# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001476034
**File Stem:** 0001104659-26-018208
**Filing Date:** 2026-2
**Character Count:** 525439
**Document Hash:** 547e9e1f98226f2c5b4c1ff508d7425e
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001104659-26-018208.hdr.sgml**: 20260220

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001104659-26-018208

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 10-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 124

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20251231

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260220

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260220

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001476034
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 02 Finance
- **EIN:** 134042724
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** NY
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 10-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-38282
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26661085

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 99 PARK AVENUE
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10016
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 212-659-0600

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 99 PARK AVENUE
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10016

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP._December 31, 2025

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**UNITED STATES**

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

**FORM 10-K**

(Mark One)

☒ **ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934** 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

or

☐ **TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934**

Commission file number: **001-38282**

**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP.**

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **New York**  | **13-4042724**  |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)  | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |

---

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **99 Park Avenue, New York, New York**  | **10016**  |
| (Address of principal executive offices)  | (Zip Code) |

---

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: **(212) 659-0600**

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Title of each class**  | **Name of each exchange on which registered** |
| Common Stock, $0.01 par value <br> MCB | New York Stock Exchange |

---

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. YES ⌧ NO ◻

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. YES ◻ NO ⌧

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES ⌧ NO ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). YES ⌧ NO ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer", "smaller reporting company", and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☒ |
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ |
| (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Emerging growth company | ☐ |

---

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant's executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). YES ☐ NO ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant on June 30, 2025, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange, was approximately $695.4 million.

As of February 13, 2026, there were issued and outstanding 10,116,117 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock.

**DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE**

Portions of the Registrant's definitive proxy statement relating to its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K where indicated.

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#### **TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS](#Acronyms) | &nbsp;&nbsp;[GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS](#Acronyms) | &nbsp;&nbsp;2 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS](#Foward_Looking_Statments) | &nbsp;&nbsp;[NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS](#Foward_Looking_Statments) | &nbsp;&nbsp;3 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[PART I](#PARTI_676520) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 1](#Item1Business_176350). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Business](#Item1Business_176350) | &nbsp;&nbsp;5 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 1A](#Item_1A_Risk_Factors). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Risk Factors](#Item_1A_Risk_Factors) | &nbsp;&nbsp;24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 1B](#Item1BUnresolvedStaffComments_769972). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Unresolved Staff Comments](#Item1BUnresolvedStaffComments_769972) | &nbsp;&nbsp;38 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 1C](#Item1C_Cybersecurity). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Cybersecurity](#Item1C_Cybersecurity) | &nbsp;&nbsp;38 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 2](#Item2Properties_718288). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Properties](#Item2Properties_718288) | &nbsp;&nbsp;41 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 3](#Item3LegalProceedings_613822). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Legal Proceedings](#Item3LegalProceedings_613822) | &nbsp;&nbsp;42 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 4](#Item4MineSafetyDisclosures_666631). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Mine Safety Disclosures](#Item4MineSafetyDisclosures_666631) | &nbsp;&nbsp;42 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[PART II](#PARTII_231073) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 5](#Item5MarketforRegistrantsCommonEquityRel). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities](#Item5MarketforRegistrantsCommonEquityRel) | &nbsp;&nbsp;43 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 6](#Item6SelectedFinancialData_969036). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[\[Reserved\]](#Item6SelectedFinancialData_969036) | &nbsp;&nbsp;45 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 7](#Item7ManagementsDiscussionandAnalysisofF). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations](#Item7ManagementsDiscussionandAnalysisofF) | &nbsp;&nbsp;45 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 7A](#Item7aQuantitativeandQualitativeDisclosu). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk](#Item7aQuantitativeandQualitativeDisclosu) | &nbsp;&nbsp;58 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 8](#Item8FinancialStatementsandSupplementary). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Financial Statements and Supplementary Data](#Item8FinancialStatementsandSupplementary) | &nbsp;&nbsp;60 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 9](#Item9ChangesinandDisagreementswithAccoun). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure](#Item9ChangesinandDisagreementswithAccoun) | &nbsp;&nbsp;61 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 9A](#Item9AControlsandProcedures_466485). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Controls and Procedures](#Item9AControlsandProcedures_466485) | &nbsp;&nbsp;61 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 9B](#Item9BOtherInformation_550062). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Information](#Item9BOtherInformation_550062) | &nbsp;&nbsp;62 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 9C](#_Item_9C._). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections](#_Item_9C._) | &nbsp;&nbsp;62 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[PART III](#PARTIII_746003) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 10](#Item10DirectorsExecutiveOfficersandCorpo). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance](#Item10DirectorsExecutiveOfficersandCorpo) | &nbsp;&nbsp;63 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 11](#Item11ExecutiveCompensation_672089). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Executive Compensation](#Item11ExecutiveCompensation_672089) | &nbsp;&nbsp;63 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 12](#Item_12_Security_Ownership_of_Ben_Owners). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters](#Item_12_Security_Ownership_of_Ben_Owners) | &nbsp;&nbsp;63 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 13](#Item13CertainRelationshipsandRelatedTran). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence](#Item13CertainRelationshipsandRelatedTran) | &nbsp;&nbsp;63 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 14](#Item14PrincipalAccountingFeesandServices). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Accountant Fees and Services](#Item14PrincipalAccountingFeesandServices) | &nbsp;&nbsp;63 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[PART IV](#PARTIV_368008) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 15](#Item15ExhibitsFinancialStatementSchedule). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules](#Item15ExhibitsFinancialStatementSchedule) | &nbsp;&nbsp;64 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Item 16](#Item16Form10KSummary_106243). | &nbsp;&nbsp;[Form 10-K Summary](#Item16Form10KSummary_106243) | &nbsp;&nbsp;66 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;[SIGNATURES](#SIGNATURES_358329) | &nbsp;&nbsp;[SIGNATURES](#SIGNATURES_358329) | &nbsp;&nbsp;67 |

---

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#### GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**ACL** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Allowance for credit losses** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**FDIC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**AFS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Available-for-sale** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**FHLB** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Federal Home Loan Bank** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**ALCO** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Asset Liability Committee** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**FHLBNY** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Federal Home Loan Bank of New York** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**AOCI** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Accumulated other comprehensive income** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**FRB** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Federal Reserve Bank** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**ASC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Accounting Standards Codification** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**FRBNY** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Federal Reserve Bank of New York** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**ASU** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Accounting Standards Update** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**FX** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Foreign exchange** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**BaaS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Banking-as-a-Service** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**GAAP** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**U.S. Generally accepted accounting principles** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Bank** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Metropolitan Commercial Bank** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**GPG** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Global Payments Group** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**BHC Act** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**HTM** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Held-to-maturity** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**BSA** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Bank Secrecy Act** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**IRR** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Interest rate risk** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**C&I** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Commercial and Industrial** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**ISO**  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Incentive stock option** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**CARES Act** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**JOBS Act** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**CECL** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Current Expected Credit Loss** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**LTV** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Loan-to-value** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Company** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**MBS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Mortgage-backed securities** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Coronavirus** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**COVID-19** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**N/A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Not applicable** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**CRA** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Community Reinvestment Act** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**NYDFS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**New York State Department of Financial Services** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**CRE** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Commercial real estate** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**OCC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Office of the Comptroller of the Currency** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**CRE Guidance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Commercial Real Estate Lending, Sound Risk Management Practices** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**PRSU** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Performance-based restricted stock units**  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**DIF** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Deposit Insurance Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**ROU** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Right of use** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**EB-5 Program** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**SEC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**EGC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Emerging Growth Company** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**SOFR** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Secured Overnight Financing Rate** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**ERMC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Enterprise Risk Management Committee** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**USD** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**U.S. Dollar** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**EVE** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Economic value of equity** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**USCIS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**United States Citizenship and Immigration Services** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**FASB** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Financial Accounting Standards Board** |  |  |

---

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#### NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which may be identified by the use of such words as "may," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "consider," "should," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "continue," "probable," and "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the "Company") and its wholly-owned subsidiary Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the "Bank"), share repurchases under the Company's share repurchase program, dividend payments and the Company's strategies, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control and that may cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ from those results expressed or implied include those factors listed under Part I, Item 1A., "Risk Factors" and as described in Part II, Item 7., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in this report. In addition, these factors include but are not limited to:

● a failure to successfully manage our credit risk and the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses;

● changes in loan demand and declines in real estate values in the Company's market area, which may adversely affect our loan production;

● borrower and depositor concentrations (e.g., by geographic area and by industry);

● the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve and other regulatory bodies;

● general economic conditions, including unemployment rates, and potential recessionary and inflationary indicators, either nationally or locally, including the related effects on our borrowers and other clients, such as adverse changes to credit quality, and on our financial condition and results of operations;

● an unanticipated loss of key personnel or existing clients, or an inability to attract key employees;

● system failures or cybersecurity breaches of our information technology infrastructure and/or confidential information or those of the Company's third-party service providers;

● failure to maintain current technologies or technological changes and enhancements that may be more difficult or expensive to implement than anticipated, and failure to successfully implement future information technology enhancements;

● emerging issues related to the development and use of artificial intelligence that could give rise to legal or regulatory action, damage our reputation or otherwise materially harm our business or clients;

● the timely and efficient development of new products and services offered by the Company, as well as risks (including reputational and litigation) attendant thereto, and the perceived overall value and acceptance of these products and services by clients;

● the successful implementation or consummation of new business initiatives, which may be more difficult or expensive than anticipated;

● an unexpected adverse financial, regulatory, legal or bankruptcy event experienced by our financial service clients or critical technology service providers;

● unexpected increases in our expenses;

● changes in liquidity, including funding sources, deposit flows and the size and composition of our deposit portfolio, and the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio;

● an unexpected deterioration in the performance of our loan or securities portfolios and our inability to absorb the amount of actual losses inherent in the portfolio;

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● difficulties associated with achieving or predicting expected future financial results;

● growth that differed from expectations and our ability to manage our growth;

● increases in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions which may result in unanticipated changes in our loan or deposit rates;

● unexpected adverse impacts related to future acquisitions or divestitures;

● impacts related to or resulting from regional and community bank failures and stresses to regional banks, or conditions in the securities markets or the banking industry being less favorable than currently anticipated;

● changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines that may cause the Company's financial condition or results of operation to be reported or perceived differently;

● legislative, tax or regulatory changes or actions, including changes and the potential for changes to regulatory policy and the promulgation of new laws and regulations at the federal, state, or local level in municipalities where we operate, may adversely affect the Company's business;

● unanticipated increases in FDIC insurance premiums or future assessments;

● the costs, including the possible incurrence of fines, penalties, or other negative effects (including reputational harm) of any adverse judicial, administrative, or arbitral rulings or proceedings, regulatory enforcement actions, or other legal actions to which we or any of our subsidiaries are a party, and which may adversely affect our results; and

● the current or the potential impact on the Company's operations, financial condition, and clients resulting from natural or man-made disasters, severe weather events, wars, military conflict, acts of terrorism, other geopolitical events, cyberattacks, and global pandemics, or localized epidemics.

The Company's ability to predict results or the actual effects of its plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. As such, forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions made, or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect conditions only as of the date of this filing. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. The Company undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to publicly release the results of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements, except as may be required by law.

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#### PART I

#### Item 1. Business
The Company is a bank holding company headquartered in New York, New York and registered under the BHC Act. Through its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, a New York state-chartered commercial bank, the Company provides a broad range of business, commercial and retail banking products and services to small businesses, middle-market enterprises, public entities and individuals primarily in the New York metropolitan area. The Company's founding members, including its Chief Executive Officer, Mark DeFazio, recognized a need in the New York metropolitan area for a solutions-oriented, commercial banking franchise focused on building relationships with middle market companies and real estate entrepreneurs whose financial needs are often overlooked by larger financial institutions. The Bank was established in 1999 with the goal of helping these under-served clients build and sustain wealth. Its motto, "The Entrepreneurial Bank," is a reflection of the Bank's aspiration to develop a commercially oriented middle-market bank that shares the same entrepreneurial spirit as its clients. By offering an extensive suite of financial products and highly customized personal services, combined with strong technology offerings and a community-based relationship focus, the Company is well-positioned to continue to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities available in the New York metropolitan area and elsewhere. See the "GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS" for the definition of certain terms and acronyms used throughout this Form 10-K.

