Money & banking
Banks, fintech, consumer finance and regulators.
Latest
Utah joins $665 million settlement with lease-to-own company Snap Finance
Snap will cancel more than $16.7 million in lease payments owed by Utah consumers and pay the state $150,000.
Utah Women in the Money Conference set for Oct. 22-23
The eighth annual event at the Salt Palace offers in-person sessions for a fee and free virtual attendance.
Utah's industrial banks, explained
Utah charters most of the nation's industrial banks, and in 2026 regulators cleared banks for Ford, GM, Stellantis and Edward Jones while PayPal, Klarna and others wait.
SunFirst Bank: how online-poker payments reached a small Utah lender
SunFirst’s search for capital drew it into illegal online-poker processing. Its closure, a banker’s guilty plea and the receivership’s later termination show how payment access, bank solvency and customer protection intersected.
First Security’s two merger paths: How Wells Fargo acquired a Utah banking leader
First Security’s failed combination with Zions and its 2000 acquisition by Wells Fargo show how shareholder decisions and local competition shaped Utah banking consolidation.
Utah securities regulator issues warning about Apertum and DAO1
A September 29 investor alert raises registration and recovery concerns about offerings associated with Apertum Holding Ltd.
Utah’s August tracker lists five pending industrial-bank applications
Utah’s Department of Financial Institutions lists five industrial-bank applications as pending in a tracker last updated August 21. Four other industrial-bank proposals show state approval but remain opening pending.
FinWise data-breach settlement: exclusion and objection deadline passed Sept. 29; claims due Oct. 29
The FinWise settlement materials listed September 29, 2026 for exclusions and objections, which has now passed, and the objection instructions conflicted: the notice gave an administrator postmark deadline, while the court order required court filing and mailing to counsel. Claims are due October 29; the court has scheduled a final approval hearing for December 10, 2026, and payment requires final approval.
Credit Acceptance settlement puts affordability and dealer add-ons under scrutiny
Utah announced its participation in a Credit Acceptance settlement providing $694 million in cash restitution and canceled debt nationwide. The headline amount is not all cash. Utah's announcement identifies 124 affected consumers and approximately $1.9 million in state-related relief, including amounts paid directly to the state. The states alleged unaffordable lending and inadequate oversight of dealer add-on products; those allegations should remain attributed.
Sunwest takes on Nano Banc deposits after California closure
California closed Irvine-based Nano Banc on September 25 and appointed the FDIC as receiver. Sandy, Utah-based Sunwest Bank agreed to assume substantially all deposits and purchase selected assets. Sunwest says customer access continues and the branch is scheduled to reopen under its name September 28.
Utah’s banking ecosystem puts partnership controls in focus
Industrial banks, specialty lenders and fintech partnerships anchor Utah’s banking ecosystem. The ABA Annual Convention is scheduled for Salt Lake City, October 25–27.