The application of artificial intelligence in the banking industry is becoming increasingly widespread
Identity as the Control Plane of Artificial Intelligence in the Financial Services Sector
Kansas’ Equity Bank to expand in Iowa with $123.8M deal
Equity Bancshares announced on Thursday its plan to acquire Lincoln Savings Bank in Iowa for approximately $123.8 million, with the deal expected to close by the end of the year, adding 16 branches and bringing total assets to $9.1 billion. This follows a similar-sized transaction last year when Equity acquired Frontier Holdings, aligning with its expansion strategy.
Banks can question customer activity without disclosing SARs
The Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued a joint statement on Wednesday clarifying that financial institutions, when investigating fraud, may communicate with customers about suspicious transactions without disclosing the existence of suspicious activity reports (SARs), and may inform them of account restrictions or closures, or denial of deposits. The statement responded to concerns raised by industry feedback in June 2025 but did not change the legal provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act regarding SAR confidentiality.