Spirit Community Bank is the 15th bank to get the agency's approval this year. That list also includes Community Bank of the Carolinas, which was approved in early December.
More banks were approved this year than any since the financial crisis. But challenges with raising capital, and a change in the political landscape, could deter prospective applicants next year.
Readers sound off on the CFPB's name change, whether the Post Office should be allowed to engage in banking services and the FDIC's call to revamp the de novo process.
The agency's request for comment about the deposit insurance application process is among a series of actions aimed at streamlining charter applications.
A pipeline of new banks is critical to the long-term health of the industry and communities across the country, argues FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams.
