Financial Services Acquisitions in United States

Integrated Pension Services, a national retirement plan consulting and compliance firm, acquired BDS Consulting Group, a specialized retirement plan consulting firm serving more than 260 clients nationwide. The deal includes all client relationships and staff, with BDS founder Jill Whittredge remaining in the near term to support the transition and a full rebrand to Integrated Pension expected within 12 months.

Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. completed its merger with MidWestOne Financial Group, Inc., with MidWestOne merging into Nicolet as the surviving corporation. MidWestOne Bank will operate as a division of Nicolet National Bank until a planned system conversion in August 2026, after which MidWestOne’s 50+ locations are expected to transition to the Nicolet brand and digital platform. The combination adds approximately $6 billion in assets, bringing Nicolet’s total assets to about $15 billion based on initial financial data.

Fiduciary Services Group (FSG), parent of DWC and PCS Retirement, acquired Future Planning Associates, Inc. (FPA), a Vermont-based third-party administration (TPA) and recordkeeping firm founded in 1974. FPA will integrate into DWC’s operational infrastructure while continuing to serve its clients, expanding FSG’s retirement services footprint in New England and supporting a technology modernization/recordkeeping transition.

Simplicity Group acquired Wholehan Marketing, an independently owned brokerage general agency offering life insurance, annuities, disability income, long-term care and advanced market support. The deal expands Simplicity’s financial products distribution capabilities and brings Wholehan leaders Chris Wholehan and Jessica Hernandez into the Simplicity partnership as new partners.

Savi, a student loan and education benefits provider, acquired Fiducius, an employee education benefits platform, in Savi’s first acquisition to expand its nationwide employer and channel partner network. The combination is intended to broaden the suite of employer-sponsored education benefits and increase customer support capacity amid shifting U.S. federal student loan policy and administration. Financial terms were not disclosed, and Fiducius CEO Jim Zedella will remain involved as an advisor while Fiducius employees join Savi.

Blue Ridge Associates acquired the ESOP third-party administration (TPA) services business of AmbroseAdvisors. Under the transaction, AmbroseAdvisors’ ESOP administration team and ESOP administration clients will transition to Blue Ridge, while AmbroseAdvisors continues focusing on its advisory and employee-ownership initiatives.

Morningstar, Inc. completed its previously announced acquisition of the Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) from the University of Chicago for $365 million (subject to customary adjustments). The deal brings CRSP Market Indexes and CRSP Research Data Products into Morningstar Indexes, with the CRSP indexes to be rebranded under the Morningstar name; Morningstar also announced an agreement with Vanguard to continue using CRSP indexes as the basis for certain Vanguard funds.

Huntington Bancshares has completed its merger with Cadence Bank, combining two regional banking franchises and expanding Huntington’s footprint across Texas and the broader South. The combined company reports approximately $279 billion in assets and adds Cadence’s 390 branches, bringing the total network to nearly 1,400 locations across 21 states. Former Cadence board members, including CEO Dan Rollins, are joining Huntington’s board as part of the integration.

Fifth Third Bancorp completed its merger with Comerica Incorporated, creating what the companies describe as the ninth-largest U.S. bank with approximately $294 billion in assets. The combined organization is positioned to expand scale and market footprint by pairing Fifth Third’s retail/digital banking and payments capabilities with Comerica’s middle-market banking franchise and geographic presence, with full system and brand conversion expected in the third quarter of 2026.

Prosperity Bancshares, Inc., parent of Prosperity Bank, completed its merger with Southwest Bancshares, Inc., effective February 1, 2026. Southwest’s wholly owned subsidiary, Texas Partners Bank (headquartered in San Antonio, Texas), also merged into Prosperity Bank, with Prosperity issuing 4,095,397 shares to former Southwest shareholders and award holders.

Heritage Financial Corporation completed its previously announced acquisition of Olympic Bancorp, Inc., effective January 31, 2026, with Olympic merging into Heritage. As part of the transaction, Kitsap Bank merged into Heritage Bank, and the acquired branches will continue operating under the Kitsap Bank name; consideration was paid in Heritage common stock (with cash in lieu of fractional shares).

