Busey
First Busey Corporation (NASDAQ: BUSE) is a Champaign, Illinois-based regional bank holding company operating Busey Bank and Busey Wealth Management. It delivers integrated personal banking, commercial banking, mortgage, wealth management, and agricultural services to consumers, small/mid-sized businesses, and HNW clients across the Midwest and select Sun Belt markets.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1860
- HeadquartersChampaign, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Busey does
First Busey Corporation (NASDAQ: BUSE) is a Champaign, Illinois-based regional bank holding company operating through Busey Bank, Busey Wealth Management, and Busey Mortgage. Pre-merger assets stand at $12 billion, expanding to approximately $20 billion upon closing of the CrossFirst Bankshares transaction. The company runs five integrated lines of business: personal banking, commercial banking (including a designated SBA lending program), residential mortgage, wealth management (over $13 billion in assets under care delivered through Raymond James Financial Advisors), and agricultural services (managing 90,000+ acres of farmland across the Midwest corn belt). Customers include individual consumers, small-to-mid-sized businesses, high-net-worth individuals, agricultural producers, and homebuyers served across Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, Texas, and pending-merger markets in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arizona.
The technology stack is anchored by the next-generation Busey Digital Banking platform with native iOS/Android applications, a Business Access commercial online portal, and a treasury management suite covering ACH origination, Positive Pay, ZBA, Sweep accounts, Lockbox, A/R Xpress, and SmartPay. The bank relies on partner-provided infrastructure for non-core capabilities: TSYS powers merchant services and payment processing, Elan Financial Services issues credit cards, FIS provides Integrated Payables, and Raymond James delivers brokerage and investment advisory. Specialized consumer offerings include Bridge Checking (BankOn-certified second-chance account) and MyCommunity Home Loan (an ITIN-compatible mortgage for low-to-moderate income borrowers). Geographic distribution combines physical banking centers in 11+ cities with self-serve digital channels.
Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income from the loan portfolio (commercial, consumer, mortgage, agricultural), wealth management fees, mortgage origination and servicing, treasury management and merchant services fees, and standard banking service charges. The go-to-market is relationship-driven through community banking centers, commercial relationship managers with 10+ years of tenure, and dedicated wealth management advisors. Pricing follows a tiered subscription structure for business checking (Essential and Complete tiers) and per-transaction fees for treasury services. The company has paid dividends for 38 consecutive years and operates as a designated SBA Lender, allowing direct commercial credit decisions without SBA approval delays.
Busey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Busey
- Legal name
- First Busey Corporation
- Website
- https://busey.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1860
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- First Busey Corporation (NASDAQ: BUSE) is a Champaign, Illinois-based regional bank holding company operating Busey Bank and Busey Wealth Management. It delivers integrated personal banking, commercial banking, mortgage, wealth management, and agricultural services to consumers, small/mid-sized businesses, and HNW clients across the Midwest and select Sun Belt markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Busey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Regional Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- National Commercial Banks (6021), State Commercial Banks (6022), Investment Advice (6282), Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor) (FSABAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA), Retail Lending (Personal Loans, Auto, Credit Lines) (FSABAAAB), Branch & In-Person Banking (Teller/ATM Networks) (FSABAAAE)
Keywords
Where Busey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Champaign
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Busey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Net Interest Income: Interest income from loan portfolio (commercial, consumer, mortgage, agricultural) minus interest paid on deposits. Core banking revenue stream for a regional bank holding company.
- Wealth Management Fees: Fees from investment management, financial planning, trust services, estate advisory, and retirement plan services. Busey Wealth Management has over $13 billion in assets under care.
- Mortgage Origination and Servicing: Revenue from mortgage origination, refinancing, and home equity loans through Busey Mortgage team. Includes various loan programs: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, construction, physician loans.
- Commercial Lending Fees: Fees from commercial real estate loans, working capital loans, fixed asset financing, SBA loans, and community development loans.
- Treasury Management and Cash Management Fees: Fees from receivables management (lockbox, remote deposit, merchant services), payables solutions (ACH, wires), liquidity solutions (ZBA, sweep), and information reporting.
