Community Banks news and trends

Federal Banking Regulators to Propose Lowering Community Bank Leverage Ratio
Bank Regulation // October 15, 2025

Federal banking regulators are reportedly preparing to propose a plan that would reduce the community bank leverage ratio from the current 9% to 8%, which is the lowest amount allowed by law. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy...

Community Banks Lead Fundraising for Texas Flood Recovery Efforts
Banking // July 14, 2025

Community banks in Texas made, matched and facilitated donations to help victims during the ongoing flooding that began in the state on July 4. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional...

OCC Finds Outdated Core Systems Threaten Future of US Regional Banks
Banking // July 01, 2025

Across the country, thousands of community and regional banks are facing a seismic challenge: adapt to the demands of a digital-first world or risk obsolescence. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content...

Fed Vice Chair Bowman May Seek Regulatory Rollbacks for Smaller Banks
Bank Regulation // June 10, 2025

On Monday (June 9), Michelle Bowman was sworn in as vice chair for supervision at the Federal Reserve. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to...

Interviews & Exclusives
With Bitcoin at Record High, Smaller Banks Face Urgent Crypto Decisions

May 21, 2025
New rules for cryptocurrency could be around the corner in the U.S., and in many ways the industry is already preparing for its fully-mainstream debut. There are few more telling signs of the shift the crypto landscape has undergone than the fact that JPMorgan Chase, as of Monday (May 19), now offers its clients access […]

Real-Time Gap: Consumers Wait as Banks Tackle Legacy Payments Tech

March 25, 2025
Faster payments have loomed large in financial services through the past couple of years — and with the uncertainty of tariffs and inflation, speedier payments have a broad range of...

Cost and Integration Concerns Keep Smaller Banks From Adopting Real-Time Payments

March 14, 2025
The benefits of real-time payments may be readily apparent to financial institutions (FIs) — as they can serve their clients with new use cases, including pay by bank and immediate...

32% of SMBs Favor Community Banks Over National Banks

March 05, 2025
With 16% of small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) considering switching banks, many are turning to community banks and credit unions (CUs) for their personalized service and local accessibility. While these...

Quick Reads
OCC Ends Some Money Laundering Data Collection Requirements for Community Banks

November 24, 2025
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued two bulletins that it said will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) compliance while reducing unnecessary regulatory burden on community banks. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS […]

Federal Banking Regulators to Propose Lowering Community Bank Leverage Ratio

October 15, 2025
Federal banking regulators are reportedly preparing to propose a plan that would reduce the community bank leverage ratio from the current 9% to 8%, which is the lowest amount allowed...

Community Banks Lead Fundraising for Texas Flood Recovery Efforts

July 14, 2025
Community banks in Texas made, matched and facilitated donations to help victims during the ongoing flooding that began in the state on July 4. Get the Full Story Complete the form to...

Mastercard and ICBA Team to Strengthen Community Bank Card Programs

March 17, 2025
Mastercard has teamed with ICBA Payments, payments subsidiary of the Independent Community Bankers of America. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all...