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.
ICBA s unique call for 1033 community bank exemption makes headlines
ICBA’s unique call for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to exempt community banks from its 1033 rule—and big banks’ opposition to a community bank exemption—is making news.
November 06, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
ICBA signals support for FHFA strategic plan
ICBA said it supports U.S. Federal Housing’s plan to focus on safety and soundness of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks while emphasizing the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and maintaining the enterprises’ mission to foster a liquid, efficient, resilient, and competitive housing finance system.
November 06, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
FHLB
In meeting ICBA urges Fed to rescind debit interchange proposal
ICBA and other groups met with Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran and reiterated that the Fed’s November 2023 debit interchange proposal should be rescinded.
November 06, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
ICBA announces opposition to Coinbase's charter application
ICBA announced its opposition to Coinbase’s application for a national trust bank charter for its subsidiary, Coinbase National Trust Co.
November 05, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
OCC
Treasury sanctions North Korean institutions involved in cybercrime
The Treasury Department sanctioned eight North Korean individuals and two entities for their role in laundering funds derived from a variety of illicit schemes, including cybercrime and information technology worker fraud.
November 05, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
Audit finds CFPB s information security is not effective
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of the Inspector General released an audit that found the bureau’s information security program is no longer effective.
November 05, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
ICBA Urges OCC to Deny Coinbase s Application for a National Trust Bank Charter
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to reject Coinbase’s application for a national trust bank charter for its subsidiary, Coinbase National Trust Co. (CNTC).
November 04, 2025 |
Press Release
OCC
ICBA urges OCC to deny Coinbase s national trust bank charter application
ICBA urged the OCC to deny Coinbase’s application for a national trust bank charter for its subsidiary, Coinbase National Trust Co.
November 04, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
OCC
Bank financial officers report tighter standards for commercial industrial loans
Respondents to the Federal Reserve’s latest survey of senior financial officers shared their opinions on the standards and terms on, and demand for, bank loans to businesses and households over the past three months.
November 04, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
ICBA Urges OCC to Deny Coinbase’s Application for a National Trust Bank Charter
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to reject Coinbase’s application for a national trust bank charter for its subsidiary, Coinbase National Trust Co. (CNTC).
November 04, 2025 |
Press Release
FS-ISAC: North Korean criminals using new fraud technique
North Korean threat actors are leveraging a new technique to get victims to click on malicious links, the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center said in its latest weekly risk summary.
November 03, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Fraud
Treasury secretary, senator: It’s time to empower community banks
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said empowering community banks to succeed is essential to driving economic growth in America.
November 03, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
Court sides with Fed to reject master account access from nonbank entities
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit sided with the Federal Reserve, ICBA, and other groups by rejecting Custodia Bank’s argument that it should be granted automatic master account access because it holds a state charter.
November 03, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
Strategic Loan Modifications That Work
When a customer gets into trouble with loan payments, a modification is sometimes the easiest way to help them get back on track.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Lending
Evaluating Credit Card Rewards in Modern Banking
Younger generations prefer debit to credit, but consumers’ appetite for card rewards is still strong. Learn how your community bank can integrate rewards as part of its payments strategy.
November 03, 2025 |
News
The Anatomy of a Rate-Cut Cycle
Examine the current Fed cycle versus the past to inform portfolio strategy.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Growing the Community
Succession Planning Essentials for Family Banks
Creating succession plans for family-owned community banks can be complicated in all sorts of ways, but having hard conversations and setting goals will ensure your family’s pride and joy will continue for years to come.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Making Homeownership Achievable, Together
Prospective homebuyers today might feel like the odds are stacked against them as they face increasing costs, market challenges and other socioeconomic barriers. To help them break through, community banks across the country are stepping up with personalized solutions and initiatives built upon their expertise.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Lending
Understanding the Opportunities and Concerns for Agentic AI
Whenever a new technology comes on the market, community banks must gauge whether its potential uses are worthy of the hype and investment. Here’s what you need to know about the newest form of AI, known as agentic AI.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Payments
Up-and-Coming Bank Technology: Separating Innovation from Hype
Community bankers, fintech experts and consultants alike are keeping their finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest technology—with the goal of understanding what’s useful and what’s all hype. Assessing the hottest new banking technology and how they’ve personally seen it used, here’s what they had to say.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Payments
Community State Bank Brews Up Coffee and Community
Community State Bank and Shepherds College united to create Shepherds Community Café, a donation-based coffee shop that fosters occupational experience for students with different needs.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Streamlining Social Media for Community Banks
Don’t have a dedicated social media person? No problem. New tools and an inclusive approach make your community bank’s social presence simpler to establish and maintain.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Growing the Community
Out of Office: John and Lou Buhrmaster
John Buhrmaster, chief executive officer at $700 million-asset 1st National Bank of Scotia in Scotia, New York, shares how he and his father, chairman Lou Buhrmaster, have a unique connection to vintage taxi cabs—one that once saved their bank.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Rising Concerns Over National Bank Trust Charters
“Trust banks are not required to meet the same kinds of regulatory and capital standards that apply to federally insured full-service banks.”
