Who are Dime Commercial Bancshares's competitors, and what are the alternatives?
Dime's 2025 10-K, filed February 20, 2026, says all phases of its business are highly competitive and that most competitors are significantly larger. It considers its major competition to be local commercial banks and other commercial banks with branches in its market area, which it defines as Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties and the five boroughs of New York City. Dime says it has the number one deposit market share on Greater Long Island among commercial banks under $20 billion of assets, counting Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk. At the end of 2025 it ran 63 branches across Greater Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx, Westchester and New Jersey. The closest rivals are commercial banks that have bought their way into the same streets. ConnectOne completed its purchase of The First of Long Island in June 2025. OceanFirst closed its acquisition of Flushing Financial in June 2026. Flagstar is the former New York Community Bank. Valley, the largest bank headquartered in New Jersey, ranks 10th by deposits in the New York, northern New Jersey and Long Island markets. As Dime pushes into New Jersey, with a Lakewood branch in 2026 and plans for Bergen, Hudson and Essex counties, it enters Valley's and ConnectOne's home state. Its 10-K also names savings banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers and investment and insurance firms. The clearest non-bank rival is in small business: Bluevine, which Valley agreed to buy in September 2026, had $2.1 billion of deposits from 175,000 small businesses.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Data as of Oct 19, 2026 · Dime profile updated Oct 19, 2026 · computed tables recalculate from the 140 bank profiles on this site · Markdown
What does Dime say about its competition?
"All phases of our business are highly competitive. We face direct competition from a significant number of financial institutions operating in our market area, many with a statewide or regional presence, and in some cases, a national presence. There is also competition for banking business from competitors outside of our market areas. Most of these competitors are significantly larger than us, and therefore have greater financial and marketing resources and lending limits than us. The fixed cost of regulatory compliance remains high for community banks as compared to their larger competitors that are able to achieve economies of scale."[1]
"We consider our major competition to be local commercial banks as well as other commercial banks with branches in our market area. Other competitors include savings banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers and other financial services firms, such as investment and insurance companies. Increased competition within our market areas may limit growth and profitability. The title insurance subsidiary also faces competition from other title insurance brokers as well as directly from the companies that underwrite title insurance."[1]
From the risk factors of the same 10-K: "Our primary market area is located in Greater Long Island and Manhattan. Competition in the banking and financial services industry remains intense. ... We compete with commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and brokerage and investment banking firms. Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources and lending limits than us and may offer certain services that we do not provide. In addition, competitors may offer deposits at higher rates and loans with lower fixed rates, more attractive terms and less stringent credit structures than we have been willing to offer." (2025 Form 10-K, filed February 20, 2026.)[1]
Who competes with Dime in each of its businesses?
| Business line | Competitor | Type | Why it competes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home region: Long Island and New York City | Flagstar Bank | Bank | The successor to New York Community Bank and Signature Bank, now running about 340 locations in nine states with $67.5 billion of deposits at June 30, 2026. In April 2026 Dime hired Flagstar's head of community markets and two group directors, all formerly of Signature, calling itself the primary beneficiary of disruption in the Metro New York market.[5][10][2] |
| Home region: Long Island and New York City | ConnectOne Bancorp | Bank | ConnectOne completed its acquisition of The First of Long Island Corporation, parent of The First National Bank of Long Island, on June 1, 2025, bringing a New Jersey business bank onto Dime's Long Island home ground.[3][11] |
| Home region: Long Island and New York City | OceanFirst Financial | Bank | OceanFirst completed its acquisition of Flushing Financial on June 1, 2026 and moved Flushing's digital banking customers onto its platforms on September 21, 2026, putting a larger rival into the New York City market Dime serves.[4][12][1] |
| Home region: Long Island and New York City | Valley National Bank | Bank | Valley's 10-K lists Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Long Island and Westchester among its top markets, ranks it 10th of 150 institutions by deposits in the New York, northern New Jersey and Long Island markets, and puts 18% of its 230 branches in New York.[6] |
| Home region: Long Island and New York City | Metropolitan Commercial Bank | Bank | A New York commercial bank whose relationship manager Dime hired in April 2026 to lead business in its new Lakewood, New Jersey market, as part of about 22 bankers recruited from rivals.[2] |
