WHY THIS MATTERS: The existential threat facing community banking is not merely changing consumer expectations, but the crushing technical debt that paralyzes institutional agility. For smaller lenders, legacy infrastructure acts as a primary barrier to delivering the seamless, real-time digital experiences that have become table stakes in today’s landscape. When an institution commits to a core modernization strategy, it signals a vital pivot from being a passive depository to an active digital competitor. The adoption of API-enabled, cloud-ready architectures is the critical lever that allows these firms to finally bridge the gap between their traditional high-touch service model and the operational speed of neobanks. By shifting to flexible, AI-ready frameworks, these banks are not just upgrading internal systems; they are future-proofing their entire business model, ensuring they can leverage data to personalize the customer journey and effectively compete with national incumbents.
FIS® (NYSE: FIS), a global leader in financial services technology, announced that First Commerce Bank, a $1.8B-asset community bank based in New Jersey, has selected FIS as its go-forward core banking platform – giving the institution a modern, AI-ready foundation as community banks of its size face mounting pressure to compete on technology with both national banks and digital-first challengers.
First Commerce Bank conducted a thorough evaluation of its long-term technology strategy, looking for a core partner with modern architecture, integration flexibility, and a genuine commitment to service. FIS HORIZON stood apart for its ability to power the full money lifecycle on a single platform, accelerate fintech connectivity through open APIs, and pair modern technology with the high-touch partnership First Commerce Bank prioritized.
“Community banks need more than modern technology, they need a partner that is invested in their long-term success,” said Melissa Cullen, Head of Regional and Community Banking, FIS. “First Commerce Bank is building for the future, and FIS HORIZON gives them a flexible, modern foundation backed by the expertise, responsiveness and partnership needed to support that journey. We’re proud to help them accelerate innovation, strengthen customer experiences and grow with confidence.”
As part of the agreement, First Commerce Bank gains access to the broader HORIZON ecosystem – an API-enabled platform designed to simplify integrations, accelerate fintech connectivity, and support the bank’s long-term modernization strategy. The platform also positions First Commerce Bank to pursue AI-powered capabilities, including standardized data feeds and agentic commerce tools, as its strategy evolves.
“Modernizing your core banking technology is one of the most consequential decisions a bank makes,” said Gregory Garcia, Chief Operating Officer. “We chose FIS because of the strength of the HORIZON platform and because the team demonstrated a real commitment to our success throughout the process. We’re confident we have the right partner to help us grow and serve our customers well.”
FIS core banking solutions serve as the center of a connected banking ecosystem for community and regional banks, enabling institutions to manage operations across the money lifecycle while building toward next-generation capabilities including real-time payments, embedded finance, and AI-driven insights. The platform’s open architecture and FIS’s track record with community banks make it well suited for institutions that want to modernize without sacrificing stability or service continuity.
First Commerce Bank joins a community and regional bank client base that spans institutions from under $1 billion to well over $100 billion in assets, all running on FIS core banking platforms including FIS HORIZON.
FF NEWS TAKE: This move validates the growing urgency for mid-sized institutions to abandon legacy constraints. While a single core migration may not shift global markets, it underscores a broader, necessary exodus from static, outdated technology. The industry must now watch whether First Commerce can leverage these new, AI-enabled capabilities to capture market share, rather than just achieving operational parity. The “modern core” is no longer a luxury; it is a fundamental survival requirement.
