ICBA Live is an event with history that runs deep. It blends multi-generational bankers and banks as storied as Millbury National Bank (established in 1825) with de novos and then mingles them with established fintechs and start-ups alike. The atmosphere sparks candid conversations about community bankers’ real needs. Instead of big-picture rhetoric and predictable product pitches, it presents practical insights with clear takeaways.
The event launched with demos from the 10th ThinkTech Accelerator cohort*, a milestone that marked thousands of deals made through this intensive program. The six companies in the group covered fraud, AI, payments, data, and CX. Banker’s choice winner, Onsetto, won the crowd’s vote with a business switch kit, expediting the move to the new bank relationships in 10 days and avoiding the 90+ day journey that usually loses prospects due to fatigue and inconvenience. These are live solutions solving real pain points.
The expo hall benefited from candid, actionable conversations. Bankers shared their needs and explored use cases with fintechs who were listening, learning and responding. It was an environment of collaboration and an agent of change.
And, any guesses what it takes to pack out a room at 7:30 am on a Saturday? Wade Peery, (ICBA/First Bank), Nicole Harper (Jack Henry) and Alex Treece (Stablecore) can make that happen. ICBA’s Wayne Miller led the group through an interactive discussion about establishing a stablecoin strategy**. Most notably:
- The next six months may set the tone for the next 20 years in our industry;
- It’s time to be urgently curious about stablecoins, because there’s a steep learning curve;
- Many payment and tech providers will be fighting to win primary financial relationships;
- If stablecoins reach $3 trillion by the end of the decade as expected, that represents a significant deposit loss for bankers who aren’t involved;
- There’s a lot of talk about a consortium to help the industry (highly encouraging).
In summary, ICBA Live’s theme this year, Anchored in Purpose, was about vision and helping bankers build the right strategy to drive sustainable growth and continue fighting for their communities. If you’d like to learn more about the show, or your overall event strategy for the rest of 2026, reach out to us today!
Resources:
*If you are considering applying to the next ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator cohort, applications are open now here.
**If you missed this session and want to know more, here are a few resources that may be of interest:
- ICBA's Digital Assets Webinar Series (available for a fee or subscription)
- Bankers On Chain, Wade Peery’s blog
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