American Express Business Checking vs First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank): what each publishes
As of October 17, 2026, First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank) takes these industries by its own published rules: Unlicensed financial services, with conditions; AI and SaaS, with conditions; Marketplace, with conditions. We hold no such rule from American Express Business Checking.
Not a ranking: the two names are in alphabetical order. The free check applies every provider’s rules to your own answers.
Where it takes companies from
American Express Business Checking
The regions its own documents name, read on October 9, 2026
First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank)
The regions its own documents name, read on October 16, 2026
Policy by industry
| Industry | American Express Business Checking | First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank) |
|---|---|---|
| Unlicensed financial services | No | With conditions |
| AI and SaaS | No published rule | With conditions |
| Marketplace | No published rule | With conditions |
| Crypto | No | Depends on the activity |
| iGaming | No | No published rule |
| Forex and CFD | No | No published rule |
| Adult | No published rule | No published rule |
Where owners must live
American Express Business Checking
To open an Account with us, you and/or your Primary Admin must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen or a resident alien with a valid Social Security number (SSN) or other taxpayer identification number or individual taxpayer identification number (TIN or ITIN) and have a physical business street address in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa or Northern Mariana Islands.
First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank)
No published rule
Rules about countries
American Express Business Checking
No published rule
First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank)
No published rule
Fees
American Express Business Checking
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Business Checking | Free to open ('Account Opening No fee') | None ('Monthly Account Maintenance Fee No fee') | · Source |
First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank)
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials Checking | Not stated | USD 25 a month, waived with a USD 15,000 monthly average balance ('Monthly account maintenance fee of $25 is waived if billing family monthly average net collected balance is $15,000 or greater') | · Source |
| Essentials Checking through Startup Banking | Not stated | Free for up to three years, then USD 50 a month plus outgoing wire fees ('Free checking through Essentials Checking available for up to three years from account opening') | · Source |
Closing an account
American Express Business Checking
We may also close your Account and terminate or suspend your use of and access to any or all of our Account services for any reason and at any time by giving you reasonable notice. Reasonable notice depends on the circumstances, and, in some cases, it might be reasonable for us to give notice after we have closed or frozen the Account.
Account closed or frozen? What American Express Business Checking’s terms say
First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank)
We may, at our discretion, and without notice, close, cancel, freeze, suspend or terminate any account, product or service you have with us, any time, with or without cause.
Licence
| Licensee | American Express Business Checking | First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank) |
|---|---|---|
| Licensee | American Express National Bank · national bank chartered by the OCC, Member FDIC (FDIC cert 27471) | First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company · North Carolina state-chartered bank, Member FDIC (FDIC cert 11063) · First Citizens Innovation Banking, formerly Silicon Valley Bank, is a division of it |
| Regulator | FDIC / OCC · | FDIC · |