Company: FRME
Filing Date: 2025-10-10
Form Type: S-4
Source: 0001193125-25-237211
Chunk: 0

Company: FIRST MERCHANTS CORP
Filing Date: 2025-10-10
Form: S-4
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 10, 2025 Registration Statement No. 333- UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM S-4 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

| INDIANA                         |     |                         6712 |     | 35-1544218         |
| (State or other jurisdiction of 
 incorporation or organization)  |     | -Primary Standard Industrial 
   Classification Code Number |     | -I.R.S. Employer   
 Identification No. |

200 East Jackson Street Muncie, Indiana 47305 (765) 747-1500 (Address, including Zip Code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices) Mark K. Hardwick Chief Executive Officer First Merchants Corporation 200 East Jackson Street Muncie, Indiana 47305 (765) 747-1500 (Name, address, including Zip Code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) With copies to:

| Jeremy E. Hill                            
 Tonya Vachirasomboon                      
 Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP            
 2700 Market Tower 10 W.                   
 Market Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 
 (317) 635-8900                            |     | Victor L. Cangelosi                               
 Thomas P. Hutton Luse                             
 Gorman, PC 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.. Suite 780 
 Washington, DC 20015-2035                         
 (202) 274-2000                                    |

Approximate date of commencement of the proposed sale of the securities to the public:As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement and upon the effective time of the merger described in the accompanying proxy statement and prospectus. If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box. ☐ If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐ If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the