Lovell Minnick Partners closed a single-asset continuation vehicle for SRS Acquiom, a tech-enabled M&A and loan transaction services provider, to provide fresh capital and extend its ownership partnership originally formed through a 2018 majority investment. The transaction was led by Carlyle AlpInvest and includes participation from new and existing investors as well as SRS Acquiom management as ongoing shareholders. Proceeds are intended to support SRS Acquiom’s next phase of growth, including expansion across the United Kingdom and Europe, continued strategic acquisitions, and further investment in tech-enabled solutions.

Peachtree Group completed the acquisition of First Western SBLC, LLC (formerly First Western SBLC, Inc.), which operates as PMC Commercial Trust, a Dallas-based nationwide direct lender specializing in SBA 7(a) loans. The transaction received approval from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and PMC will continue operating under its existing name following closing.

Teamshares Inc. entered into definitive agreements for a business combination with Live Oak Acquisition Corp. V (NASDAQ: LOKV), a SPAC sponsored by Live Oak Merchant Partners, as Teamshares prepares for an anticipated Nasdaq listing in Q2 2026. The transaction values the combined company at a pro forma enterprise value of $746 million and is expected to provide up to $333 million of net proceeds, including a $126 million PIPE anchored by accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. Proceeds are intended to fund Teamshares’ acquisition strategy for small-to-medium businesses.

Prime Pensions, Inc. (PPI) acquired The Raymond Company Pension Services LLC, a third-party administrator of retirement plans headquartered in Mesa, Arizona. The transaction marks PPI’s entry into the Arizona market and supports its broader expansion into the Southwest; financial terms were not disclosed.

Portage Ventures, an investment firm of Power Corp. of Canada/Sagard, is taking over management of Point72 Ventures’ fintech portfolio, comprising stakes in 40 private, later-stage fintech companies. The assets have been rolled into a new Portage continuation fund valued at US$280 million, with Point72 retaining a 40% stake and the remainder financed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Portage, and an unnamed European family.

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. acquired Carbon Reduction Capital, LLC (CRC-IB), a U.S. investment banking advisory firm focused on renewable energy and energy transition. The acquisition strengthens Canaccord Genuity’s U.S. capital markets advisory platform and forms a new Energy Transformation group to expand M&A, project finance, and capital raising capabilities across wind, solar, storage, carbon capture, and related sectors. Financial terms were not disclosed.

National Bank Holdings Corporation (NBHC) acquired Vista Bancshares, Inc. and its subsidiary Vista Bank; the transaction has closed. The deal expands NBHC’s presence into growth markets including Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Lubbock, and Palm Beach, creating a combined organization with approximately $12.6 billion in pro forma assets.

First Community Corporation, the holding company for First Community Bank, closed its acquisition of Signature Bank of Georgia effective January 8, 2026, with Signature Bank merged into First Community Bank. The deal was valued at approximately $50.0 million (as of December 31, 2025) and paid in stock, with Signature Bank shareholders receiving 0.6410 shares of First Community common stock for each Signature Bank share.

Taylor Fresh Foods (parent of the Taylor Farms operating companies) acquired a 16.3% minority ownership stake in Pacific Valley Bank. The investment strengthens Pacific Valley Bank’s capital base while preserving independent governance, and Taylor Farms CFO Jeff Cook will join the bank’s Board of Directors in connection with the transaction.

The PNC Financial Services Group has completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company and its banking subsidiary, FirstBank, following receipt of all required regulatory approvals. The deal expands PNC’s footprint in Colorado and Arizona, and PNC will begin integrating FirstBank into its national platform with customer conversions expected in summer 2026.

Business First Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for b1BANK, completed its previously announced acquisition of Progressive Bancorp, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary Progressive Bank. The deal expands b1BANK’s presence across Louisiana, adding nine North Louisiana locations and increasing Business First’s total assets to approximately $8.7 billion.

Gold.com, Inc. (formerly A-Mark Precious Metals) closed its acquisition of Monex Deposit Company and certain related entities on January 2, 2026, adding a major precious-metals dealer with bullion/coin sales and storage operations to its platform. Gold.com also acquired an additional 24.5% equity interest in UK-based Atkinsons Bullion & Coins, increasing its ownership to 49.5% and expanding its international direct-to-consumer footprint.

