St. Charles Bank & Trust

What St. Charles Bank & Trust does

St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A. is a privately held community bank chartered as a National Association and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wintrust Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: WTFC). Founded in 1991 in Saint Charles, Illinois, the bank serves consumers, small businesses, and commercial/middle-market clients through more than 10 branches across northern Illinois (St. Charles, Geneva, Elgin, Aurora, Rockford, and Machesney Park) and inherits reach into Wintrust's broader 200+ location network across Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Florida.

The product platform spans personal banking (tiered checking accounts including Total Access, Access Plus, Premier, and Money Smart Checking; savings, CDs, HELOCs, mortgages through Wintrust Mortgage, credit cards issued via Elan Financial Services under a Visa license), small business banking (Entrepreneur Checking, Business Community Checking, Have-It-All Business Checking, SBA loans up to $10M, MaxSafe extended FDIC coverage up to $4M, i-BusinessCapturePro remote deposit, Positive Pay fraud suite, Trusteer malware protection), and commercial banking (Wintrust Business Credit asset-based lending, treasury management, commercial lending, SBA 504 lending, and dedicated industry verticals including franchise finance, ESOP, healthcare, construction, and government/municipal). The Wintrust Digital Banking platform provides iOS/Android mobile apps, Zelle P2P payments, mobile deposit, financial insights, and 24/7 Telebank access.

The revenue model is primarily net interest income from lending (mortgages, HELOCs, consumer, SBA, asset-based, commercial) and securities, supplemented by deposit account fees and service charges, credit card interchange via Elan, wealth management fees routed through Wintrust Wealth, and treasury management service fees. Distribution combines physical branches and relationship bankers with digital self-service and online appointment scheduling. Go-to-market emphasizes community-led engagement (Platinum Adventures Club for customers 50+, Junior Savers and Teen Banking Clubs, FDIC Money Smart financial education, shred days, and local events) layered onto a sales-led relationship banking motion targeting consumers, small businesses, and middle-market commercial clients.

Name

St. Charles Bank & Trust

Legal name

St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A.

Website

https://bankstcharles.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A. is a community bank subsidiary of Wintrust Financial Corporation serving consumers, small businesses, and commercial/middle-market clients across northern Illinois with deposit, lending, mortgage, wealth, and treasury management services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL), Credit Cards & Revolving Credit (FSABAAAC)

Keywords

• Community banking
• Commercial lending
• Small business banking
• Personal banking
• Asset-based lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Charles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Lending: The bank earns interest income through various lending products including mortgages (through Wintrust Mortgage division), home equity lines of credit, personal loans (Everyday Loan), commercial lending, asset-based lending, SBA loans, and small business loans.
2. Deposit Account Fees and Service Charges: Monthly maintenance fees on checking and savings accounts (waived based on balance requirements), wire transfer fees, ATM fees from out-of-network usage, and other banking service charges.
3. Credit Card Revenue: Credit card products issued through partnership with Elan Financial Services, generating interchange revenue and interest income.
4. Wealth Management Services: Asset management, investment products, private client banking, trust and estate services, and retirement plan services offered through Wintrust Wealth Management.
5. Asset-Based Lending: Revolving lines of credit on accounts receivable and inventory, and term loans secured by equipment and real estate through Wintrust Business Credit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A. is a community bank that provides personal checking, savings, CDs, mortgages, home equity lines of credit, credit cards, and credit-building products to individuals; small business checking accounts, SBA loans, cash management tools, and the MaxSafe multi-charter FDIC insurance program to small businesses; and asset-based lending, commercial lending, capital markets, commercial leasing, treasury management, and SBA lending to middle-market commercial clients. The bank operates as part of the Wintrust Community Bank network, combining physical branch banking with digital and mobile channels.

