Arizona Tribune - Chesapeake Bank and Reading Cooperative Bank Partner with Rebolt to Launch First Bank-Owned Payment Utility for Small Business

KILMARNOCK, VA / ACCESS Newswire / September 21, 2026 / Rebolt Financial Technology announced the first financial institutions, Chesapeake Bank and Reading Cooperative Bank, are live on its community bank-owned payment utility that is purpose-built for small business banking. Additional banks are in implementation, covering both COCC and Jack Henry cores.

The launch addresses a gap community bankers have watched widen for years. Small businesses are turning to software providers and payment apps outside of the bank because they need easy, instant payment options. Rebolt implements those capabilities directly within the bank's online banking environment without requiring institutions to replace existing infrastructure or renegotiate vendor relationships.

"Business owners don't want more payment rails; they want their bank to make payments effortless," said Julie Thurlow, CEO of Reading Cooperative Bank and Rebolt Board Member. "Every time a customer leaves our site to move money, we're handing that relationship moment to someone else. Rebolt puts community banks back at the center of that experience, where we belong."

Designed to Work with What Banks Have Already Built

Rebolt's API-first platform integrates with existing core systems, digital banking environments, and payment hubs. It doesn't try to displace billpay, ACH, or wire workflows, and it does not require renegotiating current vendor relationships. It extends what's already in place while adding capabilities business customers are already demanding: payments to PayPal and Venmo accounts, integration with stablecoin networks, and instant payments, all inside the bank's digital banking interfaces.

"Small business owners need payment tools that keep pace with the speed of their business," said DJ Seeterlin, Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Chesapeake Bank. "Rebolt allows customers to send money through the channels they already use while keeping those transactions connected to their trusted banking relationship. It's a faster, simpler way to move money, reduce friction, and help business owners spend less time managing payments and more time growing their businesses."

The platform is available today through integrations with leading core and digital banking providers. COCC, a leading core technology provider for community banks and credit unions, is live as an integration partner, giving its client institutions immediate access through the platforms they already operate on. Jack Henry integration is also available, with additional partnerships underway.

Reading Cooperative Bank and Chesapeake Bank, two founding partners and institutions that helped shape Rebolt's development, are live today with availability anticipated for business customers in Fall 2026.

A Utility Model Built to Last

Most payment innovation in banking follows the same pattern: a technology company builds a product, sells it to banks, and captures the margin in between. Rebolt was structured to break that pattern.

As a community bank-owned utility, Rebolt's pricing, product roadmap, and governance are shaped by the institutions on the platform, not by outside investors looking for an exit.

Rebolt is building on-ramps to major stable-coin networks, instant payment rails, and leading Software-as-a-Service providers.

Community Banks are Ready to Improve Experiences

The small business payment gap is not a new problem. What's new is that community banks now have a solution they own. Rebolt is actively partnering with financial institutions ready to bring differentiated payment capabilities to their business customers and reclaim the digital experience they have been ceding to fintechs and big banks for a decade.

About Rebolt Financial Technology

Rebolt Financial Technology is a community bank-owned payment utility that brings modern payment capabilities - including PayPal, Venmo, stablecoin networks, and instant payments - to small business customers through the financial institutions that serve them. Built on a flexible API framework and integrated with leading core and digital banking platforms, Rebolt extends what community banks have already built rather than replacing it. Incubated within Alloy Labs, Rebolt is governed by and for the community financial institutions it serves. Learn more at www.rebolt.com.

About Chesapeake Bank

Chesapeake Bank, founded in 1900, is a subsidiary of Chesapeake Financials Shares (CFS:CPKF), headquartered in the Northern Neck, also serving the Middle Peninsula, Williamsburg, Richmond, Chesterfield, and Hampton Roads communities. The company also offers card processing and accounts receivable financing. Named by American Banker as one of the Top Community Banks since 2007, and a Best Bank to Work For since 2013, employing 290+. Visit: www.ches.bank and www.chesapeakefinancialshares.com

About Reading Cooperative Bank

Owned by the people who bank here, Reading Cooperative Bank is a Massachusetts-based mutual bank that has spent 140 years staying close to customers, understanding their needs, and innovating to serve our communities better. Visit readingcoop.com to learn more.

Media Contact

Jason Henrichs, CEO, Rebolt Financial Technology, [email protected]

Matthew Suttmiller, AVP Director of Marketing, [email protected]

Shanna Cahalane, SVP, Chief Communications & Community Strategy Office

SOURCE: Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

T.Perez--AT