Bank First Corporation completed its acquisition of Centre 1 Bancorp, Inc., the parent company of The First National Bank and Trust Company. Following the closing, First National Bank and Trust will operate as a division of Bank First until a planned system conversion in May 2026, after which locations will transition to the unified Bank First brand and digital banking platform. The combined organization will operate 38 branches across Wisconsin and the Stateline area of Illinois and will expand Bank First’s offerings to include trust and wealth management services.

Willdan Group, Inc., through its subsidiary Willdan Financial Services, completed the acquisition of Compass Municipal Advisors, LLC. Compass is an independent municipal advisory firm headquartered in the Southeastern United States, and the purchase is intended to expand Willdan’s geographic footprint and strengthen its municipal advisory and public finance capabilities. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Mercantile Bank Corporation completed its previously announced merger with Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation, combining two Michigan-based financial institutions. Under the integration plan, Eastern Michigan Bank will continue operating alongside Mercantile Bank until the first quarter of 2027, when Mercantile intends to consolidate Eastern Michigan Bank into Mercantile Bank subject to FDIC and Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services approvals. Eastern shareholders are entitled to receive $32.32 in cash and 0.7116 shares of Mercantile common stock for each Eastern common share.

Pinnacle Financial Partners and Synovus Financial Corp. completed their previously announced merger, forming a combined regional bank holding company operating under the name Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. The bank holding company merger closed on January 1, 2026, and Synovus Bank merged into Pinnacle Bank on January 2, 2026, with Pinnacle Bank as the surviving institution; the combined bank will operate under both Pinnacle and Synovus brands during an integration period, with full consolidation under the Pinnacle brand expected in early 2027.

First Financial Bancorp. announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of Chicago-based BankFinancial Corporation in an all-stock transaction, with closing on January 1, 2026. The deal expands First Financial’s presence in the Chicago market, adding BankFinancial’s core deposit franchise and 18 financial centers, with brand conversion anticipated in June 2026.

Equity Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Equity Bank, completed its merger with Frontier Holdings, LLC, the parent of Omaha, Nebraska-based Frontier Bank, effective January 1, 2026. The deal expands Equity into Nebraska by adding seven Frontier Bank locations, which will reopen as Equity Bank on January 2, 2026, with core and digital banking systems consolidation planned for February 2026.

Prosperity Bancshares, Inc., the parent of Prosperity Bank, completed its merger of American Bank Holding Corporation effective January 1, 2026. American’s wholly owned subsidiary, American Bank, N.A. (headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas), merged into Prosperity Bank, with former American shareholders and award holders receiving 4,439,981 shares of Prosperity common stock.

Cantor Fitzgerald announced the successful first closing of its acquisition of UBS O'Connor’s alternative investment platform. As part of the transaction, two O'Connor hedge fund investment strategies have transferred to Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management (CFAM), with additional funds and assets expected to transfer in phases through Q1 2026 subject to regulatory and investor approvals.

Atlantic Coast Mortgage, LLC (ACM), a mortgage lending business in which FVCbank holds a minority interest, acquired Tidewater Mortgage Services, Inc. (TMS), a Coastal Virginia-based mortgage lender serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. The deal adds approximately 45 loan officers plus support staff to ACM and is intended to expand ACM’s footprint and scale while supporting technology-driven, client-focused mortgage origination.

Yield Solutions Group (YSG) announced it now fully controls Trusted American Mortgage following the resignation of Trusted American Mortgage president Patrick Donlon. YSG said it will provide immediate oversight and invest significant capital to expand Trusted American Mortgage into a nationwide mortgage platform.

Bepensa Capital, S.A. de C.V. completed the full sale of its U.S. business, Bepensa Capital Inc. (operating as FinBe USA), to Generosity Lending Services, LLC. The transaction covers the entire FinBe USA operation across 32 U.S. states and supports Bepensa Capital’s strategy to exit the U.S. market and refocus resources on growth in Mexico.

Castle Creek Capital-managed funds acquired $40 million of common stock in FirstSun Capital Bancorp from legacy stockholders, making Castle Creek one of FirstSun’s largest institutional shareholders (about 4% as of December 4, 2025). The investment includes an agreement under which Castle Creek director Spencer T. Cohn is expected to join FirstSun’s board, subject to legal/regulatory requirements and timing tied to FirstSun’s proposed merger with First Foundation Inc.

