In a significant development, JPMorgan Chase has agreed to acquire the majority of assets of First Republic Bank following its seizure by financial regulators. This marks the third major US bank failure since March, with Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsing earlier this year.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent government agency that insures deposits for bank customers, facilitated the sale of First Republic's assets and deposits to JPMorgan Chase in an effort to maintain consumer confidence in the banking system.
JPMorgan has acquired "all of the deposits and substantially all of the assets" belonging to First Republic. The acquisition was made after bids were invited from several banks including PNC Financial Services Group and Citizens Financial Group. California regulators shut down First Republic on Monday before FDIC took over as receiver, eventually selling it off to JPMorgan Chase.
Thomas Hoenig, President and CEO of FDIC said: "This transaction ensures continuity for depositors while minimizing costs for taxpayers."
With $103.9 billion in deposits seized from FRC, JP Morgan's acquisition comes at a time when three out of four largest-ever US bank failures have occurred within just two months - ranking right behind Washington Mutual Inc.'s 2008 collapse.
As part of their efforts towards recovery amidst this chaotic phase in banking history, both parties are focusing on sports investment through a four-team collaborative strategy involving football stars such as Jermain Defoe, Romelu Lukaku, Michael Owen, Martin Keown and Ledley King among others; aiming at creating synergy between finance and sports management sectors.
An unnamed spokesperson from JPMorgan stated: “We believe that investing in these teams will not only help our brand image but also provide us with unique opportunities for growth.”
First Republic's downfall is expected to impact FDIC's insurance fund by approximately $13 billion; however they will share the losses with JPMorgan Chase.