Postgame with Amount: Acquire or be Acquired 2025

Key Takeaways from AOBA 2025: Driving Innovation and Growth

The banking world is evolving fast, and Bank Director's Acquire or be Acquired 2025 conference made one thing clear: staying ahead means embracing change. Whether a bank is looking to grow through strategic acquisitions or preparing to be acquired, the landscape is shifting rapidly. This year's event brought together industry leaders to discuss the latest innovations, from transformative technologies to data-driven decision-making. As financial institutions navigate digital transformation, the conference reinforced the importance of proactive strategies to stay competitive, drive growth, and create real customer value.

"Small Business is Big Business"

Mastercard's North American Small Business Lead,  Ginger Siegel, said it best: "Small Business is Big Business." Easily my favorite quote from AOBA 2025—it perfectly captures the vast opportunities in SMB banking. This theme resonated throughout the conference, where key discussions highlighted three critical strategies for financial institutions looking to better serve SMBs:

• Leveraging Technology for Competitive SMB Banking: SMB-centric digital lending platforms are key to issuing SMB products. Banks must leverage digital workflows and automation to reduce the time it takes for SMBs to access loans and manage their accounts.
• The Untapped Potential of SMB Customers: Every SMB owner is also a consumer, creating a prime opportunity for banks to offer personal financial solutions alongside business banking services.
• Removing Barriers- Access to Capital: For SMBs, the key to successful capital access is understanding their specific financing needs and choosing the right type of capital. Whether seeking a traditional loan, leveraging alternative lending sources, or turning to equity financing, various solutions are available depending on the business's stage and financial situation.

Show Me the Money – Growing Deposits

With deposit growth at the forefront of financial institutions' strategies, unlocking new opportunities is critical. Here are key insights FIs can tap into to drive meaningful growth and stay ahead of the curve":

• User-friendly digital banking: Invest in seamless, intuitive mobile and online banking platforms that make it easier for customers to open accounts and deposit funds. This convenience can be a key differentiator in a competitive market.
• Digital interfaces in-branch: Provide tablets or kiosks for customers to access their accounts, transfer money, or apply for products without waiting for a teller.
• Offer bundled deposit and lending products: Combine deposit accounts (savings, checking) with attractive lending products (personal loans, home loans) to enhance customer retention. This creates a "stickier" relationship, making it more challenging for customers to switch banks.

The Power of Automation – Obtaining a Growth Mindset

Automation is revolutionizing banking, empowering institutions to streamline operations, cut costs, and boost efficiency like never before. It's a game-changer that's reshaping the industry and driving transformative growth. What automation brings to the table:

• Enhanced Efficiency: Automation streamlines routine processes, reducing manual tasks and errors. This leads to faster decision-making, quicker loan approvals, and a more efficient onboarding process, enabling banks to serve more customers without increasing operational costs.
• Personalized Customer Experience: Automation allows banks to offer more customized services by analyzing customer data and behavior in real time. This enables the delivery of tailored products, proactive customer support, and targeted marketing, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Scalable Growth: By automating key functions like compliance, risk assessment, and customer service, banks can scale operations quickly and cost-effectively. This helps them expand their customer base and grow market share without a proportional increase in overhead.

Final Thoughts

AOBA 2025 reinforced the importance of digital transformation, automation, and strategic SMB banking solutions as key financial industry success drivers. As banks and fintech partners continue to collaborate, these insights will shape the future of financial services, driving innovation and growth.

The right technology and strategic partnerships are essential as financial institutions look to scale their consumer and small business lending and DAO programs. Amount provides the digital infrastructure, automation, and expertise needed to drive efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and unlock new growth opportunities. Whether optimizing loan origination, streamlining deposits, or embracing automation, Amount empowers banks to compete and thrive in an evolving financial landscape.