MetroCity Bankshares, Inc., the holding company for Metro City Bank, completed its acquisition of First IC Corporation, the parent of First IC Bank, effective after the close of business on December 1, 2025. Both organizations are based in Doraville, Georgia, and the combination expands MetroCity’s scale and branch footprint across multiple U.S. states.

A joint venture controlled by Robinhood Markets and partnered with Susquehanna International Group acquired a 90% stake in MIAX Derivatives Exchange (MIAXdx) from Miami International Holdings. The deal gives Robinhood a CFTC-licensed derivatives venue (DCM/DCO/SEF) to accelerate its prediction markets and broader futures/derivatives strategy, while MIAX retains a 10% equity stake.

NB Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Needham Bank, is completing its merger with Provident Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for BankProv. The multi-step merger structure results in Provident merging into NB Bancorp (Needham as the surviving entity) and BankProv merging into Needham Bank, with the transaction becoming effective shortly after midnight ET on November 15, 2025.

D2 Asset Management, LP completed the integration of the Residential Capital Partners (ResCap) team into its residential credit platform. ResCap is a Dallas-based private lending platform serving single-family real estate investors nationwide, and the combination is intended to expand D2’s direct lending and servicing/origination capabilities across products such as transition, construction, and long-term rental loans.

Propy, an AI-powered title and escrow platform, announced its first acquisition under a $100 million AI-led roll-up strategy: Alabama-based Delta South Title Inc. The deal expands Propy into Alabama (Mobile County) and is intended to modernize and automate title and escrow workflows using Propy’s AI and smart-contract infrastructure.

American Bancorp Inc., parent of American Pride Bank, completed a merger with New Republic Partners Inc., parent of Charlotte-based New Republic Bank. The deal was structured as a stock-for-stock exchange, and New Republic Bank will become a sister bank within the American Bancorp family and later be rebranded as American Pride Bank following phased systems integration.

Opteon acquired Equity Valuation Partners (EVP), effective November 1, 2025, to expand its U.S. footprint and modernize residential and commercial appraisal/valuation services. The deal strengthens Opteon’s appraisal management capabilities, adds technology-forward talent, and broadens its national network of appraisers to improve turnaround times while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Civista Bancshares, Inc., parent of Civista Bank, completed its merger with The Farmers Savings Bank, a community bank headquartered in Spencer, Ohio. The transaction expands Civista’s footprint in Northeast Ohio, adding two branches and approximately $236 million in low-cost deposits, with system conversion planned for the first quarter of 2026.

Lincoln International completed the acquisition of MarshBerry, an investment banking and consulting firm serving the insurance brokerage and wealth & retirement sectors. The deal strengthens Lincoln International’s Financial Services platform and expands its advisory capabilities for private equity firms, strategic acquirers, and independent business owners in insurance and wealth management. Sellers included MarshBerry management and Atlas Merchant Capital, which were advised by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (a Stifel company) and Solomon Partners.

Great American Holdings, LLC ("GA Group"), which is majority-owned by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, announced it has acquired CBC Group, LLC, a field examination and asset-based lending (ABL) collateral monitoring services firm. CBC will be integrated into GA Group’s field exam group, expanding its examiner team and footprint across North America, including Canada.

Eastern Bankshares, Inc., the holding company for Eastern Bank, completed its previously announced acquisition of HarborOne Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for HarborOne Bank, effective shortly after midnight on November 1, 2025. HarborOne shareholders received merger consideration of either 0.765 shares of Eastern common stock per HarborOne share (plus cash in lieu of fractional shares) or $12.00 in cash per share, subject to allocation and proration procedures that resulted in 84.99% stock consideration and 15.01% cash consideration overall.

Hometown Financial Group, Inc. completed its acquisition of CFSB Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Colonial Federal Savings Bank. Following the transaction, Colonial Federal’s branches will operate as a division of North Shore Bank, expanding Hometown Financial Group’s presence in eastern Massachusetts.

Prime Pensions, Inc. (PPI), an independent provider of retirement plan administration, consulting, and compliance services, acquired Presberg Pensions, a retirement-plan third-party administrator. The deal expands Prime Pensions’ footprint in California/West Coast and provides Presberg’s clients access to Prime Pensions’ national scale and technology; financial terms were not disclosed.

Paulson Capital Holding Company, LLC acquired JWTT, Inc., an investment bank and broker-dealer focused on the community banking sector. Following the deal, JWTT will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Paulson while leveraging Paulson’s broader financial services resources to expand its investment banking and corporate services capabilities in community banking.