| Home region: Long Island and New York City | Savings banks and credit unions | Credit union | Dime's 10-K names savings banks and credit unions among its competitors in the Long Island and New York City market.[1] |
| Commercial banking and the New Jersey expansion | Valley National Bank (New Jersey) | Bank | Valley is the largest commercial bank headquartered in New Jersey, with 55% of its branches there and an FDIC deposit rank of 6th in the state; Dime opened its first New Jersey branch in Lakewood in 2026 and plans Bergen, Hudson and Essex counties.[6][7] |
| Commercial banking and the New Jersey expansion | ConnectOne Bancorp (New Jersey) | Bank | ConnectOne is headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and grew in Bergen County through its 2020 merger with Bancorp of New Jersey, whose offices were all there; Bergen is one of the counties Dime has targeted.[3][7] |
| Small business banking | Bluevine | Fintech | Bluevine had about 175,000 active small-business customers and $2.1 billion of deposits at June 30, 2026; Valley agreed on September 28, 2026 to buy it, citing its AI capabilities. Dime's customer base is principally small and medium-sized businesses.[8][9][1] |
| Small business banking | Fintech lenders and deposit apps | Fintech | ConnectOne's 10-K, describing the same New York-New Jersey market, says the banking industry faces competition for deposit, credit and money management products from non-bank technology firms; Dime's 10-K names other financial services firms among its competitors.[3][1] |
| Retail and municipal deposits | JPMorgan Chase | Bank | A national bank of the kind Dime's 10-K says has greater financial and marketing resources; Chase reported 5,083 branches and 74.6 million active digital customers in 2025.[1][13] |
| Retail and municipal deposits | Investment and brokerage firms | Broker or asset manager | Dime's 10-K names brokerage and investment banking firms and investment companies among its competitors, and warns rivals may offer deposits at higher rates.[1] |
| Mortgage and title | Mortgage brokers | Non-bank lender | Named in Dime's 10-K among the competitors it faces in its market area.[1] |
| Mortgage and title | Title insurance brokers and underwriters | Other | Dime's 10-K says its title insurance subsidiary competes with other title insurance brokers and directly with the companies that underwrite title insurance; title insurance is obtained on most New York real-estate transfers.[1] |
How do the AI and digital offerings of Dime's competitors compare?
Dime first, then each competitor. Use-case counts, index scores and latest moves are computed from our profiles of each company; "No profile" means this site has no page on it yet.
| Company | AI or digital offering | On the record (our profiles) | Latest dated AI move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dime Commercial Bancshares (this page) | Not disclosed | Index 10.5 (#102); 8 use cases, 2 in production | New Jersey push (Aug 12, 2026)[7] |
| Flagstar Bank | StarIQ, an internal AI component of the S2 platform orchestrating four foundation models[5][14] | Index 65.3 (#41); 14 use cases, 8 in production | Third-quarter 2026 results set for 23 October (Oct 9, 2026)[15] |
| ConnectOne Bancorp | nCino Banking Advisor and custom agents; document search cut 97.5%[16] | Index 44.6 (#65); 10 use cases, 7 in production | Q1 and Q2 2026 10-Qs carry no AI language (Aug 4, 2026)[17][18] |
| OceanFirst Financial | Microsoft Copilot for AML due diligence; an Automation Transformation Office[19] | Index 40.5 (#70); 16 use cases, 9 in production | Flushing digital banking customers scheduled to move to OceanFirst platforms (Sep 21, 2026)[12][20] |
| Valley National Bank | Valley's AI Assistant with tiered access; about $15 million of AI run-rate savings[21] | Index 76.6 (#26); 17 use cases, 13 in production | Robbins on CNBC: AI agents not a threat to regional banks (Sep 29, 2026)[22] |
| Metropolitan Commercial Bank | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Savings banks and credit unions | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Valley National Bank (New Jersey) | Cloud-first infrastructure, Valley's AI Assistant and tiered access[23][24][25][26] | Index 76.6 (#26); 17 use cases, 13 in production | Robbins on CNBC: AI agents not a threat to regional banks (Sep 29, 2026)[22] |
| ConnectOne Bancorp (New Jersey) | nCino Banking Advisor and custom agents on nCino's Agentic Operating System[16][27] | Index 44.6 (#65); 10 use cases, 7 in production | Q1 and Q2 2026 10-Qs carry no AI language (Aug 4, 2026)[17][18] |
| Bluevine | AI chatbot containing about 80% of inbound inquiries; most new code AI-generated[9] | 7 use cases, 5 in production | Lean Team Economy Report (Oct 7, 2026)[28] |
| Fintech lenders and deposit apps | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| JPMorgan Chase | Smart Cash AI cash tool in a targeted pilot (October 2026)[29] | Index 89 (#6); 15 use cases, 8 in production | Q3 2026 call: outside AI agents stay blocked; AI spend put near $700 million (Oct 13, 2026)[30][29][31] |
| Investment and brokerage firms | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Mortgage brokers | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Title insurance brokers and underwriters | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
Who should look beyond Dime, and where?
