ICBA and community bankers have long warned about the dangers of tax-exempt credit unions acquiring tax-paying community banks, a concerning trend that peaked last year and has continued in 2025.
In just a few short weeks, the fixed-income market’s expectations for monetary policy have done a virtual about-face. This is not to say that investors are fickle. Some of this change in sentiment is data driven; some is Trump administration officials’ cajoling; and some is Federal Reserve Board chairman Jay Powell’s comments in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on August 22. Regardless, market indicators have shifted from zero or one rate cuts for the rest of 2025, to as many as four.
Did you know that employee training records within ICBA stay with the employee? This means if an employee worked at another financial institution that subscribed to ICBA’s online training, they already have an ICBA account, and their Current Enrollments and Completed Courses will appear when they log into the LMS.
Every great leader has a moment when they’re called to step up—to lead with clarity, purpose, and excellence. For the next generation of community bank leaders, that moment is now.
I hope the readers of this column will excuse the lack of decorum in the title, but in reading and listening to the words of the Federal Reserve Board’s members over the past month, I hear a lot of hedging. And far be it from me to second guess the respective governors and regional presidents of our central bank.
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, whether it’s generative AI, part of your bank’s neural network or both. That’s why having an AI policy is important—but how you go about writing it depends on how you plan to use this technology.
Data-driven personnel assessments have become a key part of how many banks and financial institutions enhance their human resources strategies and mitigate employment-related risks and liability. Although personnel data analyses offer many benefits, they can also generate risks if implemented or used without due care.
While the financial services industry continues to rapidly evolve, banking policy often struggles to keep up or suffers from ill-considered changes that miss the mark.
Did you know that the ICBA Online Training Custom Plan allows you to track in-house and third party training inside the Learning Management System? For those of you who subscribe to the Bank Compliance Bundle Plan or the Standard Plan, are you tired of keeping a separate spreadsheet of the “other” training that is done at the bank?
Following President Donald Trump’s signing of a new law on stablecoins—the GENIUS Act—on July 18, it is essential that the nation’s community bankers understand what it means for our industry, how ICBA has helped shape stablecoin policy, and the path forward as we face the challenges and opportunities this new law presents.
On the heels of our recent Capital Summit, in which hundreds of community bankers traveled to Washington to meet with policymakers, it is worth pausing to reflect on our successes as well as the many advocacy priorities we continue to advance under our ambitious “Repair, Reform, and Thrive” plan.
Did you know that the ICBA Online Training Custom Plan allows you to track in-house and third party training inside the Learning Management System? For those of you who subscribe to the Bank Compliance Bundle Plan or the Standard Plan, are you tired of keeping a separate spreadsheet of the “other” training that is done at the bank?
While it will possibly take months and even the rest of the year to see the full shakeout, April 2025 was a laboratory for market efficiency. Some might contend there was an element of ruthlessness in the activity. Starting even before the Trump administration’s trade policy tariffs went into effect on April 2, the “Bond Vigilantes,” a nebulous gang of institutional debt investors, started shooting up the place.
In periods of uncertainty, the only certainty is that risk increases. In statistical analysis risk is defined by a growing variance level. The wider the swings recorded between a bottom and top boundary determines the risk level. Recently, we have all watched the stock market vary widely on a daily and week-to-week basis. Part of the fluctuations have been caused by the talk of and decisions made regarding international trade tariffs. Understanding how the current policy movements surrounding the tariffs affect your bank is critical right now.
In periods of uncertainty, the only certainty is that risk increases. In statistical analysis risk is defined by a growing variance level. The wider the swings recorded between a bottom and top boundary determines the risk level. Recently, we have all watched the stock market vary widely on a daily and week-to-week basis. Part of the fluctuations have been caused by the talk of and decisions made regarding international trade tariffs. Understanding how the current policy movements surrounding the tariffs affect your bank is critical right now.
The regulatory environment is changing daily. Proposed rules are often stalled and no longer move forward to finalization. Even when rules are finalized, they may be rescinded shortly after. This constant back and forth makes it hard to know which rules to follow. At ICBA we work diligently to ensure that our training is up to date with the current requirements.
While it will possibly take months and even the rest of the year to see the full shakeout, April 2025 was a laboratory for market efficiency. Some might contend there was an element of ruthlessness in the activity. Starting even before the Trump administration’s trade policy tariffs went into effect on April 2, the “Bond Vigilantes,” a nebulous gang of institutional debt investors, started shooting up the place.
As the economic landscape continues to shift rapidly, the ability to navigate unforeseen macroeconomic changes is essential for a bank’s long-term success and the preservation of franchise value.
It’s not news that the number and severity of natural disasters in the U.S. has been increasing significantly in recent years. These events can be personally and economically devastating to local communities, and it’s important that community banks are prepared to help both themselves and the people they serve.
The community banking industry is undergoing a significant digital transformation. While large financial institutions have long used data analytics to drive customer engagement, community banks are now recognizing the value and importance of leveraging information and data to strengthen relationships with their customers.