- Service Charges and Fees: Fees from personal and business checking accounts, ATM usage, wire transfers, overdraft protection, and other banking services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Essential Business Checking: No monthly service charge, up to 100 items/month free, no minimum balance |
| Subscription | Monthly | Complete Business Checking: $1,500 daily balance requirement, up to 300 items/month free |
| Subscription | Monthly | Bridge Checking: Second-chance checking with $25 opening deposit, no overdraft fees |
| Other | Quarterly | 8.25% Preferred Shares (BUSEP): Callable in 2030, yield to call exceeding 7.2% |
| Other | Quarterly | Common Stock Dividend: $0.26 per share quarterly (4.0% annualized yield) |
| Other | Other | MyCommunity Home Loan: No income limits in low-to-moderate census tracts, lower down payment requirements |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
Busey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Busey Bank is a regional financial institution providing personal and commercial banking (checking, savings, loans, treasury management), residential mortgage lending, wealth management (investment services via Raymond James, trust/estate advisory, retirement plan services), and agricultural banking services (farm management, brokerage, ag lending). Products are delivered through a network of physical banking centers across Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, and Texas, complemented by the Busey Digital Banking web and mobile platform.
Product overview
Busey Bank is a regional banking institution offering a comprehensive financial services platform organized across five primary lines of business: Personal & Commercial Banking, Mortgage, Wealth Management, Ag Services, and Community Banking. The product architecture consists of core banking services (checking, savings, loans, cards) delivered through Busey Digital Banking (web and mobile), supplemented by specialized divisions including Busey Mortgage (residential lending with programs like MyCommunity Home Loan), Busey Wealth Management through Raymond James (investment services, retirement planning, trust/estate advisory managing $13 billion in assets), Treasury Management (business cash management, merchant services powered by TSYS), and Ag Services (farm management, brokerage, and lending with 90,000+ acres under management). The company operates Business Access for commercial online banking and provides SBA lending as a designated SBA Lender. Busey's digital-first strategy centers on the Busey Digital Banking platform with companion mobile applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Private Client at Busey: A concierge banking service that pairs high-net-worth individuals with a dedicated team of professionals for coordinated financial services.
- Busey Wealth Management
- Busey Drives Generosity
- MyCommunity Home Loan Program
Products and services
- Busey Digital Banking
- Busey Bank Personal Banking
- Busey Bank Business Banking
- Bridge Checking
- Bridge Savings
- Busey Mortgage
- MyCommunity Home Loan Program
- Ag Services
- Treasury Management
- Merchant Services
- Busey Wealth Management
- Investment Services
- Employee Retirement Plan Services
- Trust Services and Estate Advisory
- Fraud Protection Solutions
- Business Checking
- SBA Lending
Quantifiable outcome
- 38 consecutive years of dividend payments demonstrates sustained financial performance and shareholder returns
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Busey
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Busey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature6 records
Busey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TSYScoreBusey's Merchant Services Program is powered by TSYS, one of the top payment processors in the nation. TSYS enables Busey to offer comprehensive payment processing including EMV chip cards, ACH, contactless payments, next-day funding, and cloud-based reporting. Busey offers this as a core differentiator for business clients.
- Raymond James Financial ServicescoreBusey Investment Services operates as Raymond James Financial Advisors, providing financial planning, investment counseling, and security brokerage services through Raymond James. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. This is the primary distribution channel for Busey's investment services.
- FINRAminorBusey Investment Services and its advisors are subject to FINRA regulation and oversight as registered broker/dealer. Raymond James Financial Services is a member of FINRA and SIPC.
- MoneyPassminorBusey debit card holders have surcharge-free access to the MoneyPass ATM network of approximately 40,000+ ATMs nationwide, including 3,380+ in Florida, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri.
- Fannie MaecoreBusey offers Fannie Mae's HomeReady mortgage program featuring 3% down payment and flexible underwriting standards for qualified borrowers.
- Freddie MaccoreBusey offers Freddie Mac's Home Possible mortgage program for very low-to-moderate-income borrowers with down payments as low as 3%.
- SBA (Small Business Administration)coreBusey is a designated SBA Lender, authorized to make commercial lending decisions without waiting for SBA approval. SBA loans available for real estate, machinery, equipment, construction, renovation, and business startups.
- IHDA (Illinois Housing Development Authority)coreIHDA Access Mortgage Programs offering three down payment programs for Illinois residents with up to $10,000 in assistance. IHDA Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) for federal tax credits. Available across Illinois communities.
