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Tackling Familiar Cyber Threats with Smarter Tools
Cyber attack methods remain the same, but they’re being supercharged by AI and other technological capabilities.
How Each Bank Department Contributes to a Core Conversion
Core conversions are a huge undertaking, which is why every bank employee, from IT to HR, plays a critical role in the transition.
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.
Strengthening Franchise Value: Community Banks’ Growing 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.
Understanding the Opportunities and Concerns for Agentic AI
Here’s what you need to know about the newest form of AI, known as agentic AI.
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.
Translating industry complexity into competitive advantages for community banks: Introducing Chrissy Ahern
Translating industry complexity into competitive advantages for community banks: Introducing Chrissy Ahern Get to know the staff members that support your bank and its payments business. We’re here...
ICBA asks court to reverse decision on debit card interchange fee case
ICBA asks court to reverse decision on debit card interchange fee case ICBA and other groups asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a North Dakota district court’s decision holding...
ICBA opposes Trump call to cap credit card rates at 10%
ICBA opposes Trump call to cap credit card rates at 10% ICBA and other groups expressed opposition to President Donald Trump’s call for a temporary 10% cap on credit card interest rates. Trump...
Romero Rainey urges stablecoin outreach ahead of markup this week
Romero Rainey urges stablecoin outreach ahead of markup this week With the Senate Banking Committee negotiating digital asset market structure legislation ahead of a markup set for this week, ICBA...
Banking and Credit Union Groups: Credit Card Mandate Would Harm Consumers and Small Businesses
Banking and Credit Union Groups: Credit Card Mandate Would Harm Consumers and Small Businesses Washington, D.C. (Jan. 13, 2026) — Following the Administration’s comments in support for the...
ICBA urges market structure grassroots, pushes back on credit card proposals
ICBA urges market structure grassroots, pushes back on credit card proposals ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey urged community bankers to continue contacting their members of Congress on...
ACH Network sees volume and value increases in 2025, Q4
ACH Network sees volume and value increases in 2025, Q4 The ACH Network showed gains in Same Day and standard ACH during 2025 and the fourth quarter, according to Nacha. Highlights: Full-year ACH...
G20 meetings to cover digital assets, cross-border payments, and fraud/scams
G20 meetings to cover digital assets, cross-border payments, and fraud/scams The Treasury Department announced the G20 Finance Track meetings for 2026, which include an emphasis on digital assets,...
Ways to Improve Community Bank Credit Card Risk Management
Ways to Improve Community Bank Credit Card Risk Management Financial fraud is evolving rapidly. As more consumers turn to online shopping, bill pay, mobile banking, and person-to-person payments,...
ICBA to participate in panels at EGRPRA meeting this month
ICBA to participate in panels at EGRPRA meeting this month ICBA will be participating in two panels during this month’s Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act outreach meeting in...
Strategies for Maximizing Debit Card Use
Strategies for Maximizing Debit Card Use We’ve come a long way since ATM cards launched at our bank in 1982: Now, debit cards are the payment of choice We’ve come a long way since ATM cards...
Debit as a Relationship Asset: Regulatory Developments Community Banks Should Watch
Debit as a Relationship Asset: Regulatory Developments Community Banks Should Watch With more than 100.7 billion transactions processed in 2023 alone—up from 37 billion in 2009—debit represents...
Why Banks Should Focus on Board Security
SPONSORED | As more bank board executives, directors, and administrators adopt digital board management processes, cybersecurity risks from half-baked digital adoption make them more vulnerable to...
Threat Hunting for Banks: What are the Benefits?
SPONSORED—Threat intelligence is an essential component of every bank’s cybersecurity strategy. Community banks are targets for cybercriminals, which is why being proactive is critical. Explore the...
Future Security Trends to Bank On
SPONSORED—Financial institutions have a unique set of requirements for security and surveillance, beyond traditional on-premise security camera monitoring. Find out how to navigate the...
Why Cybersecurity is No Longer Just an IT Issue—with Jeff Newgard of Bank of Idaho and Kevin Piette of State Bank of Cross Plains
A timely conversation about recruiting and retaining top bank talent in today’s competitive job market with Kim Kirk, COO of Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company and Tommy Marshall,...
Charles Potts: Growing small business banking
We live in unprecedented times, filled with new challenges and opportunities for small businesses. Fortunately, community banks have greater access than ever before to advanced solutions and...
3 Cybersecurity Challenges Community Banks Should Know
SPONSORED | As the year progresses, hackers are strengthening their attack methods. This article will explore 3 cybersecurity challenges facing the industry in 2022 and why your bank should...
Demystifying and Prosper: How Community Banks Find Success in Fintech Partnerships—with Greg Ohlendorf of First Community Bank and Trust and Joe Ehrhardt of Teslar Software
We have to demystify that fintech is complicated, or fintech is difficult, or fintech is risky or scary. Fintech, to me, is opportunity,” says Greg Ohlendorf, President and CEO, First Community...
3 Steps to Review Your Core Provider’s Performance
SPONSORED | With big changes happening in fintech, you need to feel confident that your core is delivering the service and support your bank deserves. Learn why it’s important to assess your core...
A community bank-fueled payments rail
A secure, open-loop, cost-saving, customer-accessible, multiplatform P2P payments network might sound too good to be true, but community bank consortium Alloy Labs Alliance hopes to achieve just...
Charles Potts: Unlocking better customer connections
When assessing providers, keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all marketing solution. The beauty of innovation is that it comes in all shapes and sizes. Your marketing capabilities must fit...
Why community banks should partner with fintechs
With consumer expectations seeming to evolve faster every year, community banks could consider partnering with a fintech to keep up with technological innovation.
