Amerant Bank
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking, Financial services |
| Predecessor | Mercantil Bank, Commercebank N.A., Mercantil Commercebank |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Coral Gables , United States |
Area served | Florida |
| Products | Banking services, Financial services |
| Parent | Amerant Bancorp Inc. |
Amerant Bank is a Florida-chartered financial institution based in Coral Gables, Florida, operating 19 branches throughout the state and providing access to a network of 55,000 ATMs. It functions as the main subsidiary of Amerant Bancorp Inc., a banking holding company that also includes Amerant Investments Inc., Amerant Mortgage, LLC, and Elant Bank & Trust Ltd. among its affiliates.
As of September 2023, Amerant ranked as Florida’s largest community bank and the seventh largest bank statewide by total assets. Originally established as Mercantil Bank, it adopted the Amerant name in October 2018. By October 2024, the bank's assets exceeded $10 billion, positioning it as the third-largest regional bank headquartered within the Miami metropolitan tri-county area.
Founding and Early Development
Amerant began operations in 1979 under the name Commercebank N.A. In 1987, Mercantil Servicios Financieros (MSF), recognized by Forbes among the top 2,000 global public companies, acquired the bank. It retained the Commercebank name until 2007 when it was rebranded as Mercantil Commercebank. Chartered as a national banking association since its inception in September 1979, the institution transitioned to the Amerant brand in October 2018 to reinforce its presence in the U.S. market ahead of its initial public offering, officially adopting this identity at the shareholder meeting held in 2019.
Expansion
In June 2022, Amerant broadened its commercial banking footprint within the Greater Tampa Bay, Florida area, emphasizing transactional and business-oriented services. By mid-2023, the company shifted its stock listing from NASDAQ to the NYSE. The bank has been recognized as Florida’s top institution for fee avoidance by minimizing or eliminating charges on routine transactions.
Since 2022, Amerant has formed partnerships with prominent U.S. sports franchises such as the NBA’s Miami Heat and the NHL’s Florida Panthers, as well as academic institutions like the University of Miami and Rice University in Houston, Texas. These collaborations extend to delivering financial literacy programs at local colleges.
On September 19, 2023, Amerant acquired naming rights for the former FLA Live Arena, which was subsequently renamed Amerant Bank Arena, boosting its brand prominence within the region.
In November 2024, Amerant divested its banking operations in Houston, Texas to MidFirst Bank, an Oklahoma City-based regional bank. This transaction transferred approximately $573.9 million in deposits and $479.2 million in loans.
Industry Adaptations
During the 2008 financial crisis, Amerant opted not to accept government assistance through the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The bank demonstrated resilience during the 2023 United States banking crisis, supported by a diversified deposit base and strong FDIC insurance coverage.
Naming rights and sponsorships
Amerant Bank serves as a sponsor for the Florida Beach Bowl, an event spotlighting historically black colleges and universities in college football.
The institution holds corporate naming rights for:
- Amerant Bank Arena located in Sunrise, Florida, home venue of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League.