- IHCDA (Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority)coreMultiple IHCDA programs offered through Busey including Honor Our Vets ($5,000 incentive), Helping to Own (3.5% down payment assistance), Mortgage Credit Certificate, Next Home, and Affordable Home programs for Indiana residents.
- MHDC (Missouri Housing Development Commission)coreMHDC First Place Program and Next Step Program for Missouri first-time homebuyers with cash assistance loans and lower interest rates. MHDC Mortgage Credit Certificate available for income-eligible first-time buyers.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Busey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Glacier Bancorp: Multi-state community bank holding company with similar decentralized community banking model, mortgage banking, and wealth management. Comparable asset size ($20B+) and roll-up acquisition strategy make it a strong operational peer.
- Lakeland Financial Corporation: Indiana-based community bank with comparable asset scale, community banking model, and SBA/commercial lending emphasis. Similar executive-led, relationship-driven culture with strong dividend history — directly comparable investor peer.
- Cullen/Frost Bankers: Texas-headquartered regional bank with strong commercial banking franchise, wealth management, and conservative credit culture. Highly relevant peer post-CrossFirst merger, since CrossFirst's Texas operations will compete directly with Frost in Dallas-Fort Worth.
- Old National Bancorp: Midwest-focused regional bank holding company with comparable $40B+ asset scale, commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage lines. Closest direct peer following Old National's acquisition of First Midwest Bancshares, mirroring Busey's Midwest consolidation strategy.
- Commerce Bancshares: Midwest regional bank with similar diversified model across commercial, consumer, and wealth management. Comparable customer-centric culture and track record of steady dividend growth and disciplined M&A — closely resembles Busey's investor profile.
- UMB Financial Corporation: Regional bank with strong commercial, treasury management, and asset management/custody franchises. Comparable fee-income diversification and institutional banking capabilities, particularly relevant for Busey's Treasury Management and Wealth Management expansion.
- Wintrust Financial Corporation: Chicago-based regional bank with similar community banking model, premium deposit franchise, wealth management, and specialty lending (SBA, mortgage). Comparable scale ($50B+ assets) and overlapping Illinois footprint make it Busey's most relevant direct peer.
- First Financial Bancorp: Ohio/Midwest regional bank with comparable commercial and consumer banking, wealth management, and mortgage lines. Similar asset size, dividend track record, and selective M&A history make it a relevant peer for benchmarking.
- WesBanco: Midwest/Mid-Atlantic regional bank with similar product mix (commercial, consumer, mortgage, wealth) and community banking heritage. Comparable scale and dividend track record positions it as a close small-cap regional bank peer.
- Pinnacle Financial Partners: Tennessee-based regional bank with premium commercial banking model emphasizing experienced local bankers. Highly comparable culture, leadership profile, and SBA/commercial lending focus; representative peer for Busey's commercial banking thesis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Busey social profiles
Digital presenceBusey compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Busey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Busey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Busey subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Busey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Busey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A7 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Busey
What does Busey do?
Busey Bank is a regional financial institution providing personal and commercial banking (checking, savings, loans, treasury management), residential mortgage lending, wealth management (investment services via Raymond James, trust/estate advisory, retirement plan services), and agricultural banking services (farm management, brokerage, ag lending). Products are delivered through a network of physical banking centers across Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, and Texas, complemented by the Busey Digital Banking web and mobile platform.
Is Busey a public or private company?
Busey is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Busey founded?
Busey was founded in 1860. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Busey based?
Busey is headquartered in Champaign, United States, in the North America region.
How does Busey make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Net Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are wealth Management Fees, mortgage Origination and Servicing, commercial Lending Fees, treasury Management and Cash Management Fees and service Charges and Fees.
Who are Busey's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Glacier Bancorp, Lakeland Financial Corporation, Cullen/Frost Bankers, Old National Bancorp, Commerce Bancshares, UMB Financial Corporation, Wintrust Financial Corporation, First Financial Bancorp, WesBanco and Pinnacle Financial Partners.
Does Busey have an API?
No public API is recorded for Busey.
What industry is Busey in?
Busey's product category is Regional Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAAAI, Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor), with a secondary code of FSABAAAA, Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings). Its NAICS code is 522110 and its SIC code is 6021.