KittyHawk, a Los Angeles-based technology investment firm, announced it has acquired early-stage venture capital firm Exit Ventures. As part of the transaction, Exit Ventures founder Paul Burgon will join KittyHawk as a Partner to lead and accelerate the firm’s energy and climate investment efforts across its Frontier funds.

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated closed its merger with Veritex Holdings, Inc., a Dallas, Texas-headquartered bank holding company, expanding Huntington’s presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston markets. The combined company has approximately $223 billion in assets (as of Sept. 30, 2025) and adds Veritex’s 31 Texas branches to Huntington’s network of more than 1,000 branches. Veritex CEO C. Malcolm Holland III joined Huntington in a non-executive capacity as Chairman of Texas, and Veritex accounts are expected to convert to Huntington’s systems in the first quarter of 2026.

BlackRock completed its acquisition of HPS Investment Partners in July for approximately $12 billion. The deal added about $165 billion of client assets under management to BlackRock and supports its broader push to expand its private markets and alternative investment capabilities.

Simplicity Group ("Simplicity") announced the acquisition of Insurance Planning Advisors ("IPA"), an insurance planning partner to large financial institutions. The deal expands Simplicity’s Point-of-Sale insurance platform serving securities-licensed advisors, broker-dealers, and banks, and brings IPA leaders Michael Cianci, James Henley, Scott Meadows, and Chad Thacker into Simplicity as new partners.

Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union announced a merger with City & County Employees Federal Credit Union (CCEFCU) of Albert Lea, Minnesota, following approval by CCEFCU members, its board, and the National Credit Union Administration. The combined memberships are expected to be brought together on October 1, expanding product access and branch/ATM availability for CCEFCU members while Affinity Plus adds approximately 1,700 members.

Scale Bank acquired Great Plains Transportation Services and Partners Funding, two invoice factoring providers based in Fairmont, Minnesota. The deal expands Scale Bank’s factoring market presence through its Scale Funding and Provident Commercial Finance divisions, strengthening its services to trucking customers and adding Great Plains’ and Partners Funding’s teams and customer base.

Mainstreet announced it has acquired Capbase, a platform for entity formation, equity management, cap tables, and corporate governance. The acquisition expands Mainstreet’s small-business back-office platform by adding formation and governance tooling for early-stage founders, and it also coincides with a new preferred-partner relationship with Deel.

Kennedy Lewis Investment Management LLC acquired the remaining equity stake in Generate Advisors, a CLO management platform it previously partially owned, from York Capital Management. Following the transaction, Generate Advisors will rebrand as Kennedy Lewis Loan Management LLC (KLLM) and continue operating under existing leadership.

US Capital Global acquired TC Capital Advisors LLC, a Miami-based business consulting and advisory firm founded in 2012. As part of the deal, TC Capital Advisors founder Jullion Taylor was appointed Partner and Managing Director at US Capital Global, and the acquisition supports the launch of US Capital Global’s Micro-Cap Program focused on financing solutions for small and family-owned businesses.

OneDigital announced that it has received a strategic investment from Stone Point Capital and CPP Investments. The announcement indicates a new investment partnership supporting OneDigital, though financial terms and any selling shareholders were not specified in the provided source.

Astira Capital Partners completed the acquisition of Altus Commercial Receivables, a provider of commercial receivables management solutions serving the office of the CFO. Altus was divested from ARMStrong Receivable Management, a portfolio company of BharCap Partners, which retained ownership of ARMStrong Insurance Services; financial terms were not disclosed.

Piper Sandler completed its acquisition of G Squared Capital Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based boutique investment bank focused on government services and defense technology. The deal brings G Squared’s sector expertise and team into Piper Sandler’s technology investment banking platform, expanding coverage and advisory capabilities in federal markets.

Daybright Financial acquired The Platinum 401k, Inc., a Clearwater-based retirement plan administrator specializing in Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs) and Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs). The deal strengthens Daybright’s Private Sector Retirement Solutions segment and expands its national retirement and benefits administration capabilities, including ERISA 3(16) compliance services.

Inveniam Capital Partners and Rialto Markets announced a strategic partnership to build a blockchain-based derivatives exchange for tokenized private market assets. As part of the agreement, Inveniam will acquire a 20% ownership stake in Rialto Markets to enhance Rialto’s regulatory infrastructure and secondary trading capabilities.

