The regulatory environment is changing daily. Proposed rules are often stalled and no longer move forward to finalization. Even when rules are finalized, they may be rescinded shortly after. This constant back and forth makes it hard to know which rules to follow. At ICBA we work diligently to ensure that our training is up to date with the current requirements.

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.

As the economic landscape continues to shift rapidly, the ability to navigate unforeseen macroeconomic changes is essential for a bank’s long-term success and the preservation of franchise value.

It’s not news that the number and severity of natural disasters in the U.S. has been increasing significantly in recent years. These events can be personally and economically devastating to local communities, and it’s important that community banks are prepared to help both themselves and the people they serve.

The community banking industry is undergoing a significant digital transformation. While large financial institutions have long used data analytics to drive customer engagement, community banks are now recognizing the value and importance of leveraging information and data to strengthen relationships with their customers.

On April 6, 2025, the Online Course Learning Management System was upgraded. Now, when learners open a multi-module course, the first course will automatically launch. This includes certificate programs.

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.

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. You can be forgiven for rolling your eyes if you’ve heard this.

One of financial institutions’ biggest concerns when considering digital tools such as artificial intelligence, automation, or data platforms is verifying your institution and customer data remain secure. The trust needed with your vendors and platforms require much more diligence, awareness, and monitoring than when you favored an on-premises infrastructure where your team managed the controls, patching, user access, provisioning, and configuration.

Did you know that when a learner completes a course and passes the test, they can review the questions they answered correctly and view the correct answer for any they missed?

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.

ICBA stives to provide best-in-class training for community banks. We want to be sure we have what you need as well as what you want. We would appreciate it if you could take two minutes to answer seven questions. We will use this information to plan future online courses and system features.

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.

While we in the financial services sector start thinking about monetary policy in the coming year, there’s a new wrinkle to consider. Many Fed-watchers, rate prognosticators, economists and even investors had been betting on substantially lower rates in 2025 for many months.

Hackers are leveraging emerging technology to find vulnerabilities in systems once thought impossible to exploit. As a technological renaissance pushes new methods of convenience and optimization, it’s crucial to remain vigilant in a continuously changing setting.

Recently, a board chair described to us his approach toward managing his board of directors and how he strives to improve overall corporate governance for the organization by focusing on “the three E’s.” By this, he meant that they ask directors to focus on board engagement, education, and evaluation.