Product overview

St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A. is a community bank and part of the Wintrust Community Bank network (15+ bank charters, 200+ locations). The company offers a unified banking platform with distinct product lines: Personal Banking (checking, savings, CDs, HELOCs, mortgages, credit cards, and digital banking via Wintrust Digital Banking), Small Business Banking (Entrepreneur Checking, Business Community Checking, Have-It-All Business Checking, SBA loans, MaxSafe deposit insurance up to $4M, cash management tools including i-BusinessCapturePro and Positive Pay suite), and Commercial Banking (asset-based lending through Wintrust Business Credit, commercial lending, treasury management, SBA lending). The bank differentiates through community-focused services including Platinum Adventures Club (50+), Junior Savers Club (under 22), and relationship pricing programs. Residential mortgages are provided through Wintrust Mortgage division, and credit cards through Elan Financial Services/Visa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Platinum Adventures® Club: A social and travel club for customers 50+ years of age offering adventures, seminars, activities, and trips.
• Junior Savers Club®
• Teen Banking Club®

Products and services

• Total Access Checking Basic everyday banking checking account for individual consumers. $100 to open with no minimum monthly balance or monthly maintenance fees, free ATMs nationwide through Allpoint, MoneyPass, and SUM networks, and Early Pay direct deposit feature up to 2 business days early.
• Access Plus Checking Premium consumer checking account paying variable interest monthly, with waived safe deposit box fee, free checks, domestic wire reimbursement, and waived incoming wire/money order fees. $2,500 average daily balance or $25,000 combined relationship balance waives the $10 monthly fee.
• Premier Checking Premium personal checking with tiered variable interest, 0.15% rate bonus on Statement Savings Advanced accounts, waived safe deposit box, free check printing, stop payment fee waivers, and up to 5 outgoing domestic wire reimbursements. $10,000 average daily balance or $75,000 combined relationship balance waives $25 monthly fee.
• Money Smart Checking Entry-level credit-building checking account for consumers. $10 to open with no minimum balance or monthly fees, up to 6 free out-of-network ATM reimbursements per statement cycle, optional Dollar-A-Day Savings Service, and no overdraft fees.
• Statement Savings Advanced Special High-yield savings account offering up to 2.00% APY with qualifying activities, no minimum to open, $200 daily balance to avoid $5 monthly maintenance fee, and new money only requirement.
• 13-Month CD Special 13-month certificate of deposit offering up to 4.00% APY, requiring $1,000 to open, with fixed rate and automatic renewal at standard rates upon maturity.
• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Variable-rate revolving credit line secured by home equity for individual consumers. 10-year draw period and 20-year repayment period. Tiered APR bands: $10K-$99,999 at 7.50%, $100K-$249,999 at 7.25%, $250K-$499,999 at 7.00%, $500K+ at 6.75%. $75 annual fee waived first year.
• Everyday Loan Fixed-rate personal loan for credit building for individual consumers. Loan amounts up to $5,000, fixed rate of Prime + 5.00% (currently 11.75% APR), 12-24 month terms, quick approval decisions, and rates lower than most credit cards.
• Personal Credit Cards Visa credit cards issued through partnership with Elan Financial Services for personal or business use. Options for balance payoff, cash back, rewards, and credit building. Features include zero fraud liability, 24/7 cardmember service, and mobile purchasing capability.
• Wintrust Mortgage Residential mortgage lending offering purchase, refinance, and fund options through Wintrust Mortgage (a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A.). Includes Relationship Pricing Program offering discounts on closing costs or reduced interest rates for existing Wintrust account holders.
• Entrepreneur Checking Small business checking account for startups. No minimum balance or monthly fees for under 75 transactions, 150 free monthly transactions, free i-BusinessBanking and mobile remote deposit capture. $20 monthly fee if 76+ transactions and $1,500 minimum balance not maintained.
• Business Community Checking Small business checking for established businesses. $2,500 minimum average collected balance waives $20 monthly fee, 250 free monthly transactions, free i-BusinessBanking with unlimited non-token users.
• Have-It-All Business Checking Premium business checking for larger enterprises. $20,000 minimum average collected balance waives $30 monthly maintenance fee, 400 free monthly transactions.
• MaxSafe Deposit insurance program that increases FDIC insurance coverage from $250,000 to $4 million per accountholder by spreading deposits across 16 Wintrust community bank charters. Available as CD or Money Market account with simplified single 1099 tax form. For personal and business deposit customers.
• SBA Express Loan Small Business Administration loan up to $500,000 for small business expansions, acquisitions, and cash flow management. Lower down payments, longer amortization, expedited turnaround, and revolving lines of credit.
• SBA 7(a) Loan Small Business Administration loan up to $5 million for business expansion, company acquisition, debt refinance, or improved cash flow. Loan amounts exceeding traditional collateral requirements and financing of fees.
• SBA 504 Loan Small Business Administration loan up to $10 million for equipment acquisition or owner-occupied real estate purchase or refinance. Down payments as low as 10%, longer-term fixed rates, and financing of fees.
• Wintrust Business Credit (Asset-Based Lending) Asset-based lending for middle-market companies via Wintrust Business Credit. Revolving lines of credit on accounts receivable and inventory, plus term loans secured by equipment and real estate. Serves high growth, M&A, recapitalization, and restructuring needs.
• Wintrust Wealth Management Wealth management services through Wintrust Wealth including asset management, private client banking, investment products, insurance, and trust and estate services for personal and business banking customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• FDIC insurance coverage increased from $250,000 to $4 million per accountholder through MaxSafe program