In addition to traditional commercial banking products, the Company offers: corporate cash management and retail banking services; customized financial solutions for government entities, municipalities, public institutions and charter schools; specialized services to facilitate secure and efficient real estate transactions and tax-deferred exchanges for title and escrow and Section 1031 exchanges; and EB-5 Program escrow accounts of foreign investor funds for USCIS approved job-creating projects.

The Company has developed various deposit gathering strategies, which generate the funding necessary to operate without a large branch network. These activities, together with seven strategically located banking centers, generate a stable source of deposits to fund a diverse loan portfolio with attractive risk-adjusted yields. As of December 31, 2025, the Company's assets, loans, deposits, and stockholders' equity totaled $8.3 billion, $6.8 billion, $7.4 billion and $743.1 million, respectively.

As a bank holding company, the Company is subject to the supervision of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company is required to file with the FRB reports and other information regarding its business operations and the business operations of its subsidiaries. As a state-chartered bank that is a member of the FRB, the Bank is subject to FDIC regulations as well as supervision, periodic examination and regulation by the NYDFS as its primary state regulator and by the FRB as its primary federal regulator.

#### Available Information
The SEC maintains an internet site, www.sec.gov, that contains the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments thereto, and other reports electronically filed with the SEC. The Company makes these documents that have been filed with the SEC available free of charge through the Company's website, www.mcbankny.com, by clicking the Investor Relations tab and selecting "SEC Filings" under the "Filings & Financials" tab. Information included on the Company's website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

#### Market Area
The Company's primary market includes the New York metropolitan area. This market is well-diversified and represents a large market for middle market businesses (defined as businesses with annual revenue of $5 million to $400 million). The Company's market area has a diversified economy, with the majority of employment provided by services, wholesale/retail trade, finance/insurance/real estate, technology companies and construction. A relationship-led strategy has provided the Company with select opportunities in other U.S. markets, with a particular focus on South Florida.

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The Company operates seven banking centers strategically located within close proximity to target clients. There are four banking centers in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn, New York, one in Lakewood, New Jersey and one in Great Neck, Long Island. The 99 Park Avenue banking center, adjacent to the Company headquarters, is located at the center of one of the largest markets for bank deposits in the New York Metropolitan Statistical Area due to the abundance of corporate and high net worth clients. The Manhattan banking centers are centrally located in the heart of neighborhoods notably associated with specific business sectors with which the Company has strong existing relationships. The Brooklyn banking center is in the active Boro Park neighborhood, which is home to many small- and medium-sized businesses, and where several important existing lending clients live and work. The banking centers in Great Neck, Long Island and Lakewood, New Jersey represent a natural extension of the Company's efforts to establish a physical footprint in areas where many of its existing and prospective commercial clients are located, and also serves as a central hub for philanthropic and community events. The Company also has a loan production office in Miami, Florida. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2026 we plan to open a banking center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

#### Competitors
The bank and non-bank financial services industry in the Company's markets and surrounding areas is highly competitive. The Company competes with a wide range of community, regional and large banks located in its market areas as well as non-bank commercial finance companies on a nationwide basis. The Company faces competition in both lending and attracting funds as well as merchant processing services from commercial banks, savings associations, credit unions, consumer finance companies, pension trusts, mutual funds, insurance companies, mortgage bankers and brokers, brokerage and investment banking firms, non-bank lenders, government agencies and certain other non-financial institutions. Many of these competitors have higher lending limits and more assets, capital and resources than the Company, and may be able to conduct more intensive and broader-based promotional efforts to reach both commercial and individual customers. Competition for deposit products can depend heavily on pricing because of the ease with which customers can transfer deposits from one institution to another.

Accessibility, tailored product offerings, disciplined underwriting and speed of execution enable the Company to distinguish itself in the markets of its target clients, which the Company views as under-served by today's financial services industry. Establishing banking centers in close proximity to a "critical mass" of its clients has advanced the Company's ability to retain and grow deposits, provided opportunities to deepen client relationships, and ultimately to enhance franchise value.

#### Business Strategy
The Company's strategy is to continue to build a relationship-oriented commercial bank by organically growing its existing client relationships and developing new long-term clients. The Company focuses on the New York metropolitan area middle-market businesses with annual revenues of $400 million or less and the New York metropolitan area real estate entrepreneurs with a net worth of $50 million or more. The Company originates and services CRE and C&I loans of generally between $3 million and $40 million, which it believes is an under-served segment of the market. Management believes that the Company is well positioned in a market area offering significant growth opportunities. As it grows, the Company will attempt to continue to convert many of its lending clients into full retail relationships.

The Company seeks to differentiate itself in the marketplace by offering excellent service, competitive products, innovative solutions, access to senior management, and an ability to make lending decisions in a timely manner combined with certainty of execution. The Company's lending team possesses industry expertise that enables it to better understand its clients' businesses and differentiates it from other banks in the market.

#### On-going relationships and tailored products
Management believes that the focus on servicing all aspects of the clients' businesses, including cash management and lending solutions, better positions the Company to be able to meet its clients' current and future needs. The Company has the flexibility and commitment to create solutions tailored to the needs of each client. For example, the Company entered the healthcare lending space in 2001 and built out processes, procedures, and customized infrastructure to support its clients in this industry. Management intends to continue leveraging the quality of its team, existing relationships and its

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client-centered approach to further grow its tailored banking solutions, build deeper relationships and increase market share. Additionally, the Company is always working to expand its team by attracting and developing individuals that embody its spirit as "The Entrepreneurial Bank." This helps to ensure that it continues to meet its high standards of excellence, which drives relationships and enhances franchise value.

#### Strong deposit franchise
The strength of the Company's deposit franchise comes from its long-standing relationships with clients and the strong ties it has in its market area. The Company has also developed a diversified funding strategy, which enables it to be less reliant on branches. Deposit funding is provided by: traditional commercial banking products offered to borrowing and non-borrowing clients; corporate cash management and retail banking services; tailored financial solutions for government entities, municipalities, and public institutions; specialized services to facilitate secure and efficient real estate transactions and tax-deferred exchanges for title and escrow and Section 1031 exchanges; and, EB-5 Program accounts for developers and qualified foreign investors. These activities, together with seven strategically located banking centers, generate a stable source of deposits to support the growth of our diverse loan portfolio.

#### Products and Services
The Company provides a comprehensive set of commercial and retail banking products and services customized to meet the needs of its clients. The Company offers a broad range of lending products, with a primary focus on CRE and C&I loans.

#### Lending Products
The Company's CRE products include acquisition loans, loans to refinance or return borrower equity on income producing properties, renovation loans, loans on owner-occupied properties and construction loans. The Company lends against a variety of asset classes, including skilled nursing facilities, healthcare, multi-family, office, hospitality, mixed use, retail, and warehouse.

The Company's C&I products consist primarily of working capital lines of credit secured by business assets, self-liquidating term loans generally made for the acquisition of equipment and other long-lived company assets, trade finance and letters of credit. The majority of C&I loans carry the personal guarantee of the principals of the borrowing entity.

*Commercial Real Estate*

CRE mortgage loans are secured by mixed-use properties, office buildings, commercial condominium units, retail properties, hotels and warehouses. In underwriting these loans, the Company generally relies on the income generated by the property as the primary means of repayment. However, the personal guarantee of the principals will frequently be required as a credit enhancement, particularly when the collateral property is in transition (i.e., under renovation and/or in the lease-up stage). A Phase I Environmental Report is generally required for all new CRE loans.

Loans are generally written for terms of three to five years, although loans with longer or shorter terms are occasionally written. Interest rates may be fixed or floating, and repayment schedules are generally based on a 25- to 30-year amortization schedule, although interest only loans are also offered.

Factors considered in loan underwriting include: the stability of the projected cash flows from the real estate based on operating history, tenancy, and current rental market conditions; the development and property management experience of the principals; the financial wherewithal of the principals, including an analysis of global cash flows; and credit history of the principals. Generally, the maximum LTVs for new originations range from 50% to 75%, depending on the property type and the minimum debt coverage ratio is 1.20x, with higher coverage required for hospitality and special use properties.

At December 31, 2025, $2.5 billion, or 43.1% of the Company's real estate loan portfolio, consisted of loans to the healthcare industry, which were primarily made to nursing and residential care facilities. The Company has lenders who are experienced in lending to the healthcare industry, particularly to skilled nursing homes. They generally originate loans

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to borrowers with strong cash flows from diverse sources and who are very experienced operators that typically have over 1,000 beds under management. In addition to being secured by real estate, these loans are also generally secured by the assets of the operating company, and in almost all cases the credit facilities are personally guaranteed by principals of the company, who are typically high net worth individuals. The Company also originates term loans to standalone medical facilities such as radiology and dialysis centers and medical practices, which are generally secured by the assets of the company and the personal guaranties of the sponsors/owners of the practice.

*Multi-family*

The multi-family loan portfolio consists of loans secured by multi-tenanted residential properties primarily located in New York City or the Greater New York area. In underwriting multi-family loans, the Company employs the same underwriting standards and procedures as are employed for non-owner occupied CRE.

Certain of the Company's loans are associated with rent stabilized units in the New York City boroughs, in which the laws limit rent increases for rent stabilized multi-family properties. In addition, New York City's current mayoral administration has previously indicated its intention to halt rent increases for all rent-stabilized apartments in the city. At December 31, 2025, the Company had $172.6 million of New York City rent-regulated stabilized multi-family loans, which had a weighted-average debt service coverage ratio of 2.7x and a weighted-average LTV of 44.7% based on the most recent appraisal. See Part I, Item 1A., *"*Risk Factors*—Risk Relating to Lending Activities—The performance of the Company's multi-family and mixed-use loans could be adversely impacted by regulation."*

*Construction Loans*

Construction lending involves additional risks when compared to permanent loans. These risks include completion risk, which could be impacted by unanticipated delays and/or cost overruns, and market risk, i.e., the risk that market rental rates and/or market sales prices may decline before the project is completed. Therefore, the Company only originates construction loans on a very selective basis. Generally, the types of construction loans the Company originates include extensive renovation loans as well as ground-up construction loans. At December 31, 2025, construction loans comprised 3.8% of the Company's loan portfolio. In all cases, the owner/developer has extensive construction experience, sufficient equity in the transaction (maximum loan to value of 65%) and provides personal recourse on the loan. The Company has established limits for construction lending as a percentage of risk-based capital.

*Commercial and Industrial Loans*

C&I credit facilities are made to a wide range of industries. The principals of the companies have extensive experience in acquiring and operating their business. The industries include healthcare with a specialty in skilled nursing facilities, auto leasing firms, wholesalers, manufacturers and importers and exporters of a wide range of products. The loans are secured by the assets of the company including accounts receivable, inventory and equipment and, in most cases, are personally guaranteed. Collateral may also include owner-occupied real estate. The Company targets companies that have $400 million of revenues or less.

The Company's lines of credit are generally reviewed on an annual basis. Term loans typically have terms of two to five years and are also reviewed on an annual basis. The credit facilities may be made with either fixed or floating rates.

C&I loans are subject to risk factors that are unique to each business. In underwriting these loans, the Company seeks to gain an understanding of each client's business in order to accurately assess the reliability of the company's cash flows. The Company lends to borrowers who are well capitalized, and have an established track record in their business, with predictable growth and cash flows.

At December 31, 2025, $302.9 million, or 34.7% of the Company's C&I loan portfolio, consisted of loans to the healthcare industry, of which $212.3 million, or 70.1%, were made to nursing and residential care facilities. Within the C&I lending group, the Company has lenders who are experienced in lending to the healthcare industry, particularly to skilled nursing homes. They generally originate loans to borrowers with strong cash flows from diverse sources and who are very experienced operators that typically have over 1,000 beds under management. In all cases these loans are secured by the

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assets of the operating company, and in almost all cases the credit facilities are personally guaranteed by principals of the company, who are typically high net worth individuals. The Company also originates term loans to standalone medical facilities such as radiology and dialysis centers and medical practices, which are secured by the assets of the company and typically by the personal guarantees of the sponsors/owners of the practice.

#### Deposit Products and Services
The Company's retail products and services are similar to those of mid-to-large banks in its market, and include, but are not limited to, online banking, mobile banking, ACH, and remote deposit capture. The Company has made, and will continue to make, investments in technology to meet the needs of its customers. Deposit funding is provided by the following deposit verticals:

1) Borrowing clients – The Company generates significant deposits from its borrowing clients. The Company provides commercial clients with convenient solutions such as remote deposit capture, business online banking and various other retail services and products. The Company will attempt to continue to convert lending clients into full retail clients and thereby continue to expand its retail presence.

