Goldwater Bank

What Goldwater Bank does

Goldwater Bank, N.A. is a nationally chartered community bank headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, operating under an Office of the Comptroller of the Currency federal charter with FDIC-insured deposits and NMLS #452955 registration for residential mortgage lending. The bank was acquired in 2015 by Kent Wiechert via a stock purchase transaction that aligned it with Weststar Mortgage's private seller and loan servicing operations. Its physical footprint consists of two Arizona branches — the Phoenix headquarters and a Lake Havasu City branch opened in 2024 — while deposit, lending, and mortgage products are delivered nationwide through its online banking portal and the Mobile GOLD App on iOS and Android. The platform operates with a horizontal segmentation strategy spanning personal banking (GOLD Checking+++, Goldwater Checking, Golden Checking 50+, High Yield Savings at 4.00% APY, money market, CDs, IRAs), business banking (commercial real estate loans, equipment financing, business lines of credit, ACH origination, Positive Pay, remote deposit capture), and residential mortgage lending (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, Super Jumbo, Construction, Reverse, DSCR, ITIN, Asset Depletion, ADU).

The bank's revenue model is a standard depository-institution model: net interest income from lending (residential mortgages and commercial loans) and securities, less deposit interest expense paid on checking, savings, money market, and CD products. Non-interest fee revenue includes wire transfer fees, account service charges, and ATM fee reimbursements. Mortgage origination volume — including a broad specialty non-QM suite delivered nationwide — is a core earnings driver. The go-to-market motion combines direct-to-consumer digital onboarding for retail deposits and mortgages with enterprise field sales for commercial banking via dedicated commercial bankers and a residential lending team.

Operationally, the bank runs an industry-standard technology stack — VeriSign-secured SSL encryption, firewall/router perimeter controls, and a conventional digital banking platform — with no disclosed AI/ML, proprietary technology, or data flywheel. The owner-operator structure under Kent Wiechert and a board chaired by Nicholas Kissel, combined with a full C-suite (CEO Peter Hill, CFO Craig Wenner, COO Julie Merhege, CCO Genine Student, Market President Chris Orlowski, Chief Production Officer Mark Pago), indicates a formalized but small-scale operating model. No external venture, private equity, or public shareholders are indicated; the bank appears to be controlled by individual principals.

Name

Goldwater Bank

Legal name

Goldwater Bank, N.A.

Website

https://goldwaterbank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Goldwater Bank, N.A. is an Arizona-headquartered, nationally chartered community bank offering deposit products, commercial lending, and specialty residential mortgages through two Arizona branches and nationwide digital and mobile banking channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income on Loans: Primary revenue stream from interest earned on residential mortgages, commercial real estate loans, construction loans, business term loans, lines of credit, and other lending products.
2. Deposit Interest Expense: Bank pays interest on deposits including checking, savings, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. High-yield savings products at 4.00% APY and CD rates ranging from 3.00% to 4.15% APY.
3. Banking Fees: Various fees including wire transfer fees, ATM fees (bank refunds fees imposed by other banks for ATM use), and other account-related service charges.
4. Mortgage Origination: Revenue from originating residential mortgages including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo loans, reverse mortgages, and specialty products. Bank offers portfolio products and serves customers nationwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Goldwater Bank is an Arizona-based community bank providing personal deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, certificates of deposit, IRA CDs), commercial lending (commercial real estate loans, equipment financing, business lines of credit and term loans), and a comprehensive residential mortgage suite (conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, construction, reverse mortgages, plus specialty programs). Services are delivered through two Arizona branches (Phoenix and Lake Havasu City) and nationwide digital channels including an online banking platform and the Mobile GOLD App.

