As more community banks engage with fintechs to support their business plans, due diligence continues to become an even bigger piece of the puzzle. While every bank is different there are several questions every community bank should consider as they enter into these agreements.

Public and regulatory expectations regarding climate change and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are rapidly changing. The largest banks have made climate commitments pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to sustainable finance.

In less than two months, the International Standards Organization (ISO) standards update for 8-digit Bank Identification Numbers, or BINs, takes effect. This new standard means that card processors must be able to accommodate and manage transactions using 8-digit BINs.

The Federal Reserve Board recently released its long-anticipated report on how the U.S. might advance towards an “age of digital transformation” with a future central bank digital currency (CBDC).

Fair Lending has always been a hot button during regulatory examinations. But with the change in administration, the CFPB has made it quite clear that fair lending will be at the forefront for the enforcement of consumer protection laws. Because of this, fair lending training is a must for the majority of bank staff.

Our Online training catalog continues to expand as we break down those long and tough regulatory compliance courses into bite-sized sections. This month we tackled the Flood Disaster Protection Act and added four new courses that detail specific parts of the law.

It’s hard to believe that we recently kicked off our fourth ThinkTECH Accelerator and even more astonishing that the caliber of companies applying to help community banks’ greatest pain points continues to improve.

A timely conversation about recruiting and retaining top bank talent in today’s competitive job market with Kim Kirk, COO of Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company; Tommy Marshall, Executive Director of Georgia Fintech Academy; and host Charles Potts, Chief Innovation Officer of Independent Community Bankers of America.

The average person spends nearly two and a half hours on social media per day, so it’s no wonder social payments have started to infiltrate the financial services industry.

With time ticking down until ICBA LIVE, schedules are solidifying, speeches are taking shape, details are firming up, and hotel rooms are filling up (not to worry, we just added more, but space is limited, so book now). The energy and momentum around coming together in San Antonio February 27 – March 3 is palpable.