2) Non-borrowing retail banking products and services clients – These customers, located primarily in the New York City metropolitan area, need an efficient technology interface and the personal service of an experienced banker who can assist them in managing their day-to-day operations using our retail banking products and services. Management understands that not every potential client of the Company is in need of an extension of credit; instead, these clients require a bank that can assist in making them more efficient and competitive.

3) Corporate cash management clients – The Company provides corporate cash management services to clients who are in possession of, or have discretion over, large deposits such as, but not limited to, property management companies, title companies and bankruptcy trustees.

4) Government entities, municipalities and other local entities – The Company provides customized financial solutions for government entities, municipalities, public institutions, and charter schools to help them reach their strategic objectives.

5) EB-5 Program accounts – The EB-5 Program, administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, allows qualified foreign investors who meet specific capital investment and other requirements to obtain permanent residency and become contributors to U.S. communities, by investing in job-creating projects. The Company provides escrow accounts of foreign investor funds for USCIS approved job-creating projects.

6) Title and Escrow – The Company provides specialized services designed to facilitate secure and efficient real estate transactions and tax-deferred exchanges for title and escrow, Section 1031 exchanges, and qualified intermediary needs.

*Global Payments Business*

In 2023, the Company completed the exit from the business associated with digital currency entities, commonly referred to as the crypto-asset business. In 2024 the Company exited the GPG BaaS business.

#### Asset Quality

#### Non-Performing Assets
Non-performing assets consist of non-accrual loans and loans past due over 90 days and still accruing. The past due status on loans is based on the contractual terms of the loan. It is generally the Company's policy that a loan 90 days past due be placed on non-accrual status unless factors exist that would eliminate the need to place a loan on this status. A loan may also be designated as non-accrual at any time if payment of principal or interest in full is not expected due to deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower. At the time loans are placed on non-accrual status, the accrual of interest is discontinued and previously accrued and unpaid interest is reversed. Payments received on non-accrual loans are generally

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applied to principal. Loans are considered for return to accrual status when they become current as to principal and interest payments and remain current for a period of six consecutive months or when, in the opinion of management, the Company expects to receive all of its original principal and interest. In the case of non-accrual loans where a portion of the loan has been charged off, the remaining balance is kept on non-accrual status until the entire principal balance has been recovered.

#### Allowance for Credit Losses – Loans and Loan Commitments
The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (ASC 326) ("ASC 326") effective January 1, 2023, which requires that the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date be based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts.

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (ASC 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures." ASU 2022-02 eliminates the accounting guidance for TDRs by creditors while enhancing disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2023. See *"*NOTE 3 — SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS*"* to the Company's consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K. The Company works closely with borrowers that are experiencing financial difficulties to identify viable solutions that minimize the potential for loss and under certain circumstances may modify the terms of these loans to maximize their collectability. Modifications generally involve short-term deferrals of principal and/or interest payments, reductions of scheduled payment amounts, interest rates or principal of the loan, and forgiveness of accrued interest.

*Measurement of Expected Credit Losses*

Management believes that the ACL is adequate to cover expected credit losses over the life of the loan portfolio. In estimating the ACL, the Company relies on models and economic forecasts developed by external parties as the primary driver of the ACL. These models and forecasts are based on nationwide data sets. Economic forecasts can change significantly over an economic cycle and have a significant level of uncertainty associated with them. The performance of the models is dependent on the variables used in the models being reasonable predictors for the loan portfolio's performance. However, these variables may not capture all sources of risk within the portfolio. As a result, the Company reviews the results and makes qualitative adjustments to the models to manage limitations of the models as necessary. Such qualitative factors may include adjustments to better capture the imprecision associated with the economic forecasts, and the ability of the models to capture emerging risks within the portfolio that may not be represented in the data. These judgments are evaluated through the Company's review process and revised on a quarterly basis to account for changes in facts and circumstances.

When loans do not share risk characteristics with other financial assets they are evaluated individually. Management applies its normal loan review procedures in making these judgments. Individually evaluated loans consist of nonaccrual loans and loans that have been modified due to financial difficulty. In determining the ACL, the Company generally applies a discounted cash flow method for instruments that are individually assessed. For collateral dependent financial assets where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, the ACL is measured based on the difference between the fair value of the collateral (less selling costs if applicable) and the amortized cost basis of the asset as of the measurement date. Fair value is generally calculated based on the value of the underlying collateral less an appraisal discount. All loan losses are charged-off to the ACL when the loss actually occurs or when the collectability of principal is deemed to be unlikely. Recoveries are credited to the allowance at the time of recovery.

#### Credit Risk Management
The Company controls credit risk both through disciplined underwriting of each transaction, as well as active credit management processes and procedures to manage risk and minimize loss throughout the life of a transaction. The Company seeks to maintain a broadly diversified loan portfolio in terms of type of customer, type of loan product, geographic area and industries in which business customers are engaged. The Company has developed tailored underwriting criteria and credit management processes for each of the various loan product types it offers.

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#### Underwriting
In evaluating each potential loan relationship, the Company adheres to a disciplined underwriting evaluation process including, but not limited to the following:

● understanding the customer's financial condition and ability to repay the loan;

● verifying that the primary and secondary sources of repayment are adequate in relation to the amount and structure of the loan;

● observing appropriate LTV guidelines for collateral-dependent loans;

● identifying the customer's level of experience in their business;

● identifying macroeconomic and industry level trends;

● maintaining targeted levels of diversification for the loan portfolio, both as to type of borrower and geographic location of collateral; and

● ensuring that each loan is properly documented and liens on collateral are perfected.

#### Loan Approval Authority
The Company's lending activities follow written, non-discriminatory underwriting standards and loan origination procedures established by its Board of Directors and management. The Company's Commercial Lending Policy sets out several levels of lending authority delegated by the Board of Directors to the Credit Committee, a standing committee of the Bank's board of directors, as well as other personnel. Authority limits are based upon the individual loan size and the total exposure of the borrower and are conditioned on the loan conforming to the Company's Commercial Lending Policy and corresponding lending limits. All loans over $12.5 million are presented to the Credit Committee for approval prior to closing the transaction. The Credit Committee is comprised of five Board members, including the Chief Executive Officer, who are appointed as "permanent members" of the committee. In addition, one other Board member rotates on to the committee each month. Loans of $12.5 million or less are approved by management subject to individual officer approval limits further established in the Commercial Lending Policy. However, for all group relationships with total exposure in excess of 25% of risk-based capital, approval of the Credit Committee will be required for any size loan; provided that a loan will not require Credit Committee approval if the loan request is no greater than 10% of the relationship, to a maximum of $2.5 million (in which case the lending officers' approval will be required). The Commercial Lending Policy requires the disclosure of loan policy exceptions to the applicable approving authority as part of the request for approval. The Company's Commercial Lending Policy is reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors on at least an annual basis, or more frequently as needed.

Commencing January 1, 2026, the Credit Committee has been reclassified as a management-level committee consisting of several key employees of the Bank, including the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Credit Officer and Chief Lending Officer, among other Bank personnel. Certain members of the Board of Directors have been designated as "overseers" of the Credit Committee and will attend meetings to support with the transition to the new structure.

#### Loans to One Borrower
In accordance with loans-to-one-borrower regulations promulgated by the NYDFS, the Company is generally limited to lending no more than 15% of its capital stock, surplus fund and undivided profits to any one borrower or borrowing entity. Management understands the importance of concentration risk and continuously monitors the Company's loan portfolio to ensure that risk is balanced between such factors as loan type, industry, geography, collateral, structure, maturity and risk rating, among other things. The Company's Commercial Loan Policy establishes detailed concentration limits and sub-limits by loan type and geography, which are approved by the Board of Directors at least annually.

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#### Ongoing Credit Risk Management
In addition to the underwriting process described above, the Company performs ongoing risk monitoring and review processes for all credit exposures. While the Company grades and classifies its loans internally, it also engages an independent third-party firm to perform regular loan reviews and evaluate loan classifications. The Company (i) strives to identify potential problem loans early in an effort to aggressively seek resolution of these situations before the loans result in a loss, (ii) records any necessary charge-offs promptly and (iii) maintains adequate allowance levels to cover expected credit losses over the life of the loan portfolio. The reports of the independent third-party firm's loan reviews are presented to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, along with appropriate details regarding management's assessment of the results of the independent reports.

In general, whenever a particular loan or overall borrower relationship is classified as pass-watch, special mention or substandard based on one or more standard loan grading factors, the Company's credit officers engage in active evaluation of the loan to determine the appropriate resolution strategy. On at least a quarterly basis, management and the Board of Directors, or a designated committee thereof, review the status of the watch list and classified assets portfolio as well as noteworthy developments related to the larger credits in the portfolio.

#### Investments
The Company's investment objectives are primarily to provide and maintain liquidity, manage to an acceptable level of interest rate risk and safely invest excess funds when demand for loans is less than deposit growth. Subject to these primary objectives, the Company also seeks to generate a favorable return. The Board of Directors has assigned the overall responsibility for the management of the investment portfolio to the CFO or their designee. The Company's investment policy, which establishes the standards and processes by which the CFO manages the investment portfolio, is reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors at least annually. The CFO or their designee is responsible for the implementation of the Company's investment policy and monitoring its investment performance. The ALCO, which is a management-level committee that reports to the ERMC, reviews the status of the investment portfolio quarterly.

The Company has legal authority to invest in various types of investment securities and liquid assets, including, but not limited to, U.S. Treasury obligations, securities of various government-sponsored agencies, mortgage-backed and municipal government securities, deposits at the FHLBNY, certificates of deposit of federally insured institutions, investment grade corporate bonds and investment grade money market mutual funds. It is also required to maintain an investment in FHLBNY stock, which investment is based primarily on the level of its FHLBNY borrowings. Additionally, the Company is required to maintain an investment in FRBNY stock equal to six percent of its capital and surplus.

The majority of the Company's investments are classified as either AFS or HTM and can be used to collateralize FHLBNY borrowings, FRB borrowings, public funds deposits or other borrowings and U.S. trustee deposits. At December 31, 2025, the investment portfolio consisted primarily of government agency residential mortgage-backed securities and, to a lesser extent, U.S. Government Agency and treasury securities, government agency commercial mortgage-backed securities and municipal securities.

The Company estimates and recognizes an ACL for HTM debt securities pursuant to ASU No. 2016-13. The Company has a zero loss expectation for nearly all of its HTM securities portfolio, and has no ACL related to these securities at December 31, 2025. For the small portion of the HTM securities portfolio that does not have a zero loss expectation, the ACL is based on each security's amortized cost, excluding interest receivable, and represents the portion of the amortized cost that the Company does not expect to collect over the life of the security. The ACL is determined using average industry credit ratings and historical loss experience, and is initially recognized upon acquisition of the securities, and subsequently remeasured on a recurring basis.

Pursuant to ASU No. 2016-13, the Company evaluates AFS debt securities that have experienced a decline in fair value below amortized cost for credit impairment. In performing an assessment of whether any decline in fair value is due to credit loss, the Company considers the extent to which the fair value is less than the amortized cost, changes in credit ratings, any adverse economic conditions, as well as all relevant information at the individual security level, such as credit deterioration of the issuer, explicit or implicit guarantees by the federal government or the collateral underlying the

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security. If it is determined that the decline in fair value was due to credit, an ACL is recorded, limited to the amount the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. The non-credit related decrease in the fair value, such as a decline due to changes in market interest rates, is recorded in other comprehensive income, net of tax. If the Company intends to sell the AFS security, or it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost, the Company will write down the security's amortized cost basis to its fair value, write off any existing ACL, and recognize in net income any incremental impairment.

#### Sources of Funds

#### Deposits
Deposits have traditionally been the Company's primary source of funds for use in lending and investment activities. The Company generates deposits from: traditional commercial banking products offered to borrowing and non-borrowing clients; corporate cash management and retail banking services; tailored financial solutions for government entities, municipalities, and public institutions; specialized services to facilitate secure and efficient real estate transactions and tax-deferred exchanges for title and escrow and Section 1031 exchanges; and, EB-5 Program accounts, escrow accounts of foreign investor funds for USCIS approved job-creating projects. The Company believes that it has a very stable deposit base, supported by its customer diversification and relationship-driven approach. The Company's deposit strategy primarily focuses on developing borrowing and other service-oriented relationships with customers rather than competing with other institutions on interest rates. It has established deposit concentration thresholds to help minimize the probability of over-reliance on any single depositor base for funds.

