Visit us online: Website | NCBA LinkedIn | NCEL LinkedIn This Week in Banking: NCBA Luncheon: Preview of the 2026 Session of the NC General Assembly NCBA members are invited to attend an important luncheon on December 11 at the Carolina Country Club, featuring a forward-looking discussion on the 2026 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly. We are pleased to welcome Senator Dave Craven, Co-Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a banker by profession. Senator Craven brings a deep understanding of the business, economic development, and tax issues that will shape next year’s legislative agenda. We are also honored to host Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, who will share his perspective on the issues under consideration as lawmakers prepare for the upcoming session. Sen. Dave Craven Sen. Phil Berger This luncheon offers a valuable opportunity for NCBA members to hear directly from key legislative leaders on the priorities and policy discussions that will impact North Carolina’s banking and business landscape in 2026. We hope you will join us for this timely and informative program. Register and Learn More ▶   FDIC Adjusts Regulatory Thresholds The FDIC has issued a final rule that amends certain regulatory thresholds in the FDIC’s regulations to reflect inflation, including those related to annual independent audit and reporting requirements.  Read More ▶     Source: fdic.gov Reducing Call Report’s Regulatory Burden The federal banking agencies are seeking input on the sources of regulatory reporting burden for institutions that file a Call Report. Comments are due on or before January 30, 2026. Read More ▶     Source: fdic.gov Weekly Highlights FDIC Adjusts Regulatory Thresholds Reducing Call Report’s Regulatory Burden Oversight of Prudential Regulators Community Bank Leverage Ratio OCC Assessment Rates Tailoring Regulations for Regional and Midsize Banks Report on Debanking of Digital Assets Upcoming Training and Events Economic Forecast Forum January 12 Leadership Development Program Multiple dates launching March 3 AI in Banking Workshop January 12 - February 6 Carolinas Bank Directors & Executives Summit March 3 - March 4 NCBA/OBL Annual Convention June 29-July 2 Industry Advocacy 2025 NC BankPAC - Did You Make the Honor Roll? For more than 30 years, NC BankPAC has ensured that banking’s voice is heard by supporting candidates who understand our industry and share our policy objectives. The 2025 NC BankPAC Honor Roll recognizes bankers and businesses whose generous contributions keep our industry strong. Build Strong Leaders. Strengthen Teams. Advance Your Career. Register and Learn More ▶   Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update Oversight of Prudential Regulators On Tuesday, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing to examine supervisory and regulatory developments, rulemakings, and activities of the federal banking agencies. In addition to listening to testimony from the regulators, the committee released eight new bills in draft form on such matters as regulatory tailoring, a proposed study on how to improve the growth of rural depository institutions, and a proposed task force to help protect individuals from payment scams.  Watch the full hearing below: Read More ▶     Source: financialservices.house.gov Community Bank Leverage Ratio The federal banking agencies are seeking comment on an interagency rulemaking to expand the eligibility criteria for the community bank leverage ratio while also extending the grace period for banks that elect to use it. Read More ▶     Source: ncbankers.org | Read time: 1 min G-SIB List Released The Financial Stability Board has released its updated list of global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). The list identifies 29 G-SIBs, the same as last year. A notable change for NC-based banks is that Bank of America has moved to a higher bucket, corresponding to a higher capital requirement.   View G-SIB List ▶     Source: fsb.org | Read time: 5 min+ Register and Learn More ▶   View Sponsor Brochure ▶   Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards  The federal banking agencies have adopted a final rule to modify the enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards applicable to U.S. bank holding companies identified as global systemically important bank holding companies, in addition to their subsidiaries and subsidiaries of U.S. top-tier bank holding companies. Read More ▶     Source: occ.gov Tailoring Regulations for Regional and Midsize Banks The Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee have sent a joint letter to the federal banking supervisory agencies urging them to tailor regulation for Category II, Category III, and Category IV banks – which are generally between $100 billion to more than $700 billion in size.  The lawmakers noted that current regulation “acts as a barrier to more robust competition for the largest banks given the largely one-size-fits-all approach taken in regulating banks with $100 billion or more in assets.”  They also suggested indexing regulatory thresholds to economic growth metrics. View Comment Letter ▶     Source: ncbankers.org SAVE THE DATE: March 3-4, 2026 | UNC Charlotte Marriott  Register and Learn More ▶   OCC Assessment Rates The OCC is maintaining assessment rates for the 2026 Calendar Year. The agency noted that OCC-regulated institutions will continue to benefit from the decrease in assessment rates that the agency made in September 2025.  