ICBA Newsroom
The ICBA Newsroom collects and centralizes all the NewsWatch Today articles, press releases, Main Street Matters blogs, advocacy letters and other news that impacts community bankers.
FedNow delivering instant payments for disaster relief disbursements
FedNow announced that participants recently started receiving instant disaster-relief disbursements for their account holders.
September 18, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
Fed lowers interest rates by 25bp
The Federal Open Market Committee voted to lower target interest rates by 25 basis points to a range of 4.0% to 4.25%.
September 18, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
ICBA Applauds OCC for Announced Updates to Organizational Structure
ICBA today expressed its strong support for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s announcement that it will reverse its ICBA-opposed decision to merge its community, midsize, and large bank supervision functions into a single unit.
September 18, 2025 |
Press Release
OCC
ICBA Supervisory appeals reviewers should have community banking experience
ICBA told the FDIC that in revising the agency’s supervisory appeals process, the FDIC should ensure that reviewers have significant community banking experience.
September 18, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
House committee advances ICBA supported bills
The House Financial Services Committee voted to advance five ICBA-supported bills designed to support community banks.
September 17, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters
FedDetect announces new payment fraud tool
The Federal Reserve announced a new reporting feature for its FedDetect Anomaly Notification for FedACH Services, which helps financial institutions quickly address potential fraud.
September 17, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
Miran sworn in as Fed governor
The Federal Reserve announced that Stephen Miran was sworn in as a Fed governor.
September 17, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
FDIC seeking input on AML CFT compliance costs
The FDIC requested comment on a proposal to survey banks about the costs to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act and related anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism requirements.
September 16, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
ICBA supported bills slated for House committee markup today
ICBA urged the House Financial Services Committee to vote to advance several pro-community banks bills that the committee is scheduled to mark up today.
September 16, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters
Senate confirms Miran for Fed post
The Senate voted 48-47 to confirm the nomination of Stephen Miran to be a Federal Reserve governor.
September 16, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation OCC
Nacha to automate ACH audit proof process
Nacha announced that, starting next month, the process of requesting proof of an ACH Rules compliance audit will be automated through its Risk Management Portal.
September 15, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
ACH Compliance
ICBA Welcomes BankTech Ventures As Latest ThinkTECH Sponsor To Support Community Banking Innovation
The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) announced today BankTech Ventures, a leading strategic investment fund focused on financial technology companies serving community banks, is the newest sponsor for ICBA’s acclaimed ThinkTECH Accelerator and related innovation programming. The sponsorship supports ICBA’s ongoing efforts to further advance community bank innovation and foster an environment where community banks flourish.
September 15, 2025 |
Press Release
Compliance question on SAFE Act requirements
The ICBA Compliance Center Question of the Week page features a new Q&A on SAFE Act education requirements for loan originators.
September 15, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
SAFE Act
OCC, FDIC heads discuss plans for community bank relief
OCC and FDIC leaders said they plan to focus on improving the regulatory framework for community banks, including making changes to the community bank leverage ratio.
September 12, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation OCC
ICBA meets with Treasury, FHFA on ending GSE conservatorship
Senior ICBA staff this week participated in two meetings with federal officials related to getting the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, out of conservatorship.
September 11, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
ICBA Urges Congress to Ensure Deposit Insurance Reforms Enhance Small Business Coverage, Curb Favorable Too-Big-To-Fail Treatment
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today called on Congress to consider deposit insurance reforms that enhance coverage for small businesses, address the more favorable regulatory treatment the nation’s largest banks receive under the current framework, and ensure community banks are not penalized.
September 10, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters Deposit Insurance Small Business Lending
ICBA releases data showing credit union acquisitions harm communities
ICBA released the results of a new data analysis demonstrating that credit union acquisitions of community banks are harming small businesses and local communities.
September 10, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
ICBA Urges Congress to Ensure Deposit Insurance Reforms Enhance Small Business Coverage, Curb Favorable Too-Big-To-Fail Treatment
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today called on Congress to consider deposit insurance reforms that enhance coverage for small businesses, address the more favorable regulatory treatment the nation’s largest banks receive under the current framework, and ensure community banks are not penalized.
September 10, 2025 |
Press Release
Congressional Matters
New op-ed from ICBA leadership banker Ken Hale: Local communities stand to lose millions in local tax revenue
The latest op-ed from ICBA leadership community banker Ken Hale on the negative impact of the credit union tax exemption details the direct impact that credit unions purchasing banks in Louisiana will have on local governments.
September 10, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
New ICBA Analysis: Sharp Decreases in Small-Business, Mortgage Lending Follow Taxpayer-Subsidized Credit Union Acquisitions of Community Banks
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today released the results of a new data analysis demonstrating that the growth of tax-exempt credit unions acquiring tax-paying community banks is harming small businesses and local communities while community banks outperform credit unions in high-poverty areas.
