First Financial Bancorp announced it will close its previously announced all-stock acquisition of Chicago-based BankFinancial Corporation on January 1, 2026, a deal that will give First Financial its first retail consumer-focused locations in the Chicago market.
With the transaction, First Financial expects to add BankFinancial’s core deposit franchise and 18 financial centers in the Chicago area, along with regional and national commercial loan, lease, and deposit businesses. Upon completion, First Financial said it will have approximately $22 billion in assets and expand its offerings across consumer banking, commercial banking, specialty lending, and wealth management.
BankFinancial locations will continue operating under the “BankFinancial” name until systems and product conversion is completed, which the company anticipates will occur in June 2026. During the interim period, BankFinancial customers will not need to take action and can continue to use existing channels, while First Financial customers are not expected to be impacted by the merger or conversion process. BankFinancial customers will receive additional details about account conversions in the coming months.
First Financial framed the deal as part of its broader Midwest expansion over the last several years, highlighting a commercial lending presence established in Chicago’s Fulton Market in 2023, the 2024 acquisition of Lincolnshire-based Agile Premium Finance, and the closing of its Westfield Bank acquisition announced in November 2025. The company also noted a recent commercial banking expansion into Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside its existing footprint across Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Northeast Ohio; Chicago; Indianapolis; Louisville; and surrounding markets.
First Financial Bancorp., a Cincinnati-based bank holding company, reported $18.6 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025. Its primary subsidiary, First Financial Bank, was founded in 1863 and operates across six business lines: Commercial, Retail Banking, Investment Commercial Real Estate, Mortgage Banking, Commercial Finance, and Wealth Management.
KEY QUOTES
Archie Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, First Financial Bank: “Expanding our presence in Chicago presents us with significant opportunities for growth and profitability because of the many solutions we can bring to new and existing clients in this market. First Financial exists to create opportunities to help our clients and communities thrive, and we look forward to the impact we can have with this approach in Chicago.”
