JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) today announced it has acquired the substantial majority of assets and assumed the deposits and certain other liabilities of First Republic Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In carrying out this transaction, JPMorgan Chase is supporting the U.S. financial system through its significant strength and execution capabilities. As part of the purchase, JPMorgan Chase is assuming all deposits – insured and uninsured.

Innovation in high net-worth lending is primed to be a new frontier in credit.  Rarely do opportunities exist to make waves in lending, but this is one.  Banks and wire houses are conservative and working on traditional lending models that limit borrower options for untapped equity in multiple forms of assets.  There is also a wall between consumer and business lending units so most banks cannot take a holistic approach to a business owner’s business and personal assets.  Several groups working together can, but this takes time, adds complexity and still has its limitations in a regulatory and traditional banking environment.  Coincidentally, both commercial lenders and wealth managers are starting to converge on this space and each other’s turf by changing their offerings.