Opinion

Two credit unions in San Diego are locked in a bitter fight over a proposed merger; and a community bank in upstate New York fights off a corporate raider.

One way for credit unions to remain competitive is to control their own data; and Iran is fighting an economic war.

Two former chairmen of the Independent Community Bankers of America take issue with the trade group's decision to support legislation that would dramatically increase federal deposit insurance levels.

A credit union CEO takes issue with the narrative that the purchase of community banks by credit unions is a dangerous trend. In fact, he argues, it's rare, and when it happens, it benefits the communities those banks serve.

Community development financial institutions have a long history of providing vital economic lifelines to communities across the country. Credit unions have always been an important part of that story.

The leader of a major credit union trade group takes issue with a recent BankThink article questioning credit unions' ability to operate as federally recognized Community Development Financial Institutions.

Congress should hold hearings to investigate whether credit unions really qualify to operate as tax-advantaged Community Development Financial Institutions.

The cumulative evidence of research and experience shows that overdraft is a necessary and beneficial service, especially in the hands of a credit union.

New regulatory changes have created the potential to enable smaller institutions to compete more effectively with their larger peers — if they're willing to seize the opportunity.

While it's true that the National Credit Union Administration needs the authority to regulate third-party vendors, credit unions themselves have considerable power to force vendors to observe best practices.

The National Credit Union Administration lacks the authority to regulate third-party vendors that supply vital services to the industry. This creates a major risk to credit union customers and the broader U.S. economy.

Credit unions don't enjoy an unfair advantage. What they do is reinvest in their members and their communities in a way banks often do not.

Leaving credit unions exempt from the Community Reinvestment Act preserves a gaping hole in regulations designed to make sure that financial services firms make loans available in underserved communities across the country.

Overdraft fees continue to be in the spotlight, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposing a rule essentially to cap them. Certain credit unions are also now required to disclose additional information on this revenue stream.

A representative of America's Credit Unions takes issue with a recent article suggesting that credit union commercial lending is excessively risky.

The dark secret about credit unions is that while rules have changed to allow them to make more commercial loans, their ability to underwrite those loans at scale is lacking. When the credit cycle turns, there's going to be a reckoning.

When banks realize they are unable to continue their operations, a credit union is often a natural partner to consider.

Congress needs to take immediate action to reform policies that foster this trend and ultimately subsidize banking consolidation on Main Street, writes Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America.

Branch office deposit data is among the most confidential information at a bank, especially those with many branches. Why have regulators made this sensitive competitive data public for banks and thrifts annually for over 50 years but not for credit unions?