Read More ▶     Source: occ.gov Additional OCC Actions: Effective immediately, the OCC is ending the annual mandatory data collection from community banks under the Money Laundering Risk System.  The OCC has also issued a new bulletin tailoring BSA examination procedures for institutions that generally present low levels of laundering risk. The OCC has issued an RFI on community banks’ engagement with essential third-party service providers. DIF Reserve Ratio to Hold Steady The FDIC Board has announced that the designated reserve ratio for the Deposit Insurance Fund shall remain at 2 percent for 2026. The FDIC Board is required to annually set the designated reserve ratio, which has been set at 2 percent since 2010.  Read More ▶     Source: fdic.gov Register and Learn More ▶   FDIC Official Signage Requirements The FDIC is extending the compliance date from March 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027, for requirements to display the FDIC official digital sign on an insured depository institution’s (IDI’s) digital deposit-taking channels, as well as analogous requirements related to an IDI’s ATMs and like devices.  Read More ▶     Source: fdic.gov Report on Debanking of Digital Assets House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-AR) has released a final staff report titled “Operation Choke Point 2.0: Biden’s Debanking of Digital Assets.” Read More ▶     Source: ncbankers.org | Read time: 2 min House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-AR) Excise Tax on Repurchase of Corporate Stock The IRS has released final regulations on the 1% excise tax on the value of stock repurchased by publicly traded corporations. The final regulations are effective November 24, 2025, and clarify the tax’s application. Read Story ▶     Source: federalregister.gov CBS Spotlight Private Credit Shaking Up the Banking Landscape The competitive landscape for banks and private markets is rapidly evolving. Private credit firms have surged past traditional banks in commercial lending, offering bespoke solutions and tapping into new opportunities. The 2026 Banks & Private Markets Outlook report from S&P GLobal outlines market share shifts, partnership models, regulatory scrutiny, and the risks and rewards of this new era, helping financial leaders make confident decisions. Read More ▶     Source: spglobal.com Bank Security & Fraud List of Countries with AML Deficiencies FinCEN has circulated an updated list of countries with strategic deficiencies in countering anti-money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Nigeria and South Africa were removed from the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring.  The list of high-risk jurisdictions subject to a call for action remains the same, with Iran, North Korea and Burma subject to calls for action.  Read More ▶     Source: fincen.gov Money Transfers Associated with Illegal Immigration FinCEN has issued an alert reminding money services businesses (MSBs) to identify and report suspicious activity connected to cross-border funds transfers “derived from unlawful employment or otherwise derived from funds the MSB knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect were illicitly obtained in the United States.”  Read More ▶     Source: fincen.gov NCBA Announcements Need Credits? Earn CRCM, CPE, SHRM and More! Looking to skill up? For a limited time, North Carolina Bankers Association is making it easier than ever to invest in your professional growth. Sign up for one of the upcoming webinars from our partnered providers: Beneficial Ownership for CSRs- December 2nd Bank Accounting Basics: Statement of Cash Flows - 2 Part Series- December 8th Section 1071 (Small Business Data Reporting): Where Are We Now?- December 9th AI in Banking Workshop (ABA) - January 12th - March 6th Tick Tock! One Big Beautiful Bill Act Kicks in January 1st- December 9th Deposit Year-End Wrap-Up- December 11th Need credits? Earn SHRM, AAP, APRP, CRCM, CPE and more with our partnered webinars! Industry Update Fifth Third’s Southeast Expansion Reaches Major Milestones in Florida and the Carolinas Fifth Third announced the opening of its 200th financial center in Florida and its 100th in the Carolinas—two major milestones in the Bank’s Southeast expansion. Since announcing its Southeast expansion in 2018, Fifth Third has built 63 new financial centers in the Carolinas, with more than 50 additional locations planned over the next three years. Over the past year, Fifth Third has accelerated its expansion and now operates more than 1,100 banking centers nationwide—a number expected to grow significantly following the closing of its acquisition of Comerica in the first quarter of 2026. “We’re proud to celebrate our 200th branch in Florida and our 100th in the Carolinas—regions where we’ve seen exceptional momentum and meaningful impact,” said Jamie Leonard, chief operating officer at Fifth Third. “These milestones reflect our disciplined approach to growth and our commitment to making banking easier and more personalized through innovative technology and local expertise.” Read More ▶     Source: 53.com Words of Wisdom Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. - Immanuel Kant NC Bankers Association | 3601 Haworth Drive | Raleigh | NC | 27609 | US If you no longer want to receive emails regarding the NCBankers Bulletin, please profile.