| If you are | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses that want an AI-equipped relationship banker | ConnectOne or Customers Bank | Dime names no AI tool for its bankers. ConnectOne's bankers use nCino's Banking Advisor, with a goal of making every frontline commercial banker 50% more productive, and Customers piloted seven-day commercial loan closings with multi-agent underwriting.[32][16][33] |
| Customers who need branches beyond the New York metro area | Valley or Flagstar | Dime's 63 branches are on Long Island, in New York City, Westchester and New Jersey. Valley runs 230 branches across New Jersey, New York, Florida, Alabama, California and Illinois, and Flagstar about 340 locations in nine states.[1][6][10] |
| Small businesses that want an app-first account with AI support | Bluevine | Dime serves small and medium businesses through relationship bankers and branches. Bluevine's AI chatbot contains about 80% of inbound inquiries, and its 175,000 active customers will move to Valley if the acquisition closes in early 2027.[1][9][8] |
| Borrowers who need a larger lending limit | A larger regional or national bank such as Valley or JPMorgan Chase | Dime's 10-K says most competitors are significantly larger, with greater lending limits, and may offer services it does not. Valley ranks 10th by deposits in the New York, northern New Jersey and Long Island markets; Chase is the largest US bank on this site.[1][6][13] |
Which deals have reshaped Dime's competition?
Recent deals that put a larger or different rival into Dime's Long Island, New York City and New Jersey markets, with the date each closed or was agreed.
| Deal | What it means for Dime's markets | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ConnectOne buys The First of Long Island | A New Jersey business bank gains a Long Island franchise | Completed | June 1, 2025[3] |
| OceanFirst buys Flushing Financial | A New Jersey bank gains a New York City franchise; Flushing customers moved to OceanFirst digital banking September 21, 2026 | Completed | June 1, 2026[4][12] |
| Santander buys Webster | A $12.3 billion deal that puts Webster under Santander; about 8 million combined customers | Completed | 2026[34][35] |
| Valley agrees to buy Bluevine | Adds 175,000 small-business customers and AI talent to Dime's largest New Jersey rival | Expected to close early 2027 | September 28, 2026[8] |
| Dime hires about 22 bankers from rivals | Teams from Flagstar (ex-Signature), a regional manager from The First National Bank of Long Island and a Lakewood relationship manager from Metropolitan Commercial Bank | Announced | April 15, 2026[2] |
| Dime enters New Jersey | First branch outside New York, in Lakewood; plans for Bergen, Hudson and Essex counties | Under way | June to August 2026[7] |
Who are Dime Commercial Bank's biggest competitors?
Commercial banks with branches in its Long Island and New York City market: Flagstar (the former New York Community Bank), Valley, ConnectOne after buying The First of Long Island, and OceanFirst after buying Flushing Financial. Dime's 10-K also names savings banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers, investment and insurance firms, and title insurance rivals.[5][6][3][4][1]
Is ConnectOne a competitor of Dime?
Yes, and more so since June 1, 2025, when ConnectOne completed its acquisition of The First of Long Island. Both are business-focused banks in the New York metro area, and Dime's push into Bergen County takes it where ConnectOne grew through its 2020 Bancorp of New Jersey merger. On AI, ConnectOne uses nCino's Banking Advisor; Dime's disclosed AI is Quantifind sanctions screening.[3][7][16][36]
Is Flagstar a competitor of Dime?
