Commonwealth Business Bank

What Commonwealth Business Bank does

Commonwealth Business Bank (CBB Bank), founded in 2005 in Los Angeles, is a California state-chartered, FDIC-insured community bank operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of CBB Bancorp, Inc. (OTCQX: CBBI). The bank serves small and mid-sized businesses and individual retail customers with a particular focus on Korean-American and multi-ethnic communities across California, Texas, Hawaii, and New Jersey. Its distribution comprises 11 full-service retail branches in CA, TX, and HI, supplemented by four Loan Production Offices (LPOs) in California, Georgia, Virginia, and Texas. CBB crossed $2 billion in total assets for the first time in Q4 2025 and reported a Q4 2025 net income of $4.5 million, with a 19.03% CET1 ratio maintaining Well Capitalized regulatory status.

CBB's product platform is organized around SBA lending (7(a) loans up to $5M and 504 loans up to $15M, executed under Preferred Lender Program authority), commercial lending (lines of credit, term loans, CRE loans, construction), trade finance (commercial and standby letters of credit, documentary collections), and a full suite of treasury management services (ACH origination, remote deposit capture, merchant services, lockbox, smart safe, positive pay). Retail banking includes tiered personal and business checking, savings, money market, and CDs. Technology infrastructure is conventional community bank platform — online and mobile banking (iOS, Android, BlackBerry), SSL encryption, multi-factor authentication, and inactive session timeouts — integrated with Zelle for P2P/B2B payments, QuickBooks for accounting, and Elan Financial Services for Visa/Mastercard credit card issuance.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income on the loan portfolio (SBA, commercial real estate, commercial term, construction, and consumer loans) net of deposit interest costs, supplemented by deposit account fees, commercial lending origination fees, trade finance fees, credit card interchange, and treasury management service fees. The go-to-market combines a branch-based relationship model for retail and SMB deposit gathering, a direct field sales motion for SBA and commercial lending nationwide (leveraging PLP status), and a community/marketing presence in Korean-American and other multi-ethnic communities via the CBB Bank Foundation and nonprofit partnerships. CBB has historically grown through a mix of organic branch expansion and selective M&A (notably the 2021 acquisition of Ohana Pacific Bank, which established the Hawaii footprint), and is currently undergoing senior leadership transition with new CEO Seungho Park (Nov 2025) and new CFO Kent Smith (May 2026).

Name

Commonwealth Business Bank

Legal name

Commonwealth Business Bank

Website

https://cbb-bank.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Commonwealth Business Bank is a California-chartered, FDIC-insured community bank (subsidiary of CBB Bancorp, OTCQX:CBBI) operating 11 branches and 4 LPOs across California, Texas, Hawaii, Georgia, and Virginia. It provides SBA, commercial, and trade finance lending, deposit products, and treasury management to small/mid-sized businesses and retail customers, with a focus on Korean-American and multi-ethnic communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Business Lending (Term Loans, Lines of Credit, Overdrafts) (FSABABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC), Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor) (FSABAAAI), SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

Keywords

• SBA lending
• Community banking
• Commercial lending
• Trade finance
• Treasury management

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income: Interest earned on loan portfolio (SBA loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial term loans, business lines of credit, construction loans, and consumer loans) minus interest paid on deposits. Primary revenue driver for the bank.
2. Deposit Account Fees and Service Charges: Monthly service fees, transaction fees, and maintenance charges across personal and business checking, savings, and money market accounts. Fees are commonly waived based on minimum balance requirements.
3. Commercial Lending Origination Fees: Fees generated from SBA 7(a) loans (up to $5 million), SBA 504 loans (up to $15 million), commercial real estate loans, construction loans, and business term loans.
4. Trade Finance Fees: Fees from commercial letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and documentary collections for international trade transactions.
5. Credit Card Interchange and Fees: Revenue from Visa credit cards issued through Elan Financial Services, including interchange fees and annual/card fees.
6. Treasury Management Service Fees: Fees for receivables management (ACH, remote deposit, merchant services, lockbox, smart safe), payables services (wire transfers, bill payment), and fraud prevention tools (Payee Positive Pay, ACH Positive Pay).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Commonwealth Business Bank (CBB Bank) is a community bank offering deposit and lending products and services to meet financial needs. It provides SBA 7(a) and 504 loans (up to $5M and $15M respectively), commercial lending (lines of credit, term loans, commercial real estate, construction loans), trade finance (commercial and standby letters of credit, documentary collections), and treasury management services (ACH, remote deposit, merchant services, positive pay) to small and mid-sized businesses. For individuals, it offers personal checking, savings, money market, CDs, installment savings, credit cards, and digital banking channels including Zelle and QuickBooks integration.

