ThinkTECH Accelerator Showcase: Taking Innovation to the Profitable Next Level

Mar 4, 2022
“There is only one threat, and it’s inaction,” said The Venture Center’s Wayne Miller in his opening remarks at the ThinkTECH Accelerator Showcase at ICBA LIVE. That set the tone for the session, where each fintech in the cohort presented not only their solutions but emphasized the results behind them.

How the 8-Digit BIN Standard Impacts Your Community Bank

Feb 17, 2022
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.

New Federal Reserve Papers on CBDC: Key Takeaways for Community Banks

Feb 16, 2022
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).

ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator Selection Committee: “We need to keep innovating.”

Jan 25, 2022
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 Seat at the Payments Table: How Bancard Is Working for Community Banks

Jan 24, 2022
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.

Three Reasons First-Time Registrations are Spiking for ICBA LIVE 2022

Jan 21, 2022
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.

Checklist: Questions to Ask When Integrating with Fintechs

Jan 4, 2022
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.

Why Core Providers Attend the ThinkTECH Accelerator—And Why It Matters

Jan 4, 2022
The third quarter of 2021 yielded the second-highest quarter on record for fintech financing, up 147% over the previous year. Despite this growth, a recent analysis by EY research of 45 banks working with fintechs revealed only one-quarter had deep engagement due to “barriers to collaboration.”

Is Your Community Bank Watching Social Payments? Five Questions to Guide Your Path Forward

Dec 14, 2021
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.

Putting Innovation to Work in Community Development

Dec 13, 2021
While all community banks place a firm focus on serving, when you are a CDFI, serving is at the very core of your business identity. Couple that with an increased desire to think creatively, and what you get is a new recipe for innovation.

2021: The Year of Community Bank Innovation—with More to Come

Dec 9, 2021
In the innovation world, 2021 may go down in history as the year of community bank innovation. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated challenges thrown in our path, community banks continued to meet their customers’ needs.

How and Why We’re Updating Our Twitter Strategy to Better Serve Members

Nov 24, 2021
For more than 90 years, ICBA has provided value to our membership in a wide variety of ways and places. Today, we are refocusing efforts to better serve our members on Twitter.

Seven Myths About Central Bank Digital Currencies

Nov 19, 2021
Separating fact from fiction on central bank digital currencies and a possible U.S. digital dollar can be challenging. In the latest edition of our Digital Dollar Digest series, ICBA is here to help dispel any misconceptions and debunk the most common myths.

4 Ways Community Banks Can Attract Gen Z Customers

Nov 16, 2021
With the eldest members of Gen Z clocking in at age 24, they represent a market ripe for targeting with banking services. But what they are looking for differs from what Millennials and Gen X required of community banks at the same age.

The Challenges and Risks of Smart Contracts

Nov 12, 2021
Smart contracts — blockchain-based programs that operate when predetermined conditions are met — offer potential use cases as well as risks for community banks evaluating their payments processing capabilities

Paycheck Protection Program Data Show Community Banks Served Those Most in Need

Nov 10, 2021
Paycheck Protection Program lending data continue to demonstrate that community banks are justifiably recognized as leaders of the financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reconciliation Update: IRS Reporting, Tax Hikes, and Needed Grassroots

Nov 9, 2021
Community bankers are witnessing the fruits of their labor in ICBA’s months-long campaign opposing the onerous IRS bank reporting proposal. However, the grassroots push must continue.

Three Principles to Drive Community Bank Innovation

Nov 9, 2021
For $200 million-asset First Community Bank and Trust in Beecher, Ill., having an innovation mindset means being open to explore new ways to solve for business challenges and opportunities.

Paycheck Protection Program Data Show Community Bank Pandemic Response Outperformed Larger Lenders

Nov 5, 2021
The Paycheck Protection Program offered millions of small businesses a critical financial lifeline to weather an extraordinary economic downturn engendered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Trust in Code? Smart Contracts, DeFi, and Use Cases for Community Banking

Nov 4, 2021
Smart contracts — computer programs that automatically execute specific actions — are becoming increasingly relevant to community banks. Here’s a breakdown of smart contracts and how they could ultimately serve community banks.