Yes, and a source of talent. Flagstar, the former New York Community Bank and Signature Bank franchise, runs about 340 locations in nine states. In April 2026 Dime hired Flagstar's head of community markets and two group directors, plus a Flagstar branch manager for Lakewood, and described itself as the primary beneficiary of disruption in the Metro New York market.[5][10][2]
How does Dime compare with Valley in New York?
Valley is far larger, with 230 branches, 18% of them in New York, and ranks 10th of 150 institutions by deposits in the New York, northern New Jersey and Long Island markets. Dime has 63 branches concentrated on Long Island and in New York City. Valley scores 76.6 on this site's AI index; Dime 10.5.[6][1]
Does Dime compete in New Jersey?
Since 2026. American Banker reported in August 2026 that Dime opened its first New Jersey branch in Lakewood, plans locations in Bergen, Hudson and Essex counties, and added a New Jersey C&I team and an equipment and franchise finance specialty. Valley, the largest New Jersey-headquartered bank, and ConnectOne are the incumbents.[7][6][3]
Is Bluevine a competitor of Dime?
For small-business deposits, yes by category. Dime's customers are principally small and medium-sized businesses, and Bluevine had $2.1 billion of deposits from about 175,000 small businesses at June 30, 2026. Valley agreed to buy Bluevine in September 2026, so the fintech is becoming part of a direct rival.[1][9][8]
What are alternatives to Dime for business banking on Long Island?
ConnectOne, which now owns The First National Bank of Long Island; Flagstar, the former New York Community Bank; and Valley, which lists Long Island among its top markets. Dime's own case is local commercial banking with private-banking deposit teams and new lending verticals hired since 2023.[3][5][6][37]
- Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Dime Announces Significant Hires to Advance Growth Plan
- ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC) Q2 FY2026 earnings call transcript
- Flagstar Bank Announces Proprietary Technology Transformation
- Valley National Bancorp Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- New Jersey is latest frontier in NY bank's reinvention
- Valley National Bancorp to Acquire Bluevine Inc., Accelerating its Digital Small Business Growth Strategy and Meaningfully Enhancing its Core Funding Capabilities
- Accelerating Valley's National Digital Banking Franchise: Acquisition of Bluevine Inc. (investor presentation)
- Fiserv and Flagstar Bank Announce Strategic Core Banking Relationship
- ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. Completes Merger With the First of Long Island Corporation
- Flushing conversion: digital banking key dates
- JPMorgan Chase & Co. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025
- The AI-Enabled Bank: Reimagining Retail Banking from Branch to Mobile (Leaders, with Chris Higgins)
- Flagstar Bank, N.A. to Report Third Quarter 2026 Earnings and Host Conference Call on October 23rd
- ConnectOne Bank is Building the Future of Commercial Lending on nCino’s Agentic Operating System
- ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026
- ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026
- How OceanFirst uses AI to investigate crime, analyze bonds
- OceanFirst Financial (OCFC) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
- Valley National Bancorp (VLY) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
- Valley National CEO Ira Robbins: AI agents not a threat to regional banks
- Valley Bank exec: AI is changing build-versus-buy question
- #47 Valley Bank's COO is building an AI-ready bank
- Nickolaus Lachman, SVP, Head of AI & Data Science, Valley Bank (Digital Banking speaker profile)
- Valley National Bancorp second quarter 2026 earnings presentation (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.2)
- How ConnectOne Bank uses AI to save time on admin work
- Bluevine Study Finds More Than Half of SMBs Use AI to Handle Workload of at Least One Employee
- JPMorgan CEO Dimon warns customers of 'liability transfer' with AI
- JPMorgan Chase blocks outside AI agents like Muse, Instinct from directly accessing accounts
- JPMorgan warns of risks to consumers who rely on AI agents
- Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. 2026 Proxy Statement (DEF 14A)
- Customers Bancorp Reports Results for Second Quarter 2026
- Santander to buy Webster for $12.3B
- Santander Expands U.S. Presence with Completion of Webster Acquisition
- Dime Community Bank Selects Quantifind to Strengthen Sanctions Screening in Payments
- Earnings call transcript: Dime Commercial posts record Q2 2026 revenue
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