Main Street Matters Blog

Following President Donald Trump’s signing of a new law on stablecoins—the GENIUS Act—on July 18, it is essential that the nation’s community bankers understand what it means for our industry, how ICBA has helped shape stablecoin policy, and the path forward as we face the challenges and opportunities this new law presents.

On the heels of our recent Capital Summit, in which hundreds of community bankers traveled to Washington to meet with policymakers, it is worth pausing to reflect on our successes as well as the many advocacy priorities we continue to advance under our ambitious “Repair, Reform, and Thrive” plan.

While it will possibly take months and even the rest of the year to see the full shakeout, April 2025 was a laboratory for market efficiency. Some might contend there was an element of ruthlessness in the activity. Starting even before the Trump administration’s trade policy tariffs went into effect on April 2, the “Bond Vigilantes,” a nebulous gang of institutional debt investors, started shooting up the place.

In today’s challenging labor market, competitive compensation and benefits packages are crucial to securing and retaining top performers. Whether you're a CEO planning for the bank’s long-term growth, a CFO managing the bottom line, or an HR leader filling a key role, tapping into reliable compensation data is essential.

Innovation never stops, but regulatory considerations can impede progress if not properly accounted for and managed. That’s why it’s crucial to create dedicated spaces where innovators, regulators, and policymakers can form a brain trust to address technology adoption challenges in the financial industry.

The Treasury yield curve is a critical financial indicator that depicts the relationship between interest rates and the maturity dates of U.S. government debt. Typically, the yield curve slopes upward, reflecting higher yields for long-term securities compared to short-term ones.

With the Federal Reserve rescheduling until July 14 the Fedwire Funds Service’s conversion to the ISO 20022 message format, community banks have four extra months to ensure they are ready. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to help ensure a successful transition.

With a new Congress and administration arriving in Washington, ICBA and the nation’s community banks face a momentous opportunity to make significant changes to a regulatory system that is flat-out broken.

Most representatives of the broker-dealer industry have been suggesting to their customers, especially community banks, that their collection of bonds could be situated to perform pretty well in 2025.

As the number of acquisitions of community banks by credit unions skyrocketed at a shocking rate in 2024, ICBA has rightfully sounded the alarm to legislators and regulators. As a community banker, an S Corporation bank leader, and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) bank owner, this issue presents a real and present danger to my community and local communities nationwide.