#### Borrowings
The Company maintains diverse funding sources including, but not limited to, borrowing lines at the FHLB and the FRB discount window. The Company may, from time to time, utilize advances from the FHLB, among other alternatives, to supplement its funding sources. The FHLB provides credit products for its member financial institutions. As a member, the Company is required to own capital stock in the FHLB and is authorized to apply for advances collateralized by certain of its real estate-related mortgage loans and other assets, provided certain standards related to creditworthiness have been met. Advances are made under several different programs, each having its own interest rate and range of maturities. Limitations on the amount of advances that can be drawn are based either on a fixed percentage of an institution's total assets and/or on the FHLB's assessment of the institution's creditworthiness. The Company maintains a borrowing line supported by a borrower in custody collateral agreement with the FRB discount window. See Part I, Item 1A., *"*Risk Factors*—A lack of liquidity could adversely affect the Company's financial condition and results of operations."*

At December 31, 2025, the Company had no Federal funds purchased or FHLBNY advances outstanding.

#### Human Capital
We aim to foster a culture of trust, ethics, and accountability where every employee is committed to upholding these principles in their interactions with clients, customers, shareholders, other stakeholders and each other. As of December 31, 2025, the Company employed 326 full-time employees and 2 part-time employees, which is a net increase of 35 employees, or approximately 10.6% from the prior year. In particular, the incremental increase in employee headcount was driven by our strategic priorities and in alignment with branch network expansion, corporate, risk management and governance areas. None of our employees are represented by a collective bargaining agreement.

#### Board's Role in Human Capital Management and Oversight
The Board is focused on integrating talent, culture, and workforce metrics into the Company's long-term corporate strategy to better mitigate risk and create shareholder value. The Board oversees the development, attraction, and retention of talent to help ensure the human capital strategy of the Company supports its long-term business strategy, culture, and organizational capability. The Compensation Committee of the Board (the "Compensation Committee") reviews and approves compensation structures that are intended to align with the Company's risk appetite, performance goals and other pay-related initiatives. The Board is regularly apprised of developments related to the Company's organizational structure,

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succession planning and talent development and receives periodic updates from the Chief Human Resources Officer on human capital matters.

#### Attracting, Developing and Retaining Employees
The goal of our recruitment efforts is to hire highly qualified candidates by presenting candidates with a holistic value proposition, that emphasizes our growth, culture, and purpose. We aim to connect with our candidates on a deeper level, in order to determine whether the candidates are aligned with our values. To retain the talent needed to execute our strategy, we foster a performance-driven workplace that promotes employee engagement, satisfaction, and development. We invite employee feedback through a variety of channels for open communication and engagement, including surveys, focus groups, and discussions led by our leadership team. We also work to expand our employees' knowledge, skills and experiences through learning and development opportunities.

#### Compensation Programs
Our compensation philosophy is aligned with the values that shape the Company's pillars of excellence: high performance, risk management, accountability, and execution of the Company's strategy. The Company's compensation programs reflect our culture of accountability, encouraging financial safety and soundness while discouraging excessive risk-taking.

We primarily utilize the following components for compensating our employees:

1) Base Salary – Fixed pay established at levels to help ensure we are competitive with financial institutions of similar size and performance.

2) Annual Cash Incentives – Variable pay designed to reward the achievement of specified performance goals, with award opportunities generally expressed as a percentage of an established pool or a percentage of a predetermined target.

3) Long-term Incentives – Equity awards, including restricted stock units (RSUs), are granted to align employees with shareholder interests and promote long-term retention.

4) Benefits Programs – Health, wellness, retirement, life and disability insurance benefits are provided in a manner that is consistent with market practice and are designed to attract and retain top talent.

#### Culture, Purpose, and Values
Our commitment to our customers, community, and employees is well established and recognized by our Board of Directors, executive leadership, and our Employee Engagement Committee (the "EEC"). The EEC is instrumental in developing a community of belonging at the Company. We also encourage volunteerism in areas that unite our employees and positively impact our communities. By engaging in service to our communities, we not only strengthen our bonds but also reflect our shared values. We are proud to be named a Great Place to Work-Certified®️ in 2025.

#### Subsidiaries
Metropolitan Commercial Bank is the sole subsidiary of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. and there are no significant subsidiaries of Metropolitan Commercial Bank.

#### Federal, State and Local Taxation
The following is a general description of material tax matters and does not purport to be a comprehensive review of the tax rules applicable to the Company.

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For federal income tax purposes, the Company files a consolidated income tax return on a calendar year basis using the accrual method of accounting. The Company is subject to federal income taxation in the same manner as other corporations. For its 2025 taxable year, the Company is subject to a maximum federal income tax rate of 21%.

The Company is subject to California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, and Tennessee income taxes on a consolidated basis. The Bank is subject to Alabama, Florida, and Missouri income taxes on a separate company basis.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the "IRA") was signed into law on August 16, 2022. The IRA includes provisions that may apply to us, including extending the expanded Affordable Care Act health plan premium assistance program through 2025, imposing an excise tax on stock buybacks, increasing funding for IRS tax enforcement, expanding energy incentives, and imposing a corporate minimum tax. In addition, on July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the "OBBA") was signed into law, which includes a broad range of tax reform provisions that may apply to us, including extending and modifying certain key provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The OBBA also accelerates the phase-out of certain incentives from the IRA. See Part I, Item 1A., *"*Risk Factors*—Risks Relating Related to Laws and Regulations and Their Enforcement—Legislative and regulatory actions may increase the Company's costs and impact its business, governance structure, financial condition or results of operations."*

#### Regulation

#### General
The Bank is a commercial bank organized under the laws of the state of New York. It is a member of the Federal Reserve System and its deposits are insured under the DIF of the FDIC up to applicable legal limits. The lending, investment, deposit-taking, and other business authority of the Company is governed primarily by state and federal law and regulations and the Company is prohibited from engaging in any operations not authorized by such laws and regulations. The Company is subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by, and the enforcement authority of, the NYDFS and FRB, and to a lesser extent by the FDIC, as its deposit insurer. The Company is also subject to federal financial consumer protection and fair lending laws and regulations of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB"), though because it has less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, the FRB and NYDFS are responsible for examining and supervising the Company's compliance with these laws. The regulatory structure establishes a comprehensive framework which defines the activities in which a state member bank may engage and is primarily intended for the protection of depositors, customers and the DIF. The regulatory structure gives the regulatory agencies extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to the classification of assets and the establishment of adequate loan loss reserves for regulatory purposes.

The Company is a bank holding company, due to its control of the Bank, and is therefore subject to the requirements of the BHC Act, and regulation and supervision by the FRB. The Company files reports with and is subject to periodic examination by the FRB.

Regulation of banks and their holding companies on both the federal and state level is subject to continual revision, both through statutory changes and corresponding regulatory revisions as well as through evolving supervisory objectives of banking agency examiners and supervisory staff. It is not possible to predict the content or timing of changes to the laws and regulations that may impact the business of the Bank and the Company. Any changes to the regulatory framework applicable to the Company or the Bank, however, could have a material adverse impact on the condition or operations of each entity and the Company's stockholders.

On May 24, 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (the "Economic Growth Act") was enacted to modify or remove certain financial reform rules and regulations, including some of those implemented under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act ("Dodd-Frank Act"). While the Economic Growth Act maintains most of the regulatory structure established by the Dodd-Frank Act, it amends certain aspects of the regulatory framework for small depository institutions with assets of less than $10 billion.

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In addition, the Economic Growth Act includes regulatory relief for community banks regarding regulatory examination cycles, call reports, the Volcker Rule, mortgage disclosures and risk weights for certain high-risk CRE loans.

What follows is a summary of some of the laws and regulations applicable to the Bank and the Company; however, these laws and regulations are subject to change from time to time and may be revised or reinterpreted by government agencies in the future. The summary is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual laws and regulations.

#### Regulation of the Bank

#### Loans and Investments
State-chartered commercial banks have authority to originate and purchase any type of loan, including commercial, CRE, residential mortgages or consumer loans. Aggregate loans by a state-chartered commercial bank to any single borrower or group of related borrowers are generally limited to 15% of a bank's capital stock, surplus fund and undivided profits, plus an additional 10% if secured by specified readily marketable collateral.

Federal and state law and regulations limit a bank's investment authority. Generally, a state member bank is prohibited from investing in corporate equity securities for its own account other than the equity securities of companies through which the bank conducts its business. Under federal and state regulations, a New York state member bank may invest in investment securities for its own account up to specified limits depending upon the type of security. "Investment securities" are generally defined as marketable obligations that are investment grade and not predominantly speculative in nature. The NYDFS classifies investment securities into five different types and, depending on its type, a state-chartered commercial bank may have the authority to deal in and underwrite the security. The NYDFS has also permitted New York state member banks to purchase certain non-investment securities that can be reclassified and underwritten as loans.

#### Lending Standards and Guidance
The federal banking agencies adopted uniform regulations prescribing standards for extensions of credit that are secured by liens or interests in real estate or made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real estate. Under these regulations, all insured depository institutions, such as the Bank, must adopt and maintain written policies establishing appropriate limits and standards for extensions of credit that are secured by liens or interests in real estate or are made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real estate. These policies must establish loan portfolio diversification standards, prudent underwriting standards (including LTV limits) that are clear and measurable, loan administration procedures, and documentation, approval and reporting requirements. The real estate lending policies must reflect consideration of the federal bank regulators' Interagency Guidelines for Real Estate Lending Policies that have been adopted.

The FDIC, the OCC and the FRB have also jointly issued CRE Guidance. The CRE Guidance, which addresses land development, construction, and certain multi-family loans, as well as CRE loans, does not establish specific lending limits but rather reinforces and enhances these agencies' existing regulations and guidelines for such lending and portfolio management. Specifically, the CRE Guidance provides that a bank has a concentration in CRE lending if (1) total reported loans for construction, land development, and other land represent 100% or more of total risk-based capital; or (2) total reported loans secured by multi-family properties, non-farm non-residential properties (excluding those that are owner-occupied), and loans for construction, land development, and other land represent 300% or more of total risk-based capital and the bank's CRE loan portfolio has increased 50% or more during the prior 36 months. If a concentration is present, management must employ heightened risk management practices that address key elements, including board and management oversight and strategic planning, portfolio management, development of underwriting standards, risk assessment and monitoring through market analysis and stress testing, and maintenance of increased capital levels as needed to support the level of CRE lending.

#### Federal Deposit Insurance
Deposit accounts at the Bank are insured up to applicable legal limits by the FDIC's DIF, which is currently $250,000.

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The FDIC finalized a rule, effective April 1, 2011, that set the FDIC assessment range at 2.5 to 45 basis points of total assets less tangible equity. Effective July 1, 2016, the FDIC adopted changes that eliminated the risk categories and base assessments for most banks on financial measures and supervisory ratings derived from statistical modeling estimating the probability of failure over three years. In conjunction with the DIF reserve ratio achieving 1.5%, the assessment range (inclusive of possible adjustments) was also reduced for small institutions to a range of 1.5 to 30 basis points of total assets less tangible equity. The FDIC adopted a final rule in 2022, applicable to all insured depository institutions, to increase initial base deposit insurance assessment rate schedules uniformly by two basis points, beginning in the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. The FDIC also concurrently maintained the DIF reserve ratio at 2.0% for 2023. The increase in assessment rate schedules is intended to increase the likelihood that the reserve ratio reaches the statutory minimum of 1.35% by the statutory deadline of September 30, 2028.

The FDIC may adjust its assessment scale uniformly, except that no adjustment can deviate more than two basis points from the base scale without notice and comment. No insured depository institution may pay a dividend if in default of the federal deposit insurance assessment.

The FDIC may terminate deposit insurance upon a finding that an institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC. The Company does not know of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to termination of the Company's deposit insurance.

#### Capitalization
The FRB regulations require state member banks to meet several minimum capital standards: a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio, a Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio, a total capital to risk-based assets and a Tier 1 capital to total assets leverage ratio. The existing capital requirements were effective January 1, 2015 and are the result of a final rule implementing regulatory amendments based on recommendations of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and certain requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act.

