tuesday.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 15, 2026

First Hawaiian to buy California’s TriCo in $2B deal

The acquisition, set to close by year-end, marks a return to the mainland for the Hawaiian lender, which was once part of BNP Paribas’ U.S. network.

By Dan Ennis • July 14, 2026