Officials in Washington have in recent months increased their focus on overdraft programs and policies. With community banks already subject to strict overdraft regulations and offering overdraft services designed to meet the demands of their customers, ICBA and community bankers are fully engaged in the debate.

The volume of stablecoins in circulation has grown rapidly in recent months, drawing increased attention from policymakers and the media. Here’s a breakdown of where this increasingly significant market stands and how community banker concerns align with those in Washington.

As the debate proceeds, ICBA is reminding policymakers that the Durbin Amendment has distorted the debit card and consumer checking markets to the detriment of community banks and consumers nationwide.

“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.

I’ll let you in on a secret: sometimes your columnist runs out of new ideas to cover. A dearth of new products, no new regs, a stable rate environment—all of these can cause a writer to run aground while sailing the financial seas in search of material.

The 20 online training courses that are included in your Bank Director Program subscription are a great tool to onboard new bank directors while also ensuring your seasoned directors are up-to-speed on topics ranging from the Bank Secrecy Act to fair lending.

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.

Public and regulatory expectations regarding climate change and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are rapidly changing. The largest banks have made climate commitments pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to sustainable finance.

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.

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).