September 09, 2025 |
Press Release
Credit Unions
ICBA: FinCEN should fix BSA thresholds, BOI collection
ICBA said community bankers strongly support the role of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network while recommending updates to beneficial ownership information collection and Bank Secrecy Act thresholds.
September 09, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
Treasury sanctions networks targeting Americans with cyber scams
The Treasury Department sanctioned a large network of scam centers across Southeast Asia that steal billions of dollars from Americans.
September 09, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
OCC clarifies policy on politicized or unlawful debanking
The OCC issued two bulletins clarifying its policies on politicized or unlawful debanking in accordance with last month’s executive order on ensuring fair banking for all Americans.
September 09, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
OCC
FinCEN issues guidance on cross-border information sharing
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued guidance to encourage and promote appropriate, voluntary cross-border sharing of information between and among financial institutions, including appropriate foreign financial institutions.
September 08, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
ICBA-supported bill restricting mortgage ‘trigger leads’ signed into law
President Donald Trump signed into law the bipartisan Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act, ICBA-supported legislation that will help protect the financial privacy of mortgage applicants.
September 08, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Mortgage Lending Federal Housing Finance Agency
SEC forms cross-border task force to combat fraud
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the formation of a task force that it said will strengthen and enhance efforts to identify and combat cross-border fraud harming U.S. investors.
September 08, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Fraud
ICBA, other groups call on Congress to renew cybersecurity law
ICBA and other groups called on Congress to extend the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act before its Sept. 30 expiration date, saying that failure to do so would impede public-private sector coordination during cyberattacks and weaken the nation’s cyber defenses.
September 05, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
ICBA Applauds Signing of Law to Restrict Mortgage ‘Trigger Leads’
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today applauded President Trump for signing into law the bipartisan Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 2808), which will help protect the financial privacy of mortgage applicants.
September 05, 2025 |
Press Release
Congressional Matters Mortgage Rules
CISA, partners release software guidance
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, National Security Agency, and 19 international partners released a software bill of materials for cybersecurity.
September 04, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
House panel passes ICBA-supported cybersecurity bill
The House Homeland Security Committee unanimously passed the Widespread Information Management for the Welfare of Infrastructure and Government Act (H.R. 5079), ICBA-supported legislation that aims to modernize and extend the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015.
September 04, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters Cybersecurity
CFPB confirms plan to issue new rule on 1071
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reiterated that the agency’s new leadership has directed staff to initiate a new Section 1071 rulemaking.
September 03, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
ICBA honors National Community Bank Service Award recipients
ICBA announced the winners of the 2025 National Community Bank Service Awards in recognition of the creative and exemplary efforts of the nation’s community banks to help their local communities.
September 03, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Philly Fed updates confidence scam information
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia details types of confidence scams in the Fed’s latest Consumer Compliance Outlook.
September 03, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
FDIC removes disparate impact references from exam manual
The FDIC announced that it will evaluate potential discrimination under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Fair Housing Act only through evidence of disparate treatment.
September 02, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
ICBA 2025 National Community Bank Service Award Recipients Honored for Efforts to Create Resilient Communities
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today announced the winners of its 2025 National Community Bank Service Awards, recognizing the innovative and exceptional efforts of the nation’s community banks to support and uplift local communities. Stories are featured in the September issue of ICBA's Independent Banker magazine.
September 02, 2025 |
Press Release
ICBA: Latest credit union acquisition fueled by tax exemption
Following the latest acquisition of a community bank by a tax-exempt credit union, ICBA said the deal demonstrates why the growing skepticism of credit union tax and regulatory exemptions must evolve into policymaker action.
September 02, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
OCC decreases assessment rates
The OCC announced a decrease in assessment rates for the Sept. 30 semiannual assessment that will apply to all OCC-regulated institutions—its fifth decrease in assessments since 2017.
September 02, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
OCC
Yes, You CAN Offer Government-Guaranteed Lending Without Burdening Staff
SPONSORED | Government-guaranteed lending isn’t just smart—it’s essential for community banks looking to serve more local businesses, add non-interest income, and stay competitive. See how the right qualified Lender Service provider can help—without burdening your team.
September 01, 2025 |
Independent Banker
Lending
Q&A: Growth-Related Challenges for the Evolving Community Bank
Whether growing organically or through mergers and acquisitions, even positive change can present challenges. We talked to two community bankers about considerations and issues they’ve noticed as their banks have grown.
September 01, 2025 |
Independent Banker
Growing the Community
Rob Birgfeld: Amplify Community Banking With Local Influencers
Influencer marketing doesn’t have to target social media stars with millions of followers. It can start at a local level, with community banks reaching out to trusted individuals known within the community.
September 01, 2025 |
Independent Banker
Growing the Community
Independent Banker
Independent Banker is the award-winning monthly member publication of ICBA. Continually rated the best news source by community bankers, IB provides timely, relevant information and insights to help community banks continue to flourish.
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