The Acquirers Podcast · Thursday, October 29, 2026
Tim Melvin discusses the ongoing consolidation in the community banking sector, noting that the number of banks has dropped from 18,000 to about 4,400, and predicts it will eventually fall to 1,000 or fewer. He explains that despite negative headlines, the remaining community banks feature solid capital levels and good credit quality.
“There's about 4,400 of them left, down from 18,000 when consolidation started. And we're going to 1,000 or under, Toby. I mean, it's just, it's going to happen.”