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OCC approves ICBA-opposed national trust charter applications
2026-02-26 The OCC recently approved national trust charters for three crypto-focused applicants following ICBA opposition. Recent Approvals: The OCC approved national trust bank charters for:...
ICBA supports strong farm bill, opposes expansion of FCS financing
2026-02-26 ICBA said it strongly supports passage of a farm bill that protects producers, strengthens rural communities, and ensures a balanced agricultural credit system, but it opposes any...
IRS launches web page for tax fraud and scam reporting
2026-02-27 IRS launches web page for tax fraud and scam reporting The Internal Revenue Service announced the launch of a web page that allows taxpayers to confidentially report suspected tax fraud,...
Regulators tout community bank relief on Capitol Hill
During testimony at a Senate Banking Committee oversight hearing, federal banking regulators said community bank regulatory relief is a top priority. Community Bank Focus: Federal Reserve Vice...
New op-ed highlights local cost of credit union tax disparity
2026-02-27 A new op-ed in Kentucky says the state’s budget shortfall could be fixed if credit unions paid taxes like community banks. Details: In a new Bowling Green Daily News op-ed, Jim...
ICBA opposes Affirm Bank’s ILC application
ICBA opposes Affirm Bank’s ILC application 2026-02-27 ICBA and the Bank Policy Institute said the FDIC should not issue deposit insurance to Affirm Bank or any other industrial loan company...
ICBA Expresses Concerns with OCC National Trust Bank Chartering Final Rule
2026-02-27 Washington, D.C. (Feb. 27, 2026) — Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement on the Office of the Comptroller...
Check Fraud Is Rising—and Technology Debt Is Making It Worse for Community Banks
2026-03-01 Alogent_Sponsored alogent-feature-image-2000x1250.png SPONSORED | Check fraud isn’t just a crime problem—it’s a technology problem. Aging deposit systems can fuel risk, inefficiency,...
How Instant Payments Can Accelerate B2B Payments Modernization
2026-03-01 FedNow_Sponsored Fednow 2000x1250.jpeg SPONSORED | Community banks have the opportunity to provide new payment offerings, including instant payments, to help businesses move to a more...
2026 Banking Trust & Technology Outlook: What Community Bank Leaders Need to Know
Integris_Sponsored 2026-03-01 As community banks navigate 2026, one theme stands out clearly across the industry: technology is advancing faster than institutions can govern it, communicate it, or...
FinCEN: Residential real estate reporting begins
2026-03-02 The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network published a reminder that, as of March 1, select professionals involved in real estate closings and settlements are required to report...
FinCEN issues limited exemptive relief for Minnesota GTO
2026-03-02 The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued tailored exemptive relief related to the geographic targeting order imposing recordkeeping and reporting requirements on certain financial...
Agencies release Q2, Q3 CRA exam schedules
2026-03-02 The OCC and FDIC issued their lists of institutions scheduled for a Community Reinvestment Act evaluation or examination during the second and third quarters. Agencies release Q2, Q3...
ICBA offers ready-to-use March marketing tools
ICBA’s Marketing Resource Center features ready-to-use marketing tools that community bankers can use to celebrate and highlight March events. Assets: The MRC’s Monthly Content Planner for March...
Justice Department seizes $580M from crypto scammers
2026-03-02 The Justice Department’s Scam Center Task Force announced that it has seized almost $580 million from crypto scammers in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos in the past three months. Details: The...
OCC reports BankNet vulnerability
The OCC reported that its cybersecurity team last week discovered a vulnerability affecting the BankNet Portal and related OCC systems. Details: The OCC said: It took immediate action and...
FDIC approves ILC application from Edward Jones
2026-03-02 The FDIC board of directors approved the deposit insurance application submitted by the Jones Financial Companies to establish an industrial loan company called Edward Jones Bank to be...
ICBA urges Senate to include community bank provisions in housing bill
ICBA urges Senate to include community bank provisions in housing bill 2026-03-02 ICBA urged senators to include House-passed community bank provisions in the ROAD to Housing Act (S. 2651). The...
OCC releases ICBA-opposed national trust bank chartering rule
2026-03-02 After the OCC issued its final chartering rule for national trust banks, ICBA expressed significant concerns with chartering limited-purpose trust banks that engage substantially in...
ICBA Securities Selects The Baker Group as New Endorsed Provider Following Comprehensive Review
ICBA Securities Selects The Baker Group as New Endorsed Provider Following Comprehensive Review 2026-03-03 Washington, D.C. (March 3, 2026) — ICBA Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of the...
