Republic First becomes the first FDIC-insured bank failure of 2024 (2024)

The news: Last Friday, Pennsylvania financial regulators seized and shut down Philadelphia-based Republic First Bank in the first FDIC-insured bank failure of 2024.

  • The deposit insurance fund is expected to pay out $667 million to cover the bank’s failure.

How we got here: Struggling under the weight of higher interest rates, Republic First had planned to exit the mortgage business and refocus on consumer deposits.

  • Nasdaq delisted it last August after it failed to hand in its annual report to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • Its attempts to raise capital were unsuccessful. Earlier this year, an expected investment of $35 million fell through.

What’s next: In a FDIC-run auction, Lancaster, Pa.-based Fulton Bank acquired all of the failed bank’s deposits and bought all of its assets.

  • As of January 1, those amounts consisted of roughly $4 billion in deposits and $6 billion in assets.
  • Over the past weekend, Republic First’s 32 branches reopened as Fulton Bank branches.

Shares in Fulton Financial, the owner of Fulton Bank, jumped 10% in morning trading on the Monday after the deal. The bank said its acquisition would nearly double its size in the Philadelphia market. Current estimates have it now holding approximately $30 billion in assets.

The bigger picture: Though much ink has been expended in analyzing the plight of regional banks—particularly those that trade heavily in commercial real estate lending—Republic First’s failure is likely an isolated incident that occurred within an otherwise stable banking sector.

  • Banks collapsed at a rate of around four to five annually between 2011 and 2020, after the collateral damage from the Great Recession was cleared away, per a Forbes Advisor analysis.
  • Zero banks failed in 2021 and 2022—so last spring’s falling dominoes may have surprised those with short institutional memories. The collapses of some highly specialized lenders showed the importance of diversification within bank portfolios.

An unlucky name? On the first day of May in 2023, San Francisco-based First Republic Bank failed. (JPMorgan Chase won the majority of its assets in a highly competitive bidding process.)

As a result, then-healthy Republic First was briefly a victim of mistaken identity. CEO Thomas Geisel issued an open letter on his bank’s website to straighten out the branding confusion—not knowing that Republic First wouldn’t survive to see the first anniversary of First Republic’s collapse.

Republic First becomes the first FDIC-insured bank failure of 2024 (2024)

FAQs

Is Republic First Bank closing the first FDIC insured bank to fail in 2024? ›

On Friday, April 26, 2024, Republic First Bank dba Republic Bank (“Republic Bank”), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was closed by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was then appointed Receiver.

What is the first bank failure in 2024? ›

The news: Last Friday, Pennsylvania financial regulators seized and shut down Philadelphia-based Republic First Bank in the first FDIC-insured bank failure of 2024.

Was First Republic Bank FDIC insured? ›

First Republic is now part of JPMorgan Chase.

On May 1, 2023, JPMorgan Chase acquired the substantial majority of assets and assumed the deposits and certain other liabilities of First Republic from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

What is the FDIC limit for 2024? ›

Depositors can name as many beneficiaries as they wish, however the coverage limit will not exceed $1,250,000 as of April 1, 2024. This coverage change applies to both existing and new trust accounts, for all deposit products, including CDs regardless of purchase or maturity date.

Is Republic First Bank in trouble? ›

Republic was seized by state regulators Friday after a deal for $35 million in funding reportedly fell apart earlier this year. The seizure and sale comes a little over a year after a series of bank failures rocked the industry in 2023.

How safe is First Republic Bank now? ›

Is My Money Safe at First Republic Bank? According to the FDIC, all 84 branches of First Republic Bank now operate under the JPMorgan brand. All deposits were transferred to JPMorgan, and no depositors lost any money as a result of the closure.

What is the first bank failure? ›

Why did Republic First Bank fail? The lender is the first FDIC-insured institution to fail in the U.S. in 2024. The last bank failure — Citizens Bank, based in Sac City, Iowa — was in November 2023.

When was the last time a major bank failed? ›

Washington Mutual's failure in 2008, during the financial crisis, is the largest in the country's history. It stemmed from the bank's risky mortgage lending practices. Even more recently were the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in 2023.

What happened to the first bank of the United States? ›

Congress opted not to renew the bank's charter when it expired in 1811. Five years later, after the War of 1812, President James Madison signed a bill establishing the Second Bank of the United States.

What will happen to my First Republic Bank account? ›

Effective May 25, 2024, your First Republic commercial deposit account(s) will transition to JPMorgan Chase. After May 24, First Republic online and mobile banking will be “view only.” Your online banking activity will need to be conducted on JPMorgan Chase's digital platforms starting May 28.

Can I withdraw my money from First Republic Bank? ›

You may only make up to six withdrawals and/or transfers each monthly statement cycle by check (for accounts with check privileges), preauthorized or automatic transfer (e.g., transfers under an agreement to cover overdrafts on a linked checking account, or automatic payments to an insurance company), draft, point-of- ...

Is my CD safe with First Republic Bank? ›

Are First Republic Bank CDs FDIC-Insured? Yes, First Republic Banks are FDIC-insured.

Where do millionaires keep their money if banks only insure 250k? ›

Millionaires can insure their money by depositing funds in FDIC-insured accounts, NCUA-insured accounts, through IntraFi Network Deposits, or through cash management accounts. They may also allocate some of their cash to low-risk investments, such as Treasury securities or government bonds.

Is it safe to have more than $250000 in a bank account? ›

An account that contains more than $250,000 at one bank, or multiple accounts with the same owner or owners, is insured only up to $250,000. The protection does not come from taxes or congressional funding. Instead, banks pay into the insurance system, and the insurance provides their customers with protection.

What is status of First Republic Bank? ›

First Republic is now part of JPMorgan Chase.

Visit chase.com/branch to view branch locations near you.

Are CDs safe at First Republic Bank? ›

Are First Republic Bank CDs FDIC-Insured? Yes, First Republic Banks are FDIC-insured.

Has Republic First Bank been seized and closed by regulators? ›

Regulators have closed Republic First Bank, a regional lender operating in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Friday it had seized the Philadelphia-based bank, which did business as Republic Bank and had roughly $6 billion in assets and $4 billion in deposits as of Jan. 31.

Is bank of America buying First Republic? ›

In July 2010, Bank of America, which acquired Merrill Lynch and thereby acquired First Republic, sold First Republic Bank to a group of private investors including Colony Capital, General Atlantic, and chairman James Herbert and former COO Katherine August DeWilde, for approximately $1 billion. Thomas J.

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