Asset Entities Inc. and Strive Enterprises, Inc. completed a merger, with the combined company renamed Strive, Inc. and continuing to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker ASST. In connection with the closing, the company also finalized an equity financing raising about $750 million, with up to an additional $750 million potentially available from warrant exercises.

Atlanticus completed the acquisition of Mercury Financial for approximately $162 million in cash, making Mercury a wholly-owned subsidiary. The deal adds Mercury’s near-prime credit card issuing platform, including about 1.3 million serviced accounts and $3.2 billion in receivables, expanding Atlanticus’ scale and capabilities in the U.S. credit card market. The purchase price also includes potential earn-out payments tied to future credit performance.

Fiduciary Services Group (FSG) acquired Beacon Benefits, a third-party administrator (TPA) of retirement plan administration services headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts. Beacon Benefits will be integrated into DWC, FSG’s TPA platform, expanding FSG’s retirement services footprint and adding a stronger presence in the Boston-area market.

Nuveen Private Capital entered into a strategic partnership in which Hunter Point Capital and Temasek are making minority equity investments in the private credit platform. Nuveen will retain a majority stake, while senior leadership and employees at Churchill Asset Management and Arcmont Asset Management will also maintain meaningful ownership. Temasek will additionally provide long-term capital commitments to support Nuveen Private Capital’s existing and future strategies.

Cantilever Group, a middle-market GP-stakes investment firm, made a strategic minority equity investment in Tecum Capital Management, LLC, a Pittsburgh-based private investment firm. The investment is intended to support Tecum’s team expansion and strategic growth initiatives as it continues to build its position in the SBIC industry, with Tecum’s existing management team remaining in place.

Tidal Investments LLC, a Tidal Financial Group company, completed a recapitalization transaction with Insignia Capital Group. The investment is intended to support Tidal’s continued growth in ETF services through additional resources for talent, service expansion, and scaling its full-stack platform, while maintaining Tidal’s majority ownership and operational independence.

ORIX Corporation USA (ORIX USA) completed the acquisition of a majority equity ownership stake in Hilco Global, a diversified financial services firm focused on professional services and capital solutions. Following the transaction, Hilco Global will operate as a subsidiary of ORIX USA, while Hilco Global’s executive leadership team will retain a minority equity ownership position.

Beacon Financial Corporation announced the completion of a merger of equals between Berkshire Hills Bancorp (parent of Berkshire Bank) and Brookline Bancorp (parent of Brookline Bank, Bank Rhode Island, and PCSB Bank), effective September 1, 2025. The combination created Beacon Financial Corporation, the parent of Beacon Bank & Trust (Beacon Bank), a $24 billion regional banking franchise headquartered in Boston with more than 145 branches across New England and New York.

Columbia Banking System, Inc., parent of Columbia Bank, completed its previously announced acquisition of Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc., parent of Pacific Premier Bank, on August 31, 2025. The combination is intended to accelerate Columbia’s expansion in Southern California and strengthen its presence across western U.S. markets; Pacific Premier shares ceased trading on Nasdaq on September 2, 2025. Under the merger terms, each Pacific Premier share was converted into 0.9150 of a Columbia common share, with former Pacific Premier shareholders representing about 30% of the combined company post-close.

Mechanics Bank completed its previously announced strategic merger with HomeStreet Bank, expanding its West Coast footprint. In the transaction, HomeStreet Bank merged with and into Mechanics Bank, with Mechanics Bank surviving as a California banking corporation and remaining a wholly owned subsidiary of Mechanics Bancorp (renamed from HomeStreet, Inc. at closing).

Bow River Capital, a Denver-based alternative asset manager, acquired the asset-based financing business of Park Cities Asset Management, a Dallas-based asset manager focused on lower middle market capital solutions. The deal adds a 12-person team and an asset-based lending strategy focused on privately negotiated, non-traded loans with typical 2–3 year terms, expanding Bow River’s private credit capabilities.

Daybright Financial announced the acquisition of Hessel & Associates, LLC, a pension consulting firm and full-service third-party administrator (TPA) based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The deal expands Daybright’s presence into the Midwest, and Hessel & Associates’ leader Brooke Hessel Cline will continue to run the business as Managing Partner within Daybright’s Private Sector Retirement Solutions segment.

