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ICBAs Reimagined ThinkTECH Accelerator to Support Year-Round Programming
Bob Dylan once said, “There is nothing so stable as change,” and I have found that to be true, particularly as we look to embrace modern technologies and the companies that enable them.
Community Bankers Prepare for Cyber Risks with CISA/ICBA Tabletop Exercises
It comes as no surprise that cybersecurity tops community bankers’ list of risk concerns. In fact, cybersecurity ranks higher than government regulation, the cost and availability of labor, and...
Innovating on Customer Behaviors: The Case for Credit and Debit Rewards Programs
The first half of 2022 has pointed to a return to pre-pandemic behaviors. In fact, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that in the first quarter of 2022 credit card balances have risen...
Striking the Right Balance: Innovation in Ag Banking
As the leading providers of agricultural loans, community banks make up 80 percent of all financing to agriculture, and opportunities exist to extend that support.
Is professional development the key to recruiting and retention in today's tight labor market?
The current worker shortage is creating real economic impacts across all industries. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are 3.4 million fewer Americans working today compared to...
Zelle Fraud: How Community Banks Can Respond to This Cautionary Tale
In 2020, nearly 18 million Americans were defrauded via digital wallets and person-to-person (P2P) services, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. With numbers like that, P2P solutions like...
Three Take-Aways for Community Banks from the VenCent Summit
The Venture Center, ICBA’s leadership bankers, and our ThinkTECH Accelerator cohorts demonstrated the importance of community bank-fintech collaborations at the VenCent Summit. It was an...
How Federal Regulators Can Avoid Penalizing Community Banks for Economic Measures Taken During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The consequences of uncoordinated regulatory standards at the federal level are creating an artificial problem at the local level, potentially endangering many community banks’ ability to lend to...
How Community Banks Can Leverage Strong Multifactor Authentication to Fend off Hackers
In the first half of 2022, there were 817 data breaches in the U.S., and combined with data leaks, they impacted more than 53 million people. These are alarming numbers, but they could have been...
Three Financial Technology Trends Community Banks Should Consider for 2023
When I attended FinovateFall in September, I was struck by its palpable energy. Not only was it the most attended Finovate to date, it was a collaborative conference, converting what had once felt...
Six Steps to Your Bank’s Digital Payments Transformation
To support community banks in establishing concrete next steps for their digital transformation efforts, ICBA Bancard has developed the report, “Digital Transformation: The Payments Business Model.”
How ICBA’s Investments in Innovation Are Paying Off for Community Banks
Just shy of a year ago, ICBA announced its role as one of the general partners and investment committee members in a strategic investment fund designed to accelerate technology opportunities and...
Ten ICBA Innovation Milestones for 2022
We have previously called 2021 a year of innovation, but there’s no doubt that ICBA doubled down on its position throughout 2022 to ensure that innovation is accessible, affordable, and attainable...
From the CEO: ICBA and Community Bankers Stand Together in 2022
As we near the waning days of another thrilling and unforgettable year, I remain awed by the endless energy and devotion community bankers dedicate to serving as effective advocates in Washington.
Five New Sessions to Advance Your Digital Transformation - ICBA ThinkTECH Innovation Series: Digital Transformation Demystified
Digital customer engagement has risen as a top priority for financial institutions in 2023, according to new research from Anna Kooi, financial services industry leader at Wipfli LLP, a top...
How to Dive into Innovation in 2023
When it comes to innovation, big picture ideas crystalize into concrete plans. Having the vision and enthusiasm for fresh solutions is just the start and drives the community bank journey to...
National Campaign Videos Connect with Target Audience
Video assets were one of the most significant production investments ICBA made for the ICBA National Campaign — an effort to elevate community banking in the hearts and minds of America’s consumers.
Building a Concrete Roadmap for Your Digital Transformation
According to a recent survey, 99.8 percent of community bankers feel the adoption of new or emerging technologies to meet customer demand is at least somewhat important, with 64.7 percent labeling...
ICBA Continues Fighting to Differentiate Community Banks from Large, Risky Bank Closures
ICBA and community banks have been on a rollercoaster since the March 10 failure of Silicon Valley Bank, but we have once again proven to be strong and resilient.
Digital Dollar Design Specifics Community Bankers Should Know
Digital Dollar Design Specifics Community Bankers Should Know As the globe focuses on the rise of digital assets, the Federal Reserve is cautiously weighing whether to build a central bank digital...