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Elan Financial ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerElan Financial Services serves as the creditor and issuer for Wintrust's credit card products, including personal and business credit cards. The partnership enables Wintrust to offer Visa-branded credit cards while Elan handles processing, issuance, and backend operations.
• Wintrust Mortgage (division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWintrust Mortgage, a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A., provides residential mortgage lending services for St. Charles Bank & Trust customers. This affiliate relationship allows the bank to offer mortgage products while Wintrust Mortgage handles origination and servicing.
• TrusteersupportingTechnology or IntegrationTrusteer provides free fraud protection software to Wintrust business banking customers to protect against malware infections and phishing attacks. This security partnership helps safeguard business accounts from cyber threats.
• FDIC (Money Smart Program)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWintrust offers FDIC's Money Smart financial education curriculum through community classes for consumers, young adults, and small businesses. This partnership supports the bank's community education mission.
• Allpoint, MoneyPass, SUM NetworkssupportingTechnology or IntegrationATM network partnerships enabling Wintrust customers to access fee-free cash withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs nationwide through Allpoint, MoneyPass, and SUM network affiliations.
• Visa U.S.A. Inc.supportingTechnology or IntegrationCredit card products are issued pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc., enabling Wintrust to offer Visa-branded debit and credit cards to customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Libertyville Bank & Trust: Sibling Wintrust community bank charter serving Lake County, Illinois. While a subsidiary of the same parent (Wintrust), it represents the closest operational peer given identical product platform, technology stack, and multi-charter MaxSafe structure.
• Hinsdale Bank & Trust: Another Wintrust community bank charter serving the western Chicago suburbs. Operationally identical to St. Charles Bank & Trust with same parent, products, and brand architecture—a true internal peer rather than external competitor.

Direct peers

• Bridgeview Bank Group: Chicago-area community bank with retail and commercial banking focus. Comparable peer serving similar Illinois customer base with personal, business, and lending products.
• Byline Bank: Chicago-based community bank serving small businesses, middle-market companies, and consumers across Illinois. Direct peer with similar product mix including SBA loans, treasury management, and community banking focus.
• Busey Bank: Illinois-based community bank offering personal, business, and wealth management banking services across Illinois, Indiana, Florida, and Missouri. Directly comparable as a regional community bank serving similar Midwest markets with relationship-based banking model.
• First Mid Bank & Trust: Midwest community bank providing commercial, retail, and wealth management services across Illinois and surrounding states. Comparable in size, market focus, and product breadth including SBA lending and asset-based financing.
• Inland Bank and Trust: Illinois-chartered community bank serving the Chicago metropolitan area with personal and business banking services. Direct competitor in the same geography targeting similar small business and consumer customer segments.
• Old National Bank: Large Midwest regional bank serving Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and surrounding states with full-service community banking. Comparable as a multi-state community bank with similar product suite including commercial and wealth management.
• First Bank Chicago: Community bank serving the Chicago metropolitan area with personal and commercial banking. Direct competitor offering similar relationship-based banking services to consumers and small businesses.

Broad incumbents

• Heartland Financial USA / Nicolet National Bank: Multi-state community banking holding company operating community banks across the Midwest, West, and Southwest. Comparable as a broader community banking platform serving similar customer segments with personal, business, and commercial banking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St. Charles Bank & Trust