Proterra Investment Partners LP acquired AcreTrader, a farmland investment platform operating at the intersection of agriculture, finance, and technology. AcreTrader will operate under Proterra’s ownership to scale farmland offerings and expand investor access, while Acres.com (AcreTrader’s parent/affiliate) will remain independent. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Kayne Anderson BDC, Inc. (KBDC) made a strategic investment in SG Credit Partners, Inc., a national lower middle market credit platform. The investment is structured as an $80 million term loan facility, a $34 million delayed-draw term loan facility, and a $12 million common equity investment, resulting in KBDC owning 22.5% of SG Credit with an option to acquire additional equity at a fixed price.

Ocorian completed the acquisition of E78 Fund Solutions from Element 78 Partners LLC, marking Ocorian’s second US acquisition in the past 12 months. Following the close, E78 Fund Solutions will join Ocorian and rebrand under the Ocorian name later in the fall, expanding Ocorian’s US capabilities in outsourced CFO, fund administration, tax, and compliance services for alternative investment managers.

Matt Middleton and Anil D. Aggarwal acquired a majority stake in ETF.com from ETFS Capital, which will retain a minority interest. Middleton will become CEO and lead ETF.com’s transformation into an events-driven multimedia platform serving the exchange-traded funds community. Financial terms were not disclosed.

BitBridge Capital Strategies completed its merger with Green Mountain Merger Inc., a Nevada corporation. Following the transaction, BitBridge expects to trade on the OTC Markets under the ticker BTTL by the end of the third quarter, with plans to pursue an eventual uplisting to NASDAQ.

Hanwha Life completed the acquisition of a 75% stake in Velocity Clearing, LLC, a New York-based self-clearing broker-dealer providing execution, clearing, settlement and custody services. The majority of the acquired stake was previously owned by an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., and the deal expands Hanwha Life into the U.S. securities and North American capital markets.

Main Street Capital Corporation completed a $10.0 million portfolio investment to support the leveraged buyout of a leading third-party delinquent tax collection service provider founded in 2010 and headquartered in the Southeastern United States. The transaction was led by an unnamed sector-focused private investment firm as the majority equity investor and owner, with Main Street participating via first-lien senior secured debt and a minority equity investment.

KKR & Co. Inc. has acquired a majority ownership stake in HealthCare Royalty Partners (HCRx), a biopharma royalty acquisition firm focused on royalty monetizations and related financing solutions. HCRx, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, will continue to be led by Chairman and CEO Clarke Futch, who will retain a substantial minority interest as the firms partner to expand biopharma royalty and credit investing capabilities.

Northwest Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Northwest Bank, completed its merger with Penns Woods Bancorp, Inc. effective July 25, 2025. As part of the transaction, Penns Woods’ subsidiary banks—Jersey Shore State Bank and Luzerne Bank—were merged into Northwest Bank, with Northwest Bank as the surviving institution, expanding Northwest’s branch footprint in Pennsylvania.

Daybright Financial acquired Spectrum Pension Consultants, Inc., an independent retirement third-party administrator based in Tacoma, Washington, expanding Daybright’s footprint in the Pacific Northwest. The transaction includes Spectrum’s affiliated companies: GROUPIRA, Inc., Incentive Benefits, Inc., Integrity Pension Services, LLC, ProTPA, LLC, and Qualified Pension Consultants, Inc. Spectrum’s leaders Petros and Yannis Koumantaros will continue to lead the business as Managing Partners within Daybright’s Private Sector Retirement Solutions segment.

Polymarket acquired the holding company of QCX, LLC (a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-licensed derivatives exchange) and its clearinghouse, QC Clearing LLC (collectively QCEX), for $112 million. The deal is intended to support Polymarket’s re-entry/expansion in the United States by enabling a fully regulated, U.S.-compliant framework for offering prediction market contracts to U.S. users.

Simplicity Group Holdings ("Simplicity") acquired Planscope360, an integrated administration platform serving K-12 school districts with retirement and savings plan solutions. Planscope360 is based in Durham, North Carolina, and its leaders Al Otto and Robert McLean will join Simplicity as partners. Planscope360 was initially backed by Verity, a previously acquired Simplicity business.

