Fed Eyes Bank Mergers and New Holding Company Applications
Published Date: 11/11/2025
Notice
Summary
Some companies want to become bank holding companies or buy banks, and the Federal Reserve is checking their applications. If you have thoughts, you can send comments by December 12, 2025. This affects banks, their owners, and anyone interested in bank mergers or acquisitions, with no direct costs but important for the banking world’s future.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Public comment period and disclosure
The Federal Reserve is accepting written comments on the listed bank holding company formation and acquisition applications until December 12, 2025. Comments are subject to public disclosure and will generally be made available without change, so you should not include confidential personal or business information in your submission.
Multiple bank control change applications listed
The notice lists companies that applied to become bank holding companies or to acquire or merge with banks (for example, UBS Group AG acquiring UBS Bank USA on conversion, Fifth Third Bancorp acquiring Comerica Incorporated, and several mutual-to-stock conversions). These applications could change which companies own or control the named banks; the Board is reviewing them and accepting comments through December 12, 2025.
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Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2025-21626, Regulatory Capital Rule: Modifications to the Enhanced Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding Companies and Their Subsidiary Depository Institutions; Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity and Long-Term Debt Requirements for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding Companies
Big U.S. banks that are super important to the economy are getting new rules to keep them safer and stronger. These changes tweak how much money they must keep on hand and how they handle long-term debt, helping prevent financial trouble. The new rules kick in soon and could affect how these banks manage billions in assets and debt.
2026-15774, Regulatory Modernization and Relief for Mutual Holding Companies
The Board invites comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking (proposal) to modernize the regulatory framework applicable to mutual holding companies (MHCs), primarily through proposed revisions to Regulation MM (12 CFR part 239), which governs the formation, operations, activities, and conversion of savings and loan holding companies in mutual form. The proposal would amend Regulation MM by, among other things, eliminating certain dividend waiver requirements, reducing burden associated with conversions from mutual-to-stock form, revising certain post-conversion restrictions, eliminating the requirement that subsidiary holding companies of MHCs obtain federal charters, and revising and clarifying other provisions of the regulation. The proposal also would amend the capital rule (12 CFR part 217) to clarify that certain mutual capital instruments may qualify as regulatory capital and to codify model term sheets for mutual capital certificates as appendices to the regulation.
2026-15777, Loans to Executive Officers, Directors, and Principal Shareholders of Member Banks; Bank Holding Companies
The Board is inviting public comment on proposed amendments to Regulation O, which governs loans by member banks to their insiders and insiders of their affiliates. The proposed amendments would update and modernize the regulation, increase transparency by clarifying requirements and incorporating existing interpretations, and promote efficiency by reducing regulatory burden. The proposed amendments also would incorporate existing statutory requirements that are not currently reflected in the regulation. Moreover, the proposed amendments would update several outdated dollar-based thresholds in Regulation O and index these thresholds going forward. In addition, the proposed amendments would address the application of Regulation O to member banks that lend to companies that are presumed to be controlled by large asset management companies through passive investment funds. Finally, the proposed amendments would revise and reorganize the regulation to streamline the text and make it more accessible.
2026-14373, Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies
Some companies want to become bank holding companies or buy banks, and the Federal Reserve is checking their applications. If you have thoughts, you can send comments by August 17, 2026. This affects banks and their owners, and the process helps keep banking safe and fair.
2026-14064, Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies
Some companies want to become bank holding companies or buy banks, and the Federal Reserve is reviewing their applications. If you have thoughts, you can send comments by August 12, 2026. This affects banks, their owners, and the public, with no direct costs but important changes in who controls banks.
2026-14060, Inflation Adjustments for Civil Money Penalties
The Federal Reserve announced that civil money penalties won’t go up in 2026 because inflation data wasn’t available due to a government shutdown. This means businesses and individuals facing these penalties will see the same amounts as in 2025. The freeze keeps things steady until new inflation numbers come in next year.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-19854, Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Savings and Loan Holding Company
Some folks want to buy more shares of a savings and loan company, Gouverneur Bancorp, which controls a local bank in New York. The Federal Reserve is checking their applications and wants the public to share thoughts by November 28, 2025. This process helps keep bank ownership clear and fair, with no surprises on who’s in charge or how money moves.
Next: 2025-19856, Notice of Proposals To Engage in or To Acquire Companies Engaged in Permissible Nonbanking Activities
Some companies want to start or buy businesses that do activities related to banking but aren’t banks themselves. The Federal Reserve is checking these plans and asking the public to share their thoughts by November 28, 2025. This affects companies across the U.S. and could lead to new business moves that mix banking with other services.