FFIEC announces updates to interest rate risk analysis web pages
2026-03-03 The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council announced updates to the Uniform Bank Performance Report’s Interest Rate Risk Analysis page. The FFIEC said the update contained...
ICBA urges OCC to adjust threshold for heightened standards proposal
ICBA urges OCC to adjust threshold for heightened standards proposal 2026-03-03 ICBA said that while it supports efforts to improve clarity and reduce unnecessary burden, the OCC’s proposal to...
ICBA LIVE’s “Anchored in Purpose” Spotlights Enduring Spirit of Community Banking
2026-03-03 ThinkTECH Showcase.jpg San Diego, Calif. (March 3, 2026)—Community bankers and industry leaders convene this week at the San Diego Convention Center for the Independent Community Bankers...
Customers Don't Care Who Built It
2026-03-01 Business Small Banking Customer Banks image9 Banks want tokenized deposits. Fintechs want stablecoins. Customers will choose what works. Banks want tokenized deposits. Fintechs want...
ICBA Taps Digital Assets Leader Wade Peery to Inform Solutions and Banker Education
ICBA has announced a consulting agreement with Wade Peery, a longtime community bank executive and digital assets expert. This strategic relationship reflects ICBA’s commitment to keeping community...
Off and Running
2026-03-03 I’m hopeful that those New Year’s Resolutions are intact and having their desired effects. In taking one more look back into 2025, it dawns on me the further we got into the year, the...
Fannie Mae provides shutdown guidance
2026-03-04 Fannie Mae published temporary guidance on selling and servicing policies that may be impacted by the partial federal government shutdown that began on Feb. 14. Details: The enterprise...
Farm bill markup continues today
Farm bill markup continues today 2026-03-04 The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to continue its markup of the farm bill (H.R. 7567) at 8 a.m. (Eastern time) today. Details: The committee...
OCC finalizes reg relief rules
2026-03-04 The OCC announced two final ICBA-supported rules to reduce the regulatory burden for community banks. Details: The OCC final rules: Rescind its Fair Housing Home Loan Data System...
ICBA Raises Deep Concerns with Master Account Approval for Kraken Financial
2026-03-04 Washington, D.C. (March 4, 2026) — Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement sharing significant concerns with...
ICBA Commends House Financial Services Committee for Advancing Main Street Capital Access Act
2026-03-04 Business Small Banking Customer Banks image13 Washington, D.C. (March 4, 2026) — The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today commended the House Financial Services...
Staying power - Fed’s balance sheet has some duration, for better or worse
2026-03-04 It appears that, assuming the nominee for the next federal reserve chairman is confirmed by the Senate, he is going to have to roll up his sleeves to achieve some of his monetary policy...
ICBA Congratulates House Agriculture Committee on Passing New Farm Bill
2026-03-05 Main Street Local Community 03 image Washington, D.C. (March 5, 2026) — Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following...
ICBA Testifies Before Congress on Helping Community Banks Fight Fraud
Washington, D.C. (March 5, 2026) — The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today testified before Congress on legislative and regulatory recommendations to help community banks combat...
Economic activity increases in recent weeks: Beige Book
2026-03-05 Economic activity increased at a slight to modest pace in more than half of the Federal Reserve Districts from early January through February, according to the latest Beige Book of...
Trump officially nominates Warsh to lead Fed
Trump officially nominates Warsh to lead Fed 2026-03-05 President Donald Trump officially nominated Kevin Warsh to serve as Federal Reserve chairman. If confirmed by the Senate, Warsh would replace...
New op-ed says it’s time to end credit unions’ tax exemption
2026-03-05 A new op-ed says ending the tax exemption for business entities such as credit unions could help solve the nation’s budget issues. Details: In The Washington Post (subscription...
ICBA raises concerns with master account approval for crypto firm
ICBA raises concerns with master account approval for crypto firm 2026-03-05 ICBA expressed significant concerns with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s approval of a master account for...
House panel advances ICBA-supported reg relief bill
2026-03-05 ICBA commended the House Financial Services Committee for voting to advance the pro-community bank Main Street Capital Access Act (H.R. 6955). Details: Sponsored by House Financial...
Agencies issues FAQs on the capital treatment of tokenized securities
Agencies issues FAQs on the capital treatment of tokenized securities 2026-03-06 The federal bank regulatory agencies issued answers to frequently asked questions on the capital treatment of...