Man Group, a global alternative investment manager, has acquired Bardin Hill, a U.S. private credit manager with approximately $3 billion in assets under management. Bardin Hill will continue to be led by CEO Jason Dillow and its partners, while leveraging Man Group’s global distribution to accelerate growth and expand Man Group’s North American private credit offering.

Origami Capital Partners closed a strategic partnership with Coromandel Capital, a Los Angeles-based lender providing senior secured, asset-backed capital. As part of the transaction, Origami will support Coromandel to accelerate growth and scale its lending/origination programs across FinTech, specialty finance, and other asset-intensive sectors.

New York Mortgage Trust acquired the remaining 50% ownership interest in Constructive Loans in an all-cash transaction completed through a wholly owned subsidiary. Constructive Loans will continue operating as an independent subsidiary, enhancing New York Mortgage Trust’s access to Constructive’s proprietary origination channels and distribution network in business purpose loans for residential real estate investors.

InDebted, a global fintech focused on technology-enabled debt collection, acquired U.S.-based collections agency AmSher. AmSher, headquartered in Hoover, Alabama, adds telecommunications and cable collections expertise and client relationships, supporting InDebted’s expansion and servicing capabilities in North America. AmSher’s team, including President Seth DeForest, will be integrated into InDebted under a phased integration approach.

Community National Bank & Trust of Texas (CNB&T) announced it has successfully acquired CapTex Bank, expanding its footprint to 18 branches across Texas. The deal adds five CapTex locations (Fort Worth, Bonham, Leonard, Melissa, and Trenton) and supports CNB&T’s strategy to grow its community-banking platform and broaden offerings such as wealth management and mortgage origination.

Equity Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Equity Bank, completed its acquisition/merger with NBC Corp. of Oklahoma, the parent of NBC Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. The deal adds seven locations in Oklahoma and expands Equity’s Oklahoma presence to 15 total locations, with NBC branches reopening under the Equity Bank brand on July 3 and systems consolidation expected in late August 2025.

Forge Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: FRGE) completed its previously announced acquisition of Accuidity Capital Management, a specialized asset management firm focused on private market investing, in a simultaneous sign-and-close transaction. The deal expands Forge’s wealth and investment management capabilities and adds approximately $220 million of AUM, with consideration consisting of $10.0 million in cash, 1.15 million newly issued Forge shares, and a potential earn-out of up to 1.0 million additional shares tied to performance milestones through 2027.

PACT Capital Partners completed a passive, non-voting minority balance sheet investment in Graham Partners to provide long-term capital for the firm’s growth initiatives. The all-primary transaction did not involve any secondary sale of interests and is intended to support increased GP commitments and the creation of internal Centers of Excellence.

Independent Bank Corp. (parent of Rockland Trust Company) closed its acquisition of Enterprise Bancorp, Inc. (parent of Enterprise Bank and Trust Company), effective July 1, 2025. Under the merger consideration, each Enterprise share was exchanged for 0.60 shares of Independent common stock plus $2.00 in cash, resulting in approximately 7.5 million shares issued and about $25.8 million of cash paid in aggregate. Following the deal, Enterprise merged into Independent and Enterprise Bank merged into Rockland Trust, with operational conversions expected over the weekend of October 11, 2025.

BlackRock, Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of HPS Investment Partners, a credit-focused alternative investment firm. Following the transaction, BlackRock is creating a new integrated platform, Private Financing Solutions (PFS), combining the firms’ private credit, GP/LP solutions, and CLO businesses, with HPS operating as “HPS, a part of BlackRock.”

Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. closed its previously announced acquisition of NewPoint Holdings JV L.L.C. for total consideration of $425 million. The deal is intended to expand FBRT’s multifamily lending and add agency lending capabilities, positioning the company to offer a more integrated commercial real estate finance platform.

BankFirst Capital Corporation completed its previously announced acquisition of The Magnolia State Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, Magnolia State Bank, effective July 1, 2025. The deal expands BankFirst’s footprint to 52 offices across Mississippi and Alabama and adds Magnolia Bank’s leadership team into regional and community bank roles within BankFirst.

Utah Community Credit Union (UCCU) completed its merger with TransWest Credit Union, with the organizations finalizing a core-systems conversion in five months following a signed letter of intent. Best Innovation Group supported the integration and data conversion using its AI-assisted merger framework, enabling a transition with zero member downtime.