Product overview

Commonwealth Business Bank (CBB Bank) operates as a community bank offering a unified platform of deposit, lending, and digital banking products. The core offerings include SBA lending programs (7(a) and 504 loans up to $15 million), commercial lending (lines of credit, term loans, property loans, construction), and trade finance services for mid-sized businesses. Consumer banking includes checking, savings, CDs, and credit cards. Digital banking capabilities span online/mobile banking with Zelle® payments, QuickBooks® integration for business accounting, and Treasury Management services (ACH, fraud prevention). All services are delivered through 11 California/Texas/Hawaii branches, 4 LPOs, and digital channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SBA 7(a) Loan Program
• SBA 504 Loan Program
• Commercial Lending
• Trade Finance
• Business Checking Accounts
• Business Savings & Money Market
• Business Certificates of Deposit
• Treasury Management Services
• Business Credit Cards
• Personal Checking Accounts
• Personal Savings & Money Market
• Personal Certificates of Deposit
• Installment Savings Account
• Personal Credit Cards
• Business Online & Mobile Banking
• Personal Online & Mobile Banking
• Zelle (Personal)
• Zelle for Business

Quantifiable outcome

• Q4 2025 net income of $4.5 million ($0.42 per diluted share)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Early Warning Services (Zelle)coreTechnology or IntegrationCBB Bank integrates Zelle, a service owned and operated by Early Warning Services, LLC, into both its personal and business mobile banking platforms. Zelle enables fast, safe money transfers between bank accounts using email addresses or U.S. mobile numbers. CBB Bank does not charge fees for Zelle transactions. Zelle is a co-owned service by major U.S. banks.
• Intuit (QuickBooks)coreTechnology or IntegrationCBB Bank offers QuickBooks integration through its Business Online Banking platform, enabling Web Connect (manual transaction downloads) and Direct Connect (automatic synchronization) for business accounting. This integration allows business customers to manage finances and conduct online banking tasks directly within QuickBooks at no additional cost.
• Elan Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationElan Financial Services is the creditor and issuer of CBB Bank's Visa and Mastercard credit cards (both personal and business). Elan provides zero fraud liability protection, 24/7 cardmember service, and mobile payment capabilities. CBB Bank offers these cards to both personal and business customers.
• SBA Certified Development Company (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor SBA 504 loans, CBB Bank partners with SBA-approved Certified Development Companies (CDCs) to co-finance projects. The structure involves CBB Bank providing 50% of project financing and the CDC providing 40%, with the borrower contributing 10-15%. This tripartite structure enables loans up to $15 million for fixed asset acquisition and real estate.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBB Bank is an SBA Preferred Lender Program (PLP) member, enabling expedited processing of SBA 7(a) loans (up to $5 million) and SBA 504 loans (up to $15 million). As a PLP lender, CBB has delegated authority to approve SBA loans without SBA review, providing faster closings for small business borrowers.
• Community Nonprofit OrganizationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCBB Bank partners with local nonprofit organizations including Ability First (Stroll & Roll event), KYCC (Korean American Youth Center - Financial Literacy and Holiday Carnival programs), AllMerits Financial Group (Youth Money Camp), 5K LoveShare Marathon, Turtle Marathon, and The Midnight Mission. These partnerships support community engagement and financial education initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cathay General Bancorp: Cathay General Bancorp operates a larger Asian-American focused community bank with strong California presence, serving SMBs with lending, trade finance, and deposit products. Directly comparable in customer demographic focus though at larger scale.
• Hanmi Financial Corporation: Hanmi Financial is the most direct competitor, a Korean-American focused community bank headquartered in Los Angeles with similar SBA lending and SMB banking focus. Comparable deposit-gathering model and customer base make it the closest comparable for CBB.
• Bank of Hope: Bank of Hope is a Korean-American focused community bank serving SMBs and retail customers primarily in California and the broader U.S. Similar cultural niche positioning, SBA lending capabilities, and relationship-based banking model directly overlap with CBB's strategy.
• USCB Financial Holdings: USCB Financial is a small-cap community bank recently went public and was explicitly compared to CBB in the source data on dividend yield and small-cap bank metrics. Comparable size, public small-cap status, and similar community banking model.
• Heritage Commerce Corp: Heritage Commerce is a California community bank serving SMBs and consumers with similar deposit and lending products. Comparable size, branch network model, and SMB focus make it a closely matched peer for CBB.
• Thomasville Bancshares: Thomasville Bancshares is a small-cap community bank explicitly compared to CBB in the source data on dividend yield metrics. Comparable small public community bank profile, though serving different geographic regions.
• First Foundation Inc: First Foundation is a California-headquartered community bank with similar SBA lending focus and small business banking model. Comparable size and similar West Coast geographic concentration make it a relevant scale and strategy comparable.

Broad incumbents

• East West Bancorp: East West Bancorp is a much larger Asian-American focused bank with a broad commercial banking franchise including SBA, CRE, and trade finance. Competes for the same customer base but operates at materially greater scale with more diversified products.
• Pacific Premier Bancorp: Pacific Premier is a larger West Coast community bank with SBA lending capabilities, CRE lending, and SMB banking. Competes in overlapping markets though at greater scale and broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• CVB Financial: CVB Financial (Citizens Business Bank) is an Inland Empire-headquartered California community bank serving SMBs with similar deposit, lending, and treasury management products. Comparable community banking model though serving a different California sub-region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbb-bank---commonwealth-business-bank

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Commonwealth Business Bank