5 Questions: Is it Time to Refresh Your Check Processing Solutions?
SPONSORED—Deciding when it’s time to upgrade your check processing and payments infrastructure can be tricky. Your aging solutions are likely still “getting the job done,” but at what cost to your...
How to respond to buy now, pay later
Consumers are increasingly interested in buy now, pay later products, which are cutting into credit card usage. Here’s what community banks need to know about these products and how they can take...
Our first Innovation Conversation
Citizens Bank of Edmond evolves its innovation strategy by working with—and for—its community partners. We spoke to two of its business customers for the first article in a new series.
Charles Potts: Challenging the status quo
ICBA has preached the importance of innovation, not as a project or something to silo inside a department but as an inclusive cultural and philosophical endeavor that should be part of an...
New Era of Consumer Engagement by Mladen Vladic
Over the past 18 months, the marketplace has experienced huge disruptions. The world has changed, and so have consumers. In fact. 75% of consumers have changed their spending habits since early 2020.
Evaluate New Core Providers With Successful Vendor Management
SPONSORED | When selecting a new core provider, there are critical conversations that need to happen before signing a contract. Here are some discussion points for successful vendor management.
Charles Potts: 2021: A year of awakening
Community bankers’ awakening to new possibilities has made for an impactful year and will help position community banks to flourish in 2022 and beyond.
How 3 community banks are innovating with fintechs
The best fintech companies aren’t just service providers. They’re partners. Three community bank-fintech partnerships tell us how they’ve forged mutually beneficial relationships that thrive on a...
The race for faster payments is here
In just a few years, the U.S. payments space has developed game-changing faster payments technologies, and consumers are taking notice. Experts say it's time for community banks to prepare for a...
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Prepare your cyber defenses
While there’s no cyber or data security silver bullet, by bringing the theoretical into a true banking environment, we can begin to establish action plans that speak to real-world attacks.
RPA: What is it and could it boost your productivity?
While artificial intelligence has made headlines for years with a promise of automating complex tasks throughout the bank, the lesser-known robotic process automation (RPA) could help community...
Charles Potts: Know where you’re going
As you begin thinking about your goals for the year ahead, ICBA’s Preferred Service Providers directory is a great starting point to research potential vendors selected by community bankers for...
What is open banking and what does it mean for you?
Open banking is a buzzword in the banking industry, but what exactly does it mean, and how will it affect you? From application programming interfaces to fintech partnerships, it’s been applied to...
Charles Potts: Integrating cybersecurity
As banks are revisiting their strategic plans and budgeting for the future, cybersecurity needs a seat at the table.
How to navigate payments trends
The payments space can be dizzying for even the most enterprising community bank. How do you navigate the constant churn of innovations or disruptors? Experts point to a strategy built on customer...
How cryptocurrency may be going mainstream
Beyond all the hype, cryptocurrency has unequivocally gained a loyal following, and mainstream financial players are taking notice. Is it time community banks got involved in crypto? One community...
Charles Potts: Embrace the digital experience
Consider ICBA your partner and advocate on the digital transformation journey. That’s why ThinkTECH exists and why we continually innovate to introduce new resources as the industry evolves.
Meet 2021’s ThinkTECH Accelerator finalists
Starting in 2018, ICBA’s ThinkTECH Accelerator has helped create a new ecosystem of community bank-friendly fintechs through a rigorous incubator boot camp involving hundreds of community bankers...
Charles Potts: A culture of innovation
Innovation is a high priority for many community bank leaders, so it’s critical that we have a foundational definition of innovation.
What you need to know about digital issuance
Instant issue cards are becoming more common at financial institutions, as they can maximize card usage and even attract customers. But another option, digital issuance, combines that speed with...
A community bank guide to cloud migration
Many community banks are moving their software, hardware and even core systems to the cloud in search of more flexible, scalable and affordable services.
Charles Potts: Innovation drives performance
With the advent of new, innovative solutions like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, community banks have opportunities to eliminate or reduce inefficient manual processes and...
Stop elder financial abuse with data analytics
Elder financial abuse has been on the rise for the past decade, but so has data analytics technology, which banks can use to fight this fraud. Experts share strategies for community banks to...
4 ways to conquer compliance challenges
For community banks, regulatory burdens and compliance costs are constant challenges. But by taking steps including building a culture of compliance, they’re challenges that can be met.
Improve your next marketing campaign with data
Using data from your community bank, an ad campaign or public sources allows your marketing efforts to find potential or existing customers who’ve already shown interest in your brand.
Are real-time international payments the future?
Two rising technologies, faster payments and cross-border payments, are coalescing as more countries lay foundations to make such transactions possible. Experts say the U.S. is on a path to...
Going Through a Data Conversion Project Doesn’t Have to Be Painful
With mergers, acquisitions and other changes affecting the industry, ensuring your data is effectively converted has never been more critical. we’ve compiled a toolkit of what to consider before,...
Why it pays to offer cross-border payments
Offering cross-border payments used to have a high barrier of entry, but thanks to new technology and increasing revenue opportunities, they may be an untapped growth opportunity for enterprising...
Community First Bank’s PPP partnership
With little time to spare, Community First Bank prepared itself for a wave of Paycheck Protection Program applications by quickly implementing technology through a new fintech partner. Now, it’s...
Could apps improve your customers’ financial health?
Fintech-developed apps that help customers manage their finances are looking to partner with community banks to help them reach new customers and deepen existing relationships.
Will the dollar go digital? What you need to know
The private sector has had its hands in the world of cryptocurrencies for years, but the country’s central banks have held off—until now. While far from a certainty, here’s what you need to know...