The capital standards require the maintenance of a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio, Tier 1 capital ratio and total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 4.5%, 6% and 8%, respectively, and a leverage ratio of at least 4% Tier 1 capital. Common equity Tier 1 capital consists primarily of common stockholders' equity and related surplus, plus retained earnings, less any amounts of goodwill, other intangible assets, and other items required to be deducted. Tier 1 capital consists primarily of common equity Tier 1 and Additional Tier 1 capital. Additional Tier 1 capital generally includes certain noncumulative perpetual preferred stock and related surplus and minority interests in equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries. Total capital includes Tier 1 capital (common equity Tier 1 capital plus Additional Tier 1 capital) and Tier 2 capital. Tier 2 capital primarily includes capital instruments and related surplus meeting specified requirements and may include cumulative preferred stock and long-term perpetual preferred stock, mandatory convertible securities, intermediate preferred stock and subordinated debt. Also included in Tier 2 capital is the allowance for loan losses limited to a maximum of 1.25% of risk-weighted assets. Calculation of all types of regulatory capital is subject to deductions and adjustments specified in the regulations.

In determining the amount of risk-weighted assets for purposes of calculating risk-based capital ratios, a bank's assets, including certain off-balance sheet assets (e.g., recourse obligations, direct credit substitutes, residual interests), are multiplied by a risk weight factor assigned by the regulations based on perceived risks inherent in the type of asset. Higher levels of capital are required for asset categories believed to present greater risk. For example, a risk weight of 0% is assigned to cash and U.S. government securities, a risk weight of 50% is generally assigned to prudently underwritten first lien one-to four-family residential mortgages, a risk weight of 100% is assigned to commercial and consumer loans, a risk weight of 150% is assigned to certain past due loans or loans on non-accrual status and a risk weight of between 0% to 600% is assigned to permissible equity interests, depending on certain specified factors.

In addition to establishing the minimum regulatory capital requirements, the regulations limit capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments to management if the institution does not hold a "capital conservation buffer" consisting of 2.5% of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets above the amount necessary to meet its minimum risk-based capital requirements. The Company's minimum required capital conservation buffer was at 2.5% of

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risk-weighted assets at December 31, 2025. See Part II, Item 7., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations***―****Regulation"* for a summary of the Company's capital ratios.

#### Safety and Soundness Standards
Each federal banking agency, including the FRB, has adopted guidelines establishing general standards relating to, among other things, internal controls, information and internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, asset quality, earnings, compensation, fees and benefits and information security standards. In general, the guidelines set forth the safety and soundness standards that the federal banking agencies use to identify and address problems at insured depository institutions before capital becomes impaired, and require appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage the risks and exposures specified in the guidelines. The guidelines prohibit excessive compensation as an unsafe and unsound practice and describe compensation as excessive when the amounts paid are unreasonable or disproportionate to the services performed by an executive officer, employee, director, or principal stockholder. The FRB also has issued guidance on risks banks may face from third-party relationships (e.g., relationships under which the third-party provides services to, or on behalf of, the bank). The guidance generally requires the Company to perform adequate due diligence on the third-party, appropriately document the relationship, and perform adequate oversight and auditing, in order to limit the risks to the Company.

#### Prompt Corrective Regulatory Action
Federal law requires that federal bank regulatory authorities take "prompt corrective action" with respect to institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. For these purposes, the statute establishes five capital tiers: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized.

State member banks that have insufficient capital are subject to certain mandatory and discretionary supervisory measures. For example, a bank that is "undercapitalized" (i.e., fails to comply with any regulatory capital requirement) is subject to growth, capital distribution (including dividend) and other limitations, and is required to submit a capital restoration plan; a holding company that controls such a bank is required to guarantee that the bank complies with the restoration plan. If an undercapitalized institution fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is "significantly undercapitalized." A "significantly undercapitalized" bank is subject to additional restrictions. State member banks deemed by the FRB to be "critically undercapitalized" also may not make any payment of principal or interest on certain subordinated debt, extend credit for a highly leveraged transaction, or enter into any material transactions outside the ordinary course of business after 60 days of obtaining such status, and are subject to the appointment of a receiver or conservator within 270 days after obtaining such status.

Under the prompt corrective action requirements, insured depository institutions are required to meet the following in order to qualify as "well capitalized:" (1) a common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.5%; (2) a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8%; (3) a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% and (4) a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 5%. The Bank was well capitalized at December 31, 2025.

#### Dividends
Under federal and state law and applicable regulations, a state member bank may generally declare a dividend, without approval from the NYDFS or FRB, in an amount equal to its year-to-date net income plus the prior two years' net income that is still available for dividend. Dividends exceeding those amounts require application to and approval by the NYDFS and/or FRB. To pay a cash dividend, a state member bank must also maintain an adequate capital conservation buffer under the capital rules discussed above.

#### Incentive Compensation Guidance
The federal banking agencies have issued comprehensive guidance intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of banking organizations, including state member banks and bank holding companies, do not undermine the safety and soundness of those organizations by encouraging excessive risk-taking. The incentive compensation guidance sets expectations for banking organizations concerning their incentive compensation arrangements and related risk-

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management, control and governance processes. In addition, under the incentive compensation guidance, a banking organization's federal supervisor, which for the Bank and the Company is the FRB, may initiate enforcement action if the organization's incentive compensation arrangements pose a risk to the safety and soundness of the organization. Further, provisions of the Basel III regime described above limit discretionary bonus payments to bank and bank holding company executives if the institution's regulatory capital ratios fail to exceed certain thresholds. The scope and content of the banking regulators' policies on incentive compensation are likely to continue evolving.

#### Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders
Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act govern transactions between an insured depository institution and its affiliates, which includes the Company. The FRB has adopted Regulation W, which implements and interprets Sections 23A and 23B, in part by codifying prior FRB interpretations.

An affiliate of a bank is any company or entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the bank. A subsidiary of a bank that is not also a depository institution or a "financial subsidiary" under federal law is not treated as an affiliate of the bank for the purposes of Sections 23A and 23B; however, the FRB has the discretion to treat subsidiaries of a bank as affiliates on a case-by-case basis. Section 23A limits the extent to which a bank or its subsidiaries may engage in "covered transactions" with any one affiliate to an amount equal to 10% of the bank's capital stock and surplus. There is an aggregate limit of 20% of the bank's capital stock and surplus for such transactions with all affiliates. The term "covered transaction" includes, among other things, the making of a loan to an affiliate, a purchase of assets from an affiliate, the issuance of a guarantee on behalf of an affiliate and the acceptance of securities of an affiliate as collateral for a loan. All such transactions are required to be on terms and conditions that are consistent with safe and sound banking practices and no transaction may involve the acquisition of any "low quality asset" from an affiliate unless certain conditions are satisfied. Certain covered transactions, such as loans to or guarantees on behalf of an affiliate, must be secured by collateral in amounts ranging from 100 to 130 percent of the loan amount, depending upon the type of collateral. In addition, Section 23B requires that any covered transaction (and specified other transactions) between a bank and an affiliate must be on terms and conditions that are substantially the same, or at least as favorable, to the bank, as those that would be provided to a non-affiliate.

A bank's loans to its executive officers, directors, any owner of more than 10% of its stock (each, an "insider") and certain entities affiliated with any such person (an insider's "related interest") are subject to the conditions and limitations imposed by Section 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act and the FRB's Regulation O. The aggregate amount of a bank's loans to any insider and the insider's related interests may not exceed the loans-to-one-borrower limit applicable to state member banks. Aggregate loans by a bank to its insiders and insiders' related interests may not exceed 15% of the bank's unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus plus an additional 10% of unimpaired capital and surplus in the case of loans that are fully secured by readily marketable collateral, or when the aggregate amount on all of the extensions of credit outstanding to all of these persons would exceed the bank's unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus. With certain exceptions, such as education loans and certain residential mortgages, a bank's loans to its executive officers may not exceed the greater of $25,000 or 2.5% of the bank's unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus, but in no event more than $100,000. Regulation O also requires that any loan to an insider or a related interest of an insider be approved in advance by a majority of the board of directors of the bank, with any interested director not participating in the voting, if the loan, when aggregated with any existing loans to that insider or the insider's related interests, would exceed the higher of $25,000 or 5% of the bank's unimpaired capital and surplus. Generally, such loans must be made on substantially the same terms as, and follow credit underwriting procedures that are no less stringent than, those that are prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other persons and must not involve more than a normal risk of repayment. An exception is made for extensions of credit made pursuant to a benefit or compensation plan of a bank that is widely available to employees of the bank and that does not give any preference to insiders of the bank over other employees of the bank.

#### Enforcement
The NYDFS and the FRB have extensive enforcement authority over state member banks to correct unsafe or unsound practices and violations of law or regulation. Such authority includes the issuance of cease and desist orders, assessment of civil money penalties and removal of officers and directors. The FRB may also appoint a conservator or receiver for a state member bank under specified circumstances, such as where (i) the bank's assets are less than its obligations to

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creditors, (ii) the bank is likely to be unable to pay its obligations or meet depositors' demands in the normal course of business, or (iii) a substantial dissipation of bank assets or earnings has occurred due to a violation of law or regulation or unsafe or unsound practices. Separately, the Superintendent of the NYDFS also has the authority to appoint a receiver or liquidator of any state-chartered bank under specified circumstances, including where (i) the bank is conducting its business in an unauthorized or unsafe manner, (ii) the bank has suspended payment of its obligations, or (iii) the bank cannot with safety and expediency continue to do business.

#### Examinations and Assessments
The Company is required to file periodic reports with and is subject to periodic examination by the NYDFS and FRB. Federal and state regulations generally require periodic on-site examinations for all depository institutions. The Company is required to pay an annual assessment to the NYDFS and FRB to fund the agencies' operations.

#### Community Reinvestment Act and Fair Lending Laws
*Federal Regulation*

Under the CRA, the Company has a continuing and affirmative obligation consistent with its safe and sound operation to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for financial institutions nor does it limit an institution's discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its particular community. The CRA requires the FRB to assess the Company's record of meeting the credit needs of its community and to take that record into account in its evaluation of certain applications by the Company. For example, the regulations specify that a bank's CRA performance will be considered in its expansion (e.g., branching or merger) proposals and may be the basis for approving, denying or conditioning the approval of an application. The latest FRB CRA rating received by the Company was "Satisfactory" for the examination conducted in 2022.

*New York State Regulation*

The Company is also subject to provisions of the New York State Banking Law that impose continuing and affirmative obligations upon a banking institution organized in New York State to serve the credit needs of its local community. Such obligations are substantially similar to those imposed by the CRA. The latest NYDFS CRA rating received by the Company was "Satisfactory" for the examination conducted in 2022.

#### USA PATRIOT Act and Money Laundering
The Company is subject to the BSA, which incorporates several laws, including the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, or the USA PATRIOT Act and related regulations. The USA PATRIOT Act gives the federal government powers to address money laundering and terrorist threats through enhanced domestic security measures, expanded surveillance powers, increased information sharing, and broadened anti-money laundering requirements. By way of amendments to the BSA, Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act implemented measures intended to encourage information sharing among bank regulatory agencies and law enforcement bodies. Further, certain provisions of Title III impose affirmative obligations on a broad range of financial institutions, including banks, thrifts, brokers, dealers, credit unions, money transfer agents and parties registered under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Among other things, Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act and the related regulations require:

● Establishment of anti-money laundering compliance programs that include policies, procedures, and internal controls; the designation of a BSA officer; a training program; and independent testing;

● Filing of certain reports to Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and law enforcement that are designated to assist in the detection and prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing activities;

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● Establishment of a program specifying procedures for obtaining and maintaining certain records from customers seeking to open new accounts, including verifying the identity of customers;

● In certain circumstances, compliance with enhanced due diligence policies, procedures and controls designed to detect and report money-laundering, terrorist financing and other suspicious activity;

● Monitoring account activity for suspicious transactions; and

● A heightened level of review for certain high-risk customers or accounts.

The USA PATRIOT Act also includes prohibitions on correspondent accounts for foreign shell banks and requires compliance with record keeping obligations with respect to correspondent accounts of foreign banks.

The federal banking agencies have increased the regulatory scrutiny of the BSA and anti-money laundering programs maintained by financial institutions. Significant penalties and fines, as well as other supervisory orders may be imposed on a financial institution for non-compliance with these requirements. In addition, for financial institutions seeking approval for a merger transaction, federal banking agencies must consider the effectiveness of the financial institution's efforts to combat money laundering activities.

The Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the Company's financial crimes compliance program, and the Company has adopted policies and procedures designed to reasonably comply with these requirements.