November 03, 2025 |
News
Ozark Bank Offers Custom Solutions for Nonprofit Partners
From lease-purchase solutions to crisis support, Ozark Bank shows how tailored financial services help local nonprofits and municipalities thrive.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Lending
Powering Potential: Maximize Your Social Media Impact
ICBA’s marketing resources, education programs and compliance tools provide community bankers with strategic social media solutions and regulatory guidance to amplify their online presence.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Growing the Community
Safeguarding Borrower Data
The HPPA curbs trigger leads and reinforces the trust at the heart of community banking.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Advocacy
BayCoast Bank Helps Craft a Playhouse Fit for a Princess
In June 2023, BayCoast Bank in Swansea, Massachusetts, joined forces with a network of community partners to create a playhouse for a young girl with life-limiting medical challenges.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Digital Banking for the Modern Age
“With core providers more open to fintech integrations, we can cast a larger net around the products and services that address a strategic need.”
November 03, 2025 |
News
Customer Experience Through Strategic Innovation
Recent research from FICO shows that 88% of bank customers say experience is as important as or more important than products and services.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Payments
Managing Third-Party Fintech Risk
No matter how much effort your community bank puts into compliance, a third party can still put the bank at risk. Learn how to keep partners in check and ensure they’re compliant with regulations, too.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Personalization Strategies, Driven by Community Bank Data
By exploring and analyzing data-driven customer insights, community banks can enhance their personalization efforts to deliver proactive solutions with enhanced trust.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Compliance
Inviting Questions to Spark Better Conversations
We all know how powerful curiosity can be. Every great leader knows that inviting feedback and questions from their team can be a highly collaborative and productive process. However, the ways in which we solicit questions can vary—as can the results.
November 03, 2025 |
News
Free IT Assessment for Banks—Limited-Time Offer
SPONSORED | Banks: Get a free, expert-led IT assessment covering firewalls, MFA, email security, and more. Reduce risk, boost compliance, and plan for growth. Offer ends December 31, 2025. See if you qualify today.
November 01, 2025 |
News
Compliance
Strengthening Franchise Value: Community Banks’ Growing Use of Reciprocal Deposits
SPONSORED | Why are community bankers increasing their use of reciprocal deposits? In an environment where deposit competition is intensifying and customer concerns about deposit safety remain top of mind, reciprocal deposits have emerged as a vital tool for community banks.
November 01, 2025 |
News
Payments
Fraud Moves Fast. Are You Keeping Up?
SPONSORED | Bad actors are organized and interconnected, but the systems meant to stop them are often fragmented and siloed. Fraud flows across entire financial ecosystems. Without a unified approach, you risk operating with the same limited visibility that fraudsters exploit.
November 01, 2025 |
News
Compliance
ICBA Applauds Circuit Court Ruling Upholding Fed Discretion Over Master Account Access
The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) today applauded the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit affirming the Federal Reserve’s authority to deny Custodia Bank’s application for a master account.
October 31, 2025 |
Press Release
Federal Reserve Government Banks
Fed’s Bowman prioritizes outreach to community banks
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said she continues to prioritize community bank outreach to ensure their voice is part of agency efforts to shape a new regulatory framework.
