This week's editors' picks include a feature on the i-banking environment in Texas and a Data Dispatch on de novo applications in 2018.

Bank i-banking competition bigger in Texas

Texas has long been a hotbed of activity for bank M&A, and competition among depository-focused investment banks in the state is fierce.

US banks holding more bonds to maturity as unrealized losses hit $24B

Banks are leaning more heavily on held-to-maturity portfolios to avoid net unrealized losses, but that strategy carries its own risks.

Private equity firms backing mobile bank de novo could face ownership issue

Following the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's approval of Varo Bank NA as a full-service national bank, the fintech startup's early private equity fund investors face a choice: dilute their equity ownership or become a bank holding company.

North Carolina dominates de novos

De novo applications have increased in 2018, with five applications submitted in North Carolina alone.

CMBS could hold clues for CRE under CECL

Banks could look to past commercial mortgage-backed securities for hints on lifetime losses for commercial real estate loans under the new loss accounting standard, according to data and research firm Trepp.