#### Privacy Laws
The Company is subject to a variety of federal and state privacy laws, which govern the collection, safeguarding, sharing and use of customer information, and require that financial institutions have in place policies regarding information privacy and security. For example, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires all financial institutions offering financial products or services to retail consumer customers to provide such customers with the financial institution's privacy policy and practices for sharing nonpublic information with third parties, provide advance notice of any changes to the policies and provide such customers the opportunity to "opt out" of the sharing of certain personal financial information with unaffiliated third parties. It also requires banks to safeguard personal information of consumer customers. Some state laws also protect the privacy of information of state residents and require adequate security for such data, and certain state laws may, in some circumstances, require the Company to notify affected individuals of security breaches of computer databases that contain their personal information. These laws may also require the Company to notify law enforcement, regulators or consumer reporting agencies in the event of a data breach, as well as businesses and governmental agencies that own data.

#### Third-Party Debit Card Products and Merchant Services
The Company is also subject to the rules of Visa, Mastercard and other payment networks in which it participates. If the Company fails to comply with such rules, the networks could impose fines or require it to stop providing merchant services for cards under such network's brand or routed through such network.

#### Consumer Finance Regulations
The CFPB has broad rulemaking authority for a wide range of consumer protection laws that apply to all banks and savings institutions, including the authority to prohibit "unfair, deceptive or abusive" acts and practices. In this regard, the CFPB has several rules that implement various provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act that were specifically identified as being enforced by the CFPB. While the Company is not subject to CFPB supervision, because it has less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, the FRB and the NYDFS are responsible for examining and enforcing the Company's compliance

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with these consumer financial laws and regulations. In addition, the Company is subject to certain state laws and regulations designed to protect consumers.

#### Other Regulations
The Company's operations are also subject to federal laws applicable to credit transactions, such as:

● The Truth-In-Lending Act and Regulation Z promulgated thereunder, governing disclosures of credit terms to consumer borrowers;

● The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and Regulation X promulgated thereunder, requiring that borrowers for mortgage loans for one-to four-family residential real estate receive various disclosures, including good faith estimates of settlement costs, lender servicing and escrow account practices, and prohibiting certain practices that increase the cost of settlement services;

● The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and Regulation C promulgated thereunder, requiring financial institutions to provide information to enable the public and public officials to determine whether a financial institution is fulfilling its obligation to help meet the housing needs of the community it serves;

● The Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B promulgated thereunder, and other fair lending laws, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex and other prohibited factors in extending credit;

● The Fair Credit Reporting Act, governing the use of credit reports on consumers and the provision of information to credit reporting agencies;

● Unfair or Deceptive or Abusive Acts or Practices laws and regulations;

● The Fair Debt Collection Act, governing the manner in which consumer debts may be collected by collection agencies;

● The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act; and

● The rules and regulations of the various federal agencies charged with responsibility for implementing such federal laws.

The operations of the Company are further subject to:

● The Truth in Savings Act and Regulation DD promulgated thereunder, which specifies disclosure requirements with respect to deposit accounts;

● The Right to Financial Privacy Act, which imposes a duty to maintain the confidentiality of consumer financial records and prescribes procedures for complying with administrative subpoenas of financial records;

● The Electronic Funds Transfer Act and Regulation E promulgated thereunder, which govern automatic deposits to and withdrawals from deposit accounts and customers' rights and liabilities arising from the use of automated teller machines and other electronic banking services;

● The Check Clearing for the 21 <sup>st</sup> Century Act (also known as "Check 21"), which gives "substitute checks," such as digital check images and copies made from that image, the same legal standing as the original paper check;

● State unclaimed property or escheatment laws; and

● Cybersecurity regulations, including but not limited to those implemented by NYDFS.

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#### Holding Company Regulation
The Company, as a bank holding company controlling the Bank, is subject to regulation and supervision by the FRB under the BHC Act. The Company is periodically examined by and required to submit reports to the FRB and must comply with the FRB's rules and regulations. Among other things, the FRB has authority to restrict activities by a bank holding company that are deemed to pose a serious risk to the subsidiary bank.

The FRB has historically imposed consolidated capital adequacy guidelines for bank holding companies structured similar, but not identical, to those of state member banks. The Dodd-Frank Act directed the FRB to issue consolidated capital requirements for depository institution holding companies that are no less stringent, both quantitatively and in terms of components of capital, than those applicable to institutions themselves. Consolidated regulatory capital requirements identical to those applicable to the subsidiary banks apply to bank holding companies. The Company is subject to the consolidated holding company capital requirements.

The policy of the FRB is that a bank holding company must serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary banks by providing capital and other support in times of distress. The Dodd-Frank Act codified the source of strength policy.

Under the prompt corrective action provisions of federal law, a bank holding company parent of an undercapitalized subsidiary bank is required to guarantee, within specified limits, the capital restoration plan that is required of an undercapitalized bank. If an undercapitalized bank fails to file an acceptable capital restoration plan or fails to implement an acceptable plan, the FRB may prohibit the bank holding company parent of the undercapitalized bank from paying dividends or making any other capital distribution.

As a bank holding company, the Company is required to obtain the prior approval of the FRB to acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of a class of voting securities of any additional bank or bank holding company, to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any additional bank or bank holding company or merging or consolidating with any other bank holding company. In evaluating acquisition applications, the FRB evaluates factors such as the financial condition, management resources and future prospects of the parties, the convenience and needs of the communities involved, and the effect on competition in the relevant market(s). In addition, bank holding companies may generally only engage in activities that are closely related to banking as determined by the FRB. Bank holding companies that meet certain criteria may opt to become a financial holding company and thereby engage in a broader array of financial activities.

FRB policy is that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the company's net income for the past two years is sufficient to fund the dividends and the prospective rate of earnings retention is consistent with the company's capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. In addition, FRB guidance sets forth the supervisory expectation that bank holding companies will inform and consult with FRB staff in advance of issuing a dividend that exceeds earnings for the quarter and should inform the FRB and should eliminate, defer or significantly reduce dividends if (i) net income available to stockholders for the past four quarters, net of dividends previously paid during that period, is not sufficient to fully fund the dividends, (ii) prospective rate of earnings retention is not consistent with the bank holding company's capital needs and overall current and prospective financial condition, or (iii) the bank holding company will not meet, or is in danger of not meeting, its minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios.

A bank holding company that is not well-capitalized or well-managed, or that is subject to any unresolved supervisory issues, is required to give the FRB prior written notice of any repurchase or redemption of its outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for repurchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such repurchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, will be equal to 10% or more of the company's consolidated net worth. The FRB may disapprove such a repurchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe and unsound practice or violate a law or regulation. However, FRB guidance generally provides for bank holding company consultation with FRB staff prior to engaging in a repurchase or redemption of a bank holding company's stock, even if a formal written notice is not required.

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The above FRB requirements may restrict a bank holding company's ability to pay dividends to stockholders or engage in repurchases or redemptions of its shares.

#### Acquisition of Control of the Company
Under the Change in Bank Control Act, no person may acquire control of a bank holding company such as the Company unless the FRB has prior written notice and has not issued a notice disapproving the proposed acquisition. In evaluating such notices, the FRB takes into consideration such factors as the financial resources, competence, experience and integrity of the acquirer, the future prospects the bank holding company involved and its subsidiary bank and the competitive effects of the acquisition. Control, as defined under federal law, means ownership, control of or holding irrevocable proxies representing 25% or more of any class of voting stock, control in any manner of the election of a majority of the company's directors, or a determination by the regulator that the acquirer has the power to direct, or directly or indirectly to exercise a controlling influence over, the management or policies of the institution. Acquisition of 10% or more of any class of a bank holding company's voting stock constitutes a rebuttable presumption of control under the regulations under certain circumstances including where, as is the case with the Company, the issuer has registered securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.

#### Federal Securities Laws
The Company is a reporting company subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions and other requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.

#### Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is intended to improve corporate responsibility, to provide for enhanced penalties for accounting and auditing improprieties at publicly traded companies and to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures pursuant to the securities laws. The Company has policies, procedures and systems designed to comply with these regulations, and it reviews and documents such policies, procedures and systems to monitor its compliance with these regulations.

#### Item 1A. Risk Factors
The Company's operations and financial results are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described below, which could adversely affect its business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and the trading price of its common stock.

#### Risks Related to Lending Activities
***A substantial portion of the Company's loan portfolio consists of CRE, including multi-family real estate loans, and commercial loans, which have a higher degree of risk than other types of loans.***

At December 31, 2025, $6.7 billion, or 98.6% of total loans, consisted of CRE and C&I loans. These portfolios have grown in recent years and the Company intends to continue to emphasize CRE and C&I lending. The Company lends against a variety of asset classes, including skilled nursing facilities, healthcare, multi-family, office, hospitality, mixed use, retail, and warehouse. CRE, including multi-family real estate, and commercial loans are often larger and involve greater risks than other types of loans since payments on such loans are often dependent on the successful operation or development of the property or business involved. A downturn in the real estate market and/or a challenging business and economic environment, particularly in the markets in which the Company operates, may increase the Company's risk related to CRE, including multi-family real estate, and commercial loans. If the cash flows from business operations of our customers is reduced, the borrower may be unable to repay the loan according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Further, due to the larger average size of such loans and that they are secured by collateral that is generally less readily-marketable as compared with other loan types, losses incurred on a small number of such loans could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial condition and results of operations. If we foreclose on these loans, our holding period for the

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collateral typically is longer than for a single or multi-family residential property because there may be fewer potential purchasers of the collateral.

In addition, CRE loan concentration is an area that has experienced heightened regulatory focus. Under CRE guidance issued by banking regulators, banks with holdings of CRE, land development, construction, and certain multi-family loans in excess of certain thresholds must employ heightened risk management practices, including board and management oversight and strategic planning, development of underwriting standards, risk assessment and monitoring through market analysis and stress testing. These loans are also subject to written policies that establish certain limits and standards. Such compliance requirements imposed on the Company's CRE, multi-family or construction lending and the potential limits to the generation of these types of loans could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations. While it is management's belief that policies and procedures with respect to the CRE portfolio have been implemented consistent with this guidance, bank regulators could require that additional policies and procedures be implemented that may result in additional costs or that may result in the curtailment of CRE lending that would adversely affect the Bank's loan originations, practices, strategy, and profitability.

#### Because the Company intends to continue to increase its commercial loans, its credit risk may increase.
The Company intends to increase its portfolio of commercial loans, including working capital lines of credit, equipment financing, healthcare and medical receivables, documentary letters of credit and standby letters of credit. These loans generally have more risk than one- to four-family residential mortgage loans and CRE loans. Since repayment of commercial loans depends on the successful management and operation of borrowers' businesses, repayment of such loans can be affected by adverse conditions in the local and national economy. In addition, commercial loans generally have a larger average size as compared with other loans, and the collateral for commercial loans is generally less readily-marketable. If we foreclose on these loans, our holding period for the collateral typically is longer than for a single or multi-family residential property because there may be fewer potential purchasers of the collateral. The Company's plans to increase its portfolio of these loans could result in increased credit risk in the portfolio. An adverse development with respect to one loan or one credit relationship can expose the Company to significantly greater risk of loss compared to an adverse development with respect to a one-to four-family residential mortgage loan or a CRE loan.

#### If the allowance for credit losses is not sufficient to cover actual loan losses, earnings could decrease.
Loan customers may not repay their loans according to the terms of their loans, and the collateral securing the payment of their loans may be insufficient to assure repayment. The Company may experience significant credit losses, which could have a material adverse effect on its operating results. Various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of the loan portfolio are made, including the creditworthiness of borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many loans. In determining the amount of the allowance for credit losses, management reviews the quality of its loan portfolio and its loss and delinquency experience and evaluates industry trends and economic conditions.

The determination of the appropriate level of allowance is subject to judgment and requires the Company to make significant estimates of current credit risks and future trends, all of which are subject to material changes. In estimating the allowance, the Company relies on models and economic forecasts developed by external parties as the primary driver of the allowance. These models and forecasts are based on nationwide data sets. Economic forecasts can change significantly over an economic cycle and have a significant level of uncertainty associated with them. The performance of the models is dependent on the variables used in the models being reasonable predictors for the loan portfolio's performance, however, these variables may not capture all sources of risk within the loan portfolio.