October 31, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
CISA, NSA share Microsoft server security best practices
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, National Security Agency, and international cybersecurity released Microsoft Exchange Server Security Best Practices, a guide to help network defenders harden on-premises Exchange servers against exploitation by malicious actors.
October 31, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
FDIC’s Hill: Deposit insurance reform could boost confidence
FDIC Acting Chairman Travis Hill said deposit insurance reform could strengthen depositor confidence.
October 31, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
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 3.75% to 4.0%.
October 30, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
Court halts 1033 rule compliance deadline
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky stayed the compliance deadline for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Section 1033 rule.
October 30, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
ICBA, others: Interest rate cap bill would hurt consumers’ access to credit
ICBA and other groups expressed opposition to the Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act (S. 2781), which would institute new government price controls for consumer loans, diminishing access to credit for individuals and small-business owners.
October 29, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Lending
ICBA supports Travis Hill for FDIC chairman
ICBA encouraged senators to advance the nomination of FDIC Acting Chairman Travis Hill to serve as FDIC chairman.
October 29, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
House Democrats express support for CDFI Fund
A group of 120 House Democrats urged the Trump administration to protect the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, saying its work is vital in supporting families, businesses, and communities that rely on this source of economic empowerment.
October 29, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
CDFI
ICBA Supports Nomination of Travis Hill for FDIC Chairman
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today encouraged Senate Banking Committee members to advance the nomination of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Acting Chairman Travis Hill to serve as FDIC chairman.
October 28, 2025 |
Press Release
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
ICBA calls for unified AI regulations
ICBA called on the White House to harmonize the regulatory framework for artificial intelligence to address ambiguities inhibiting AI adoption.
October 28, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Artificial Intellegence
OCC proposes rescinding recovery planning guidelines for large banks
The OCC proposed rescinding its recovery planning guidelines for certain large banks.
October 28, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
OCC
Fed seeks comments on annual stress test
The Federal Reserve requested comment on proposals to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its annual stress test for large banks.
October 27, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
Social Security benefits to increase 2.8% next year
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments for more than 75 million Americans will increase by 2.8% in 2026, according to the Social Security Administration. SSA said that, on average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting in January.
October 27, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Government Banks
ICBA calls on policymakers to end government shutdown
With the ongoing government shutdown threatening to harm local economic growth, ICBA encouraged all sides to work together to reopen the government.
October 27, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Government Banks
ICBA-backed letter to support CDFIs signed by 105 members of Congress
A group of 105 Republican senators and representatives strongly urged the Trump administration to continue carrying out the statutory obligations of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
October 24, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters
Senate panel touts support for bill to raise CTR, SAR thresholds
The Senate Banking Committee published public support from ICBA and other groups for a bill to raise currency transaction reporting and Suspicious Activity Reporting thresholds.
October 24, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters
ICBA Statement on Ending Government Shutdown
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) issued the following statement on the federal government shutdown.
October 24, 2025 |
Press Release
Government Banks
ICBA pushes deregulation in EGRPRA comments
ICBA called on federal banking regulators in the Trump administration to continue advancing ICBA’s deregulatory recommendations via the latest Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act review.
October 24, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
EGRPRA s.2155
ICBA releases principles for deposit insurance reform to focus policy debate
With lawmakers deliberating deposit insurance reform proposals, ICBA this week released recommended principles to inform the debate.
October 23, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Deposit Insurance
ICBA Education releases 2026 seminar schedule
ICBA Education has announced preliminary dates for its 2026 certification institutes, seminars, and forums. While registration is not yet open, the schedule offers a first look at next year’s training opportunities.
October 23, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Senators call for moratorium on ILC approvals
Two Democratic senators called on the FDIC to halt industrial loan company charter approvals until Congress passes a law defining ILCs as banks.
October 23, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Fed’s Waller proposes ‘skinny master account’
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said the Fed should explore the idea of a “skinny master account.”
October 22, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Reserve
ICBA unveils principles for deposit insurance reform
With lawmakers deliberating deposit insurance reform proposals, ICBA released recommended principles to inform the debate.
October 22, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Deposit Insurance
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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