Capital Community Bank: Local Strength, National Scrutiny

Overview: Who is Capital Community Bank?

Mission: Local roots = local decisions. CCBank brands itself as a true community partner—offering personalized service with modern tech solutions like SBA lending, credit card processing, and CDs.

• Founded: 1993, in Pleasant Grove, Utah
• Headquarters: Provo, Utah, with branches in St. George, Salem, Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Sandy—seven locations total
• Status: Privately held, FDIC-insured, an “equal housing lender”
• Team & Size: Approximately 221 employees, ranking as Utah’s 26th-largest bank and the 919th nationwide.

Performance Snapshot (Q1 2025)

These metrics reflect solid financial growth and a healthy balance sheet for a regional institution.

• Assets: $1.14 billion (up from $911.5 million yr/yr)
• Loans: $862 million (vs $722.6 million)
• Deposits: $954 million (vs $773.9 million)
• Equity Capital: $153.5 million (vs $126.1 million)
• Health Rating: B+ from DepositAccounts—highlighting strong deposit growth, capitalization, and a return on equity of ~31%.

Strengths: Community-Focused & Agile

• Local Decision-Making: Leadership is based in Utah, allowing rapid credit decisions tailored to local needs.
• Diverse Offerings: Products include business loans, SBA packages, commercial lending, credit services, and savings/CDs.
• Tech Edge: Incorporates up-to-date digital banking tools (e.g. Zelle transfers, online account management).
• Strong Growth Path: Q1's loan and deposit increases reflect its expanding influence in the Wasatch Front region.

Controversy: “Rent a Bank” Partnerships

• CCBank is named as one of several Utah banks involved in so-called “rent a bank” schemes—where non-bank lenders use the bank’s charter to offer extremely high-interest loans (up to 225% APR), avoiding state rate caps.
• Partnered With: Lenders like Elevate (Rise loans up to 149% APR), LoanMart (auto-title loans up to 170%), and others offering Xact, EZ$Money, MoneyKey, QuickCredit with triple-digit APRs.
• Criticism: Consumer advocates and NCLC allege these programs are predatory, exploit regulatory loopholes, and may harm financially vulnerable communities.
• Regulatory Response: Advocacy groups have urged the FDIC to crack down or remove CCBank’s charter, citing reputational and compliance risks.

Balancing the Narrative

Where Does CCBank Go From Here?

• Opportunity: Enhance reputation by scaling responsible banking—highlight community investment, transparent lending, and small business support.
• Challenge: Address regulatory and community concerns by reviewing and potentially discontinuing high-cost loan partnerships.
• Ideal Path: Position as a model local bank—leveraging growth and digital tools while firmly rejecting predatory practices.