If assumptions prove to be incorrect, the ACL may not cover losses in the loan portfolio at the date of the financial statements. Significant additions to the allowance would materially decrease net income. In addition, federal and state regulators periodically review the ACL, the policies and procedures the Company uses to determine the level of the allowance and the value attributed to non-performing loans or to real estate acquired through foreclosure. Such regulatory agencies may require an increase in the ACL or the Company to recognize loan charge-offs. Any significant increase in the ACL or loan charge-offs as required by these regulatory agencies could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition.

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#### The performance of the Company's multi-family and mixed-use loans could be adversely impacted by regulation.
Multi-family and mixed-use loans generally involve a greater risk than one-to-four family residential loans because of legislation and government regulations involving rent control and rent stabilization, which are outside the control of the borrower or the Company, and could impair the value of the security for the loan or the future cash flows of such properties. As a result of these restrictions, it is possible that rental income on certain rent-regulated properties might not rise sufficiently over time to satisfy increases in interest payments due to increases in underlying rate reset indices or increases in overhead expenses (e.g., utilities, taxes, etc.). Borrowers may be further impacted in the event a halt in rent increases for all rent-stabilized apartments in New York City is implemented, as this would prevent them from being able to raise the rental rates on their affected rent-regulated properties at all. In addition, such a halt could have an adverse affect on the city's real estate market overall, thereby further impairing the value of the security for the loan. At December 31, 2025, the Company had $172.6 million of New York City rent-regulated stabilized multi-family loans, which had a weighted-average debt service coverage ratio of 2.7x and a weighted-average LTV of 44.7% based on the most recent appraisal.

***The Company could be subject to environmental risks and associated costs on its foreclosed real estate assets, which could materially and adversely affect its financial condition and results of operation.***

A material portion of the Company's loan portfolio is comprised of loans collateralized by real estate. There is a risk that hazardous or toxic waste could be discovered on the properties that secure these loans. If the Company acquires such properties as a result of foreclosure, it could be held responsible for the cost of cleaning up or removing this waste, and this cost could exceed the value of the underlying properties and materially and adversely affect the Company's financial condition and results of operation.

#### Risks Related to Economic Conditions
***Inflation can have an adverse impact on our business and on our customers.***

Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as rising inflation decreases the value of money. As discussed below under "—Risks Related to Market Interest Rates—Interest rate shifts may reduce net interest income and otherwise negatively impact the Company's financial condition and results of operation," inflationary conditions and rising market interest rates could lead to declines in the value of our investment securities, particularly those with longer maturities, although this effect can be less pronounced for floating rate instruments. In addition, inflation generally increases the cost of goods and services we use in our business operations, such as electricity and other utilities, which could increase our non-interest expenses. Furthermore, our customers are also affected by inflation and the rising costs of goods and services used in their households and businesses, which could have a negative impact on their ability to repay their loans with us. If the Federal Reserve Board were to use monetary policy levers to raise interest rates to counteract inflationary price pressures, higher rates could also push down asset prices and weaken economic activity. A deterioration in economic conditions in the United States and our markets could result in an increase in loan delinquencies and non-performing assets, decreases in loan collateral values and a decrease in demand for our products and services, all of which, in turn, would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

#### A downturn in economic conditions could cause deterioration in credit quality, which could depress net income and growth.
The Company's principal economic risk is the creditworthiness of its borrowers, which is affected by the strength of the relevant business market segment, local market conditions, and general economic conditions. The Company's loan portfolio includes many real estate secured loans, demand for which may decrease during an economic downturn as a result of, among other things, an increase in unemployment, a decrease in real estate values or a slowdown in housing. If negative economic conditions develop in the New York market or the United States, the Company could experience higher delinquencies and loan charge-offs, which would adversely affect its net income and financial condition. Furthermore, to the extent that real estate collateral is obtained through foreclosure, the costs of holding and marketing real estate collateral, as well as the ultimate values obtained from disposition, could reduce earnings and adversely affect the Company's financial condition.

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#### The Company's business and operations may be adversely affected by weak economic conditions.
The Company's business and operations, which primarily consist of lending money to customers, borrowing money from customers in the form of deposits and investing in securities, are sensitive to general business and economic conditions in the United States. If the U.S. economy weakens, growth and profitability from the Company's lending, deposit and investment operations could be constrained. Uncertainty about the fiscal and regulatory policymaking process on the federal, state, and local level in municipalities where we operate, the medium- and long-term fiscal outlook of the federal government, and future tax rates is a concern for businesses, consumers and investors.

The Company's business is also significantly affected by fiscal, monetary, regulatory and related policies of the U.S. federal government and its agencies and the impact of future policy changes made on the federal, state or municipal level is uncertain and such changes may be implemented with little or no prior notice. Changes in any of these policies are influenced by macroeconomic conditions and other factors that are beyond the Company's control. Adverse economic conditions as a result of these changes may result in labor shortages, a decline in real estate values in the markets we operate in, a significant increase in inflation rates (including in connection with rising interests rates through government action to fight inflationary trends), or a reduction in consumer confidence in the economy, all of which, along with government policy responses to such matters, could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects of the Company.

***A substantial majority of the Company's loans and operations are in New York, and therefore its business is particularly vulnerable to a downturn in the New York City economy.***

The Company is a community banking institution that provides banking services to the local communities in the market areas in which it operates, and therefore, its ability to diversify its economic risks is limited by its local markets and economies. A large portion of the Company's business is concentrated in New York, and in New York City in particular. A significant decline in local economic conditions, caused by changes in inflation, regulatory or policy changes, including those made by local governments of municipalities we operate in, recession, relocations of businesses, acts of terrorism, an outbreak of hostilities or other international or domestic calamities, unemployment, a decline in real estate values or other factors beyond the Company's control, would likely cause an increase in the rates of delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, bankruptcies and losses in its loan portfolio. For example, the implementation of a halt in rent increases for all rent-stabilized apartments in New York City could have an adverse affect on the city's real estate market and, in turn, the overall local economy. As a result of any of the foregoing, a downturn in the local economy, generally and the real estate market specifically, could significantly reduce the Company's profitability and growth and adversely affect its financial condition.

#### Risks Related to Market Interest Rates
***Changes in monetary policy may adversely affect our net interest income and profitability.***

In 2022 and 2023, the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates in response to concerns over inflation risk. Although the Federal Reserve Board began lowering interest rates in 2024, interest rates remain elevated and there continues to be uncertainty in the evolution of market and economic conditions, including the possibility of additional measures that could be taken by the Federal Reserve Board, related to concerns over inflation risk. As discussed below, if market interest rates rise in response to changes in the Federal Reserve Board's monetary policy, such an increase could have an adverse effect on our net interest income and profitability. In addition, new appointments to the Federal Reserve Board and changes to its leadership could affect monetary policy and interest rates, which could in turn affect our net interest income and profitability.

#### Interest rate shifts may reduce net interest income and otherwise negatively impact the Company's financial condition and results of operations.
The majority of the Company's banking assets are monetary in nature and subject to risk from changes in interest rates. The Company's earnings depend, to a great extent, upon the level of its net interest income (the difference between the interest income earned on loans, investments, other interest earning assets, and the interest paid on interest bearing

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liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings). Changes in interest rates can increase or decrease net interest income, because different types of assets and liabilities may react differently, and at different times, to market interest rate changes.

When interest bearing liabilities mature or reprice more quickly, or to a greater degree, than interest earning assets in a period, an increase in interest rates could reduce net interest income. Similarly, when interest earning assets mature or reprice more quickly, or to a greater degree, than interest bearing liabilities, falling interest rates could reduce net interest income. Additionally, an increase in interest rates may, among other things, reduce the demand for loans and the Company's ability to originate loans and decrease loan repayment rates. A decrease in the general level of interest rates may affect the Company through, among other things, increased prepayments on its loan portfolio and increased competition for deposits. Accordingly, changes in the level and direction of market interest rates affect the Company's net yield on interest earning assets, loan origination volume and overall results.

If market interest rates rise rapidly, interest rate caps may limit increases in the interest rates on certain adjustable-rate loans, thus limiting the upside to our net interest income. Also, certain adjustable-rate loans may re-price based on lagging interest rate indices. This lagging effect may also negatively impact our net interest income if general interest rates were to rise.

The Company's securities portfolio may be impacted by fluctuations in market value, potentially reducing accumulated other comprehensive income and/or earnings. During the year ended December 31, 2025, we reported an other comprehensive gain of $24.1 million related to changes in net unrealized losses in the AFS securities portfolio. Fluctuations in market value may be caused by changes in market interest rates or imbalances in supply and demand.

***Changes in the estimated fair value of securities may reduce stockholders' equity and net income.***

At December 31, 2025, we had AFS securities with an amortized cost of $632.5 million and a fair value of $578.9 million. The estimated fair value of the AFS securities portfolio may change depending on the credit quality of the underlying issuer, market liquidity, changes in interest rates and other factors. Stockholders' equity is increased or decreased by the amount of the change in the unrealized gain or loss (difference between the estimated fair value and the amortized cost) of the AFS securities portfolio, net of the related tax expense or benefit, under the category of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). At December 31, 2025, we reported an accumulated other comprehensive loss of $39.7 million, net of tax, related to net changes in unrealized losses in the AFS securities portfolio, which negatively impacted stockholders' equity, as well as book value per common share.

#### Risks Related to the Company's Operations
***A failure in the Company's operational and/or information systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including cyber-attacks, could impair the Company's liquidity, disrupt its businesses, result in the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, damage its reputation, and cause financial losses.***

The Company relies upon operational and information systems, some of which are managed by third parties, to process, transmit and store electronic information and to manage or support a variety of our business processes, activities and products. Additionally, we collect and store sensitive data, including the personally identifiable information of our customers and employees, in data centers and on information systems (including systems that may be controlled or maintained by third parties). The Company's business is dependent on its ability to process and monitor, on a daily basis, a large number of transactions, many of which are highly complex, across numerous and diverse markets. These transactions, as well as the information technology services provided to clients, often must adhere to client-specific guidelines, as well as legal and regulatory standards. Due to the breadth and geographical reach of the Company's client base, developing and maintaining its operational and information systems and infrastructure is challenging, particularly as a result of rapidly evolving legal and regulatory requirements and technological shifts.

Although the Company continues to take protective measures to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and security of our operational and information systems and infrastructure, the techniques used in cyberattacks are becoming increasingly diverse and sophisticated. For example, the Company's operational and information systems or infrastructure, or those of our third-party providers, may be vulnerable to unauthorized access, loss or destruction of data (including confidential

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client information), account takeovers, disruptions of service, computer viruses or other malicious code, cyberattacks and other incidents that could create a cybersecurity event, any of which could remain undetected for an extended period of time. Furthermore, the Company may not be able to ensure that all of its clients, suppliers, counterparties and other third parties have appropriate controls in place to protect themselves from cyberattacks or to protect the confidentiality of the information that they exchange with us, particularly where such information is transmitted by electronic means. Although the Company engages third-party services on an ongoing basis to conduct independent audits of its information security and information technology risk management systems, these service providers may fail to identify cybersecurity strategies and processes the Company could implement in order to potentially be more consistent with industry best practices. Given the increasingly high volume of transactions, certain errors may be repeated or compounded before they can be discovered and rectified. In addition, the increasing reliance on information systems, and the occurrence and potential adverse impact of attacks on such systems, both generally and in the financial services industry, have encouraged increased government and regulatory scrutiny of the measures taken by companies to protect against cybersecurity threats and incidents. As these threats, incidents and government and regulatory oversight of associated risks continue to evolve, the Company may be required to expend additional resources to enhance or expand upon the security measures it currently maintains. Although the Company has developed, and continues to invest in, systems and processes that are reasonably designed to detect and prevent security breaches and cyberattacks, a breach of its systems could result in: losses to the Company and its customers; loss of business and/or customers; damage to its reputation; the incurrence of additional expenses (including the cost of notification to consumers, credit monitoring and forensics, and fees and fines imposed by the card networks); disruption to its business; an inability to grow its online services or other businesses; additional regulatory scrutiny or penalties; and/or exposure to civil litigation and possible financial liability — any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. We have not encountered cybersecurity threats or incidents that have materially and adversely affected, or are reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company's business, results of operations or financial condition; however, the impacts of such threats or incidents in the future may be material.

While the Company maintains cybersecurity insurance, the costs related to cybersecurity threats or disruptions may not be fully insured. For information on our cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance, see Part I, Item 1C., "Cybersecurity."