Product overview

Goldwater Bank, N.A. is an Arizona-based community bank offering a comprehensive suite of banking products and services. The bank operates with a multi-product platform architecture combining deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, and certificates of deposit) with lending products (consumer and commercial loans) and digital banking services. Personal banking includes GOLD Checking+++ (premium tiered-rate checking), Goldwater Checking, Golden Checking (50+), High Yield Savings (4.00% APY), and Youth Savings accounts. Business banking encompasses Commercial Real Estate Loans, Equipment Financing, Business Lines of Credit, and specialized deposit accounts including GB Money Market and Business Money Market products. The bank provides mortgage lending through conforming products (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo) and specialty products (Construction, Reverse Mortgages, DSCR, ITIN, Asset Depletion). Digital banking is delivered via Online Banking platform and Mobile GOLD App. All products are integrated through a centralized banking system with FDIC insurance coverage up to $250,000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Checking Accounts Multiple tiers of FDIC-insured personal checking accounts including GOLD CHECKING+++ (2.00% APY on balances up to $20,000), Goldwater Checking (0.50% APY), and Golden Checking 50+ (1.00% APY for customers age 50 and older). Minimum opening deposits range from $100 to $500.
• Personal Savings Accounts Personal savings accounts including Goldwater Savings Personal (1.00% APY, $100 minimum), High Yield Savings Personal (4.00% APY, no minimum), and Youth Savings (1.00% APY, no minimum opening deposit). All accounts are FDIC insured.
• Money Market Accounts Personal money market accounts including Money Market Plus (1.00% APY up to $99,999.99; 1.10% APY $100,000+) and GB Money Market Personal (3.00% APY). Minimum opening deposit of $1,000 required.
• Certificates of Deposit Term deposit accounts with terms from 90 days to 5 years, $500 minimum opening deposit, and competitive fixed rates (e.g., 9-month CD at 4.15% APY; 12-month CD at 4.00% APY). Subject to early withdrawal penalties.
• Liquid CDs (No-Penalty CDs) No-penalty liquid CDs available in 6-month (3.90% APY) and 12-month (3.25% APY) terms with no minimum opening deposit. Allows early withdrawal without penalty.
• IRA Certificates of Deposit Retirement-oriented IRA certificates including Roth, Traditional, Transfers, and Rollovers options with competitive fixed rates for retirement planning.
• Business Deposit Accounts Business deposit products including High Yield Savings Business (4.00% APY, no minimum) and GB Biz Money Market Business (3.00% APY, $1,000 minimum). For small and mid-sized businesses and commercial real estate investors.
• Commercial Real Estate Loans Financing or refinancing for commercial investment or owner-occupied properties. For businesses, entrepreneurs, and commercial real estate investors.
• Equipment Financing Business equipment financing solutions for purchasing machinery, vehicles, or other business equipment. For small and mid-sized businesses.
• Business Lines of Credit & Term Loans Flexible business financing including revolving lines of credit and term loans for working capital, expansion, and other business needs.
• Residential Mortgage Loans Residential mortgage products including Conventional (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac conforming), FHA (lower down payment, flexible credit), VA (for veterans), USDA (rural properties), Jumbo and Super Jumbo (higher-value properties), and Construction loans for new home builds. Originated nationwide by a team of mortgage experts and Residential Mortgage Loan Originators.
• Reverse Mortgages Reverse mortgages allowing homeowners age 62 and older to convert home equity into tax-free cash without selling the home or making monthly mortgage payments. Served by dedicated Reverse Mortgage Specialists and offered nationwide.
• Specialty Mortgage Programs Specialty non-conforming mortgage programs including Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) loans, ITIN loans (for borrowers using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers), DSCR loans (using rental income to qualify), Asset Depletion loans, Portfolio 1st and 2nd Trust Deeds, and Portfolio Investor and Second Home loans.
• Down Payment Assistance Programs Down payment assistance programs and grants to help buyers with upfront closing costs, including the WISH Grant program. For qualified homebuyers nationwide.
• Online Banking Platform Internet-based self-service banking platform providing 24/7 account access, enrollment, fund transfers, wire transfer initiation, ACH origination, bill pay, and remote deposit capture via web browser. Secured with VeriSign Digital ID and 128-bit SSL encryption.
• Mobile GOLD App Mobile banking application available on iOS and Android providing 24/7 account access, mobile check deposit (remote deposit capture), online bill pay, fund transfers, and account management from a mobile device.
• Business Treasury Management Services Treasury management and payment services for business accounts including domestic and international Wire Transfer, ACH Origination (batch payments, direct deposit), Check Positive Pay (fraud protection matching checks presented against issued-check reports), Remote Deposit Capture, and online Bill Pay.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Marcus by Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs' consumer banking arm offering high-yield savings and CDs nationwide — a direct rate-comparable competitor for Goldwater's premium deposit products.
• Ally Bank: Digital-first nationwide bank competing head-to-head with Goldwater for high-yield savings and CDs across all 50 states, with substantially larger scale and brand recognition.
• Discover Bank: Online consumer bank offering competitive savings, CDs, and personal lending products nationwide — directly comparable to Goldwater's digital deposit franchise.

Direct peers

• Synchrony Bank: Direct-to-consumer online bank with a heavy focus on high-yield savings and CDs nationwide — closely comparable to Goldwater's premium deposit pricing strategy.
• First National Bank of Omaha: Privately held regional bank offering personal, business, and mortgage banking nationwide — a comparable community-bank model with similar digital-physical distribution strategy.
• Bell Bank: Mid-size privately held community bank with relationship banking, business lending, and nationwide mortgage operations — comparable in scale, ownership profile, and product breadth.
• National Bank of Arizona: Zions Bancorporation subsidiary operating as an Arizona community bank offering personal, business, and mortgage banking — directly comparable franchise size and product mix in Goldwater's home state.
• Western Alliance Bank: Arizona-headquartered commercial and retail bank with a strong Phoenix presence, comparable mix of business banking, CRE lending, and retail deposit products serving similar Southwest markets.

Broad incumbents

• Bank of America: National retail and commercial bank with Preferred Rewards savings and Preferred Mortgage products overlapping Goldwater's full-stack personal and home loan offering.
• JPMorgan Chase: Largest US bank with comprehensive retail, business, and mortgage products including online savings — the dominant incumbent competing for the same customer wallet share.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/goldwater_bank
• Facebookfacebook.com/goldwaterbankna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/goldwater-bank-n-a

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 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 Goldwater Bank