—Travis Hill, FDIC chairForward look: De novo hopefuls that apply after Aug. 15 will be subject to the new standard. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Monday announced a new conditional approval phase as part of a two-step approval process for reviewing de novo deposit-insurance applications received after Aug. 15, 2026. "Improving the de novo process and encouraging more new bank formation has been a key priority for the FDIC," said Chairman Travis Hill. The agency encouraged bank organizers to meet and consult with FDIC staff prior to submitting their application, according to a release. Regulators' openness to a faster charter application process has already triggered a wave of fintech bank charter applications and approvals.