Cross River Noninterest Income Rebound

The key point is that Cross River’s fee engine stopped subtracting from revenue and started contributing to it again. In 2022 and 2023, noninterest income was dragged below zero by mark to market losses and softer fee volumes, which overwhelmed the usual economics from fintech partner fees, loan sales, servicing, and card and payment activity. By 2025, that swing had reversed, lifting noninterest income to $85M and making revenue less dependent on spread income from the loan book.1 2 3

• Cross River is built to earn both spread income and fee income. It acts as the regulated bank behind fintech products, letting partners open accounts, move money, issue cards, and originate loans through its API stack. That creates noninterest revenue from usage, servicing, and partner activity, not just interest earned on loans.2 3
• The negative years matter because they show how volatile this line can be when market marks move against held assets or loan economics weaken. In a fintech infrastructure bank, noninterest income is not just card swipe fees. It can also include gains or losses tied to selling loans and valuing positions connected to partner programs.1 4
• Peers show why the rebound changes the story. Lead Bank in 2024 still got about 68% of revenue from interest, while Column was closer to an even split between interest and noninterest sources. Cross River’s move from 7% of revenue from noninterest income in 2024 to 16% in 2025 points toward a more balanced mix, even if it remains more lending exposed than pure fee led platforms.3 4

Going forward, the prize is a steadier mix where partner fees, servicing, and payments income grow fast enough to cushion rate cycles and loan market swings. If Cross River keeps deepening card, payments, and embedded finance relationships, noninterest income should become less of a volatile offset and more of a second engine of growth.2 3 4