Bank mergers can no longer be assessed with branch maps and deposit shares alone. In 2025, funding and credit risk move along networks: depositors respond through social ties, and firms transmit shocks through supply chains. A merger that looks diversifying on paper may stack correlated risks if both banks are tied to the same hubs. Understanding these connections is essential for boards, investors, and regulators evaluating the true stability and value of a deal.

Until recently, the idea of a public company issuing its own digital token seemed implausible. The regulatory environment was too uncertain, and the risk of enforcement too high. In 2025, that calculus is changing. With the passage of the GENIUS Act and momentum around the CLARITY Act, U.S. policymakers are building clearer guardrails for digital assets. That shift raises a practical question for executives: should your company launch a token?

CECL requires banks to estimate lifetime expected credit losses using reasonable, supportable forecasts that combine historical data with local economic signals and validated models, allow reversion to history when forecasts are no longer reliable, and thus favor a data-driven, cross-validated approach over national templates or arbitrary scenarios.