FIRST U.S. BANK COLLAPSES IN 2026 - And It Won’t Be the Last

World Affairs In Context 

The first U.S. bank failure of 2026 is here. Illinois regulators shut down Chicago-based Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust, with the FDIC stepping in to protect depositors and transfer operations to First Independence Bank. No losses, no panic — but a clear warning about the fragility of smaller U.S. banks in a high-interest-rate environment. What does this “orderly” failure really signal about the health of the banking system in 2026?