ICBA Launches New Solutions Directory to Better Support Community Bank Innovation Needs
ICBA has launched an enhanced version of our Solutions Directory, which in addition to providing useful fintech-related company information, serves as a one-stop shop for community bank enabling...
Myth Busting: 3 Truths About FedNow
Instant payments have arrived. In the five years since the launch of the RTP Network, volumes have steadily increased by more than 10 percent per quarter, and in Q3 2022, the network moved 45...
Why Community Banks Should Urge the CFPB to Update TRID Mortgage Disclosures
After several years of community banker engagement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the bureau has released for public comment an ICBA proposal to improve mortgage disclosures...
ThinkTECH Accelerator: Evolving to Address Market Pressures and Community Bank Needs
As news outlets continue to report on the demise of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the broader implications for the industry, it bears repeating that not all banks are equal. Community banks are...
LIBOR Transition Heats Up for Community Banks as Deadline Nears
LIBOR Transition Heats Up for Community Banks as Deadline Nears With the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, set to be largely discontinued in a few months, federal regulators are increasingly...
Faster Payments Have Arrived — Now What About Competition, Fraud, and Strategy? Part 2
Here's part two of a continuing conversation on faster payments, diving into Same Day ACH, competition, fraud, and strategic vision.
Community Banks Leading with an Innovation Mindset
In a recent interview, the Luray, Va.-based community bank quickly pointed out that innovation is not as much about the technology investment as it is about the cultural one.
All Eyes on Stablecoin: Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies
With the recent stablecoin surge raising risks for consumers and the financial system, regulators and Congress are increasingly concerned about the risks these digital currencies pose.
Reaching out to Unbanked and Underbanked Hispanic Customers
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, community bankers continue to discuss new ways of reaching out to the Hispanic community in their local areas and offer tips to connect with this diverse...
Key Take-Aways from Federal Reserve Report on Community Bank Innovation
High-tech, high touch. That phrase has been a rallying cry for community banks for years, emphasizing the blending of the relationship banking model with the technology fueling today’s digital era....
Continuing Your Community Bank’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Journey
A new educational webinar series hosted by ICBA and Jackson Lewis starts tomorrow. This series will provide greater insights into both the why and how behind diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
4 Ways to Increase the Impact of Your Customer Feedback
4 Ways to Increase the Impact of Your Customer Feedback Testimonials have long been a crux of an effective communications effort in helping to articulate and demonstrate a community bank’s value...
What Decentralized Finance Means for Community Banks
What Decentralized Finance Means for Community Banks As discussed in ICBA’s first Crypto Chronicles blog post, cryptocurrency emerged from Satoshi Nakamoto’s desire to create a “purely peer-to-peer...
Why Community Banks Should Play an Important Intermediary Role with a CBDC
Why Community Banks Should Play an Important Intermediary Role with a CBDC While policy and technology questions continue to be debated around the digital dollar, the vital role that community...
Stablecoin Surge Raises Consumer and Systemic Risks
In the months since our Crypto Chronicles series began, stablecoins have become a hot topic due to an incredible surge in activity—and affiliated risk.
5 Ways Community Banks Can Manage the Card Chip Shortage
A semiconductor chip shortage has emerged as a real challenge for banks. Industries from automobile manufacturing to consumer electronics have been reporting issues for months, and now the effects...
ICBA campaign opposing new bank IRS reporting generates passionate consumer response
ICBA has for months strongly objected to a Washington proposal that would require financial institutions to report information on customer bank accounts to the IRS, which Congress could soon pass...
Community Bank Resources to Help Customers Bounce Back from Natural Disasters
As National Crisis Preparedness Month draws to a close, ICBA continues to reinforce the importance of proper preparedness to combat unforeseen natural disasters and keep local banks and communities...
Where Does the U.S. Stack Up in the Race for a Central Bank Digital Currency?
As more people chase the unregulated crypto market of rising stablecoins, an emerging shadow bank ecosystem threatens community banks’ business models.
Encore Bank Shares Tips for Connecting with Underserved Hispanic Groups
Miguel Lopez, senior vice president and chief community outreach officer at the Little Rock, Ark.-based Encore Bank, shares some tips for reaching out to the Hispanic community in your local area.