#### The Company faces risks related to its operational, technological and organizational infrastructure.
The Company's ability to grow and compete is dependent on its ability to build or acquire and manage the necessary operational and technological infrastructure and to manage the cost of that infrastructure as it expands. Similar to other large corporations, operational risk can manifest itself in many ways, such as errors related to failed or inadequate processes, faulty or disabled computer systems, fraud by employees or outside persons and exposure to external events. In addition, the Company is heavily dependent on the strength and capability of its technology systems, which are used both to interface with customers and manage internal financial and other systems. The Company's ability to develop and deliver new products and services that meet the needs of its existing customers and attract new ones depends on the functionality of its technology systems.

The financial services industry is undergoing rapid technological changes with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The Company's future success will depend in part upon its ability to address the needs of its clients by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy client demands for convenience as well as provide secure electronic environments and create additional efficiencies as it continues to grow and expand its market area. The Company continuously monitors its operational and technological capabilities and makes modifications and improvements as it deems appropriate. Many of the Company's larger competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in operational and technological infrastructure. As a result, competitors may be able to offer more technologically-advanced products and services than the Company, which would put it at a competitive disadvantage.

The Company also outsources some of its operational and technological infrastructure to third parties. If these third-party service providers experience difficulties, fail to comply with banking regulations or terminate their services and if the Company is unable to replace them with other service providers, its operations could be interrupted. If an interruption were to continue for a significant period of time, its business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely

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affected, perhaps materially. Even if the Company were able to replace the third-party providers, it may be at a higher cost, which could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.

***We may undertake initiatives meant to expand our digital capabilities or elect to improve and update our information technology systems. The failure to achieve the goals of any such improvements, updates or initiatives, the inability to maintain anticipated expenses, or delays in executing our plans may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operation.***

Due to the Company's dependence on information technology systems and the important role they play in our business operations, we must constantly improve and update our information technology infrastructure, which can require significant resources. In addition, the Company may decide to undertake initiatives that are intended to improve, among other things, the scalability of our information systems, increase the Company's data mining abilities, improve payment processing capabilities and enhance our customers' experience, including through the integration of general artificial intelligence ("AI") in our platforms and infrastructure. We may not succeed in executing any of these improvements, updates or initiatives, may fail to properly estimate the costs of such improvements, updates or initiatives, or may experience delays in executing our plans, any of which may in turn cause the Company to incur costs that exceed our expectations or disrupt our operations, including our technological services to our customers, or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. To the extent that these disruptions persist over time and/or recur, this could negatively impact our competitive position, require additional expenditures, or harm our relationships with our customers and thus may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

The Company has made, and anticipates continuing to make, significant investments in its digital infrastructure and information technology systems in connection with its digital transformation. If we are unsuccessful, or less successful than we anticipate, in implementing this transformation or achieving the expected benefits of such transformation, our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be adversely impacted. In addition, in the event that any digital platforms or technological updates that we have or may develop become obsolete or noncompetitive more quickly than anticipated, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected, and we may have to make additional investments in updated technologies.

#### The Company is subject to certain operational risks, including, but not limited to, customer or employee fraud and data processing system failures and errors.
Employee errors and employee and customer misconduct could subject the Company to financial losses or regulatory sanctions and have a material adverse impact on its reputation. Misconduct by its employees could include concealing unauthorized activities, engaging in improper or unauthorized activities on behalf of customers or improper use of confidential information. It is not always possible to prevent employee errors and misconduct, and the precautions the Company takes to prevent and detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Employee errors could also subject the Company to financial claims for negligence.

The Company maintains a system of internal controls and insurance coverage to mitigate operational risks, including data processing system failures and errors and customer or employee fraud. If internal controls fail to prevent or detect an occurrence, or if any resulting loss is not insured or exceeds applicable insurance limits, it could have a material adverse impact on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

***The Company relies heavily on its executive management team and other key employees and could be adversely affected by the unexpected loss of their services or the need to increase current compensation levels to attract and retain employees.***

The Company's success depends in large part on the performance of its key personnel, as well as on its ability to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified senior and middle management and other skilled employees. Competition for employees is intense, and the process of locating key personnel with the combination of skills and attributes required to execute its business plan may be lengthy. The Company may not be successful in retaining its key employees, and the unexpected loss of services of one or more of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on its business because of their skills, knowledge of primary markets, years of industry experience and the difficulty of promptly finding qualified

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replacement personnel. If the services of any key personnel should become unavailable for any reason, the Company may not be able to identify and hire qualified persons on acceptable terms, or at all, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects of the Company. In addition, departing personnel may, directly or indirectly, influence our customers' decisions to seek financial products and services from our competitors, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects of the Company. In an effort to prevent the departure of our employees, we may be required to increase current compensation levels to attract and retain employees, which could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

***If the Company's enterprise risk management framework is not effective at mitigating interest rate risk, market risk and strategic risk, the Company could suffer unexpected losses and its results of operations could be materially adversely affected.***

The Company's enterprise risk management framework seeks to achieve an appropriate balance between risk and return, which is critical to optimizing stockholder value. The Company has established processes and procedures intended to identify, measure, monitor and report the types of risk to which it is subject, including credit, liquidity, operational, regulatory compliance and reputational risks. However, as with any risk management framework, there are inherent limitations to these risk management strategies and controls as there may exist, or develop in the future, risks that have not been appropriately anticipated or identified. If the Company's risk management framework proves ineffective, it could suffer unexpected losses and its business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

#### A lack of liquidity could adversely affect the Company's financial condition and results of operations.
Liquidity is essential to the Company's business. The Company relies on its ability to generate deposits and effectively manage the repayment and maturity schedules of loans and investments to ensure that there is adequate liquidity to fund its operations. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, the sale and maturities of loans and securities and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on liquidity. The Company's most important source of funds is deposits. Deposit balances can decrease when customers perceive alternative investments as providing a better risk/return tradeoff, which are strongly influenced by such external factors as the level of and direction of interest rates, local and national economic conditions, potential impacts related to or resulting from regional and community bank stresses, and the availability and attractiveness of alternative investments. Further, the supply of deposits may be reduced due to a variety of factors such as demographic patterns, changes in customer preferences, reductions in consumers' disposable income, the monetary policy of the FRB or regulatory actions that decrease customer access to particular products. If our customers move money out of bank deposits and into other investments such as money market funds, the Company would lose a relatively low-cost source of funds, which would increase its funding costs and reduce net interest income. Any changes made to the rates offered on deposits to remain competitive with other financial institutions may also adversely affect profitability and liquidity.

Other primary sources of funds consist of cash flows from operations, maturities and sales of investment securities and borrowings from the FHLB of New York. The Company also has an available credit facility with the FRBNY discount window. The Company may also borrow funds from third-party lenders, such as other financial institutions. The Company's access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance its activities, or on terms that are acceptable, could be impaired by factors that affect the Company directly or the financial services industry or economy in general, such as disruptions in the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry, a decrease in the level of the Company's business activity as a result of a downturn in markets or by one or more adverse regulatory actions against the Company.

Any decline in available funding could adversely impact the Company's ability to originate loans, invest in securities, meet expenses, or to fulfill obligations such as repaying borrowings or meeting deposit withdrawal demands, any of which could have a material adverse impact on its liquidity, business, financial condition and results of operations.

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#### Other Risks Related to the Company's Business
***New lines of business or new products and services may subject us to additional risks.***

From time to time, we may implement new lines of business or offer new financial products or services within existing lines of business. Substantial risks and uncertainties are associated with developing and marketing new lines of business or new products or services, particularly in instances where markets are not fully developed, and we may be required to invest significant time and management and capital resources in connection with such new lines of business or new products or services. External factors, such as regulatory reception, shifting regulatory expectations, compliance with regulations and guidance, competitive alternatives, and shifting market preferences, may also impact the successful implementation of a new line of business or a new product or service. Furthermore, any new line of business or new product or service may be expensive to implement and could also have a significant impact on the effectiveness of our system of internal controls. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new lines of business or new products or services could reduce our revenues and potentially generate losses.

#### The Company is exposed to the risks of natural disasters and global market disruptions.
The Company handles a substantial volume of customer and other financial transactions every day. Its financial, accounting, data processing, check processing, electronic funds transfer, loan processing, online and mobile banking, automated teller machines, backup or other operating or security systems and infrastructure may fail to operate properly or become disabled or damaged as a result of a number of factors including events that are wholly or partially beyond its control, including major infrastructure outages, natural disasters or events arising from local or larger scale political or social matters, including terrorist acts, pandemics, and cyberattacks. Operational risk exposures could adversely impact the Company's results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, and cause reputational harm.

Additionally, global markets may be adversely affected by natural disasters, the emergence of widespread health emergencies or pandemics, cyberattacks, military conflict, terrorism, changes to trade policies, treaties and tariffs, or other geopolitical events. Global market disruptions may affect the Company's liquidity. Also, any sudden or prolonged market downturn in the United States or abroad, as a result of the above factors or otherwise could result in a decline in revenue and adversely affect the Company's results of operations and financial condition, including capital and liquidity levels.

***Severe weather events could adversely affect our business and affect client activity level.***

The impact of severe weather events may have a negative impact on our customers and their businesses. Extreme storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, and other severe weather events may damage or destroy property and inventory securing loans we make, or may interrupt our customer's business operations, putting them in financial difficulty, and increasing the risk of default. Severe weather events could also affect the processing of transactions, communications, and our ability to conduct business in impacted areas. In addition, if our underwriting process underestimates the potential impact of severe weather events on our customers and their businesses, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

#### Global pandemics, or localized epidemics, could adversely affect the Company's financial condition and results of operations.
Global pandemics, or localized epidemics, could have a significant adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations and we could be subject to any of the following risks, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations: the demand for our products and services may decline, making it difficult to grow assets and income; if the economy deteriorates, loan delinquencies, problem assets, and foreclosures may increase, resulting in increased charges and reduced income; collateral for loans, especially real estate, may decline in value, which could cause loan losses to increase; our ACL may increase if borrowers experience financial difficulties, which will adversely affect our net income; the net worth and liquidity of loan guarantors may decline, impairing their ability to honor commitments to us; our cybersecurity risks may increase if a significant number of our employees are forced to work remotely; and FDIC premiums may increase if the agency experiences additional resolution costs.

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#### Risks Related to the Company's Merchant Services

#### Regulatory scrutiny of non-bank financial service solutions and related technology considerations has recently increased.
Prior to the Company's exit of its BaaS business, we provided global payments infrastructure access to our non-bank financial service partners, which included serving as an issuing bank for third-party managed prepaid and debit card programs nationwide and providing other financial services infrastructure, including cash settlement and custodian deposit services. Federal bank regulators have previously increased their focus on the risks related to bank and non-bank financial service company partnerships, and have raised concerns regarding risk management, oversight, internal controls, information security, change management, and information technology operational resilience. We could be subject to regulatory scrutiny with respect to our prior, current or future lines of business, products or services, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects of the Company. See *"*—*Risks Related to Laws and Regulation and Their Enforcement****―****The Company and the Bank's business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects could be adversely affected by the highly regulated environment and the laws and regulations that govern it."* and Part I, Item 3., "Legal Proceedings."

#### Changes in card network fees could impact operations.
The Company maintains business in merchant acquiring and merchant services. Card networks periodically increase the fees (known as interchange fees) that are charged to acquirers and that the Company charges to its merchants. It is possible that competitive pressures will result in the Company absorbing a portion of such increases in the future, which would increase its costs, reduce profit margin and adversely affect its business and financial condition. In addition, the card networks require certain capital requirements. An increase in the required capital level would further limit the use of capital for other purposes.

#### Risks Related to Competitive Matters
***The Company operates in a highly competitive industry and faces significant competition from other financial institutions and financial services providers, the result of which may decrease growth or profits.***

The Company's market area contains not only a large number of community and regional banks, but also a significant presence of the country's largest commercial banks and a growing presence of non-bank financial services companies. The Company competes with other state and large financial institutions, savings and loan associations, savings banks, credit unions and other companies offering financial services. Some of these competitors have a longer history of successful operations nationally and in the New York market area, greater ties to businesses, more expansive banking relationships, more established depositor bases, fewer regulatory constraints, better technology, and lower cost structures than the Company does. Competitors with greater resources may possess an advantage through their ability to maintain numerous banking locations in more convenient sites, conduct more extensive promotional and advertising campaigns, or operate a more developed technology platform. Due to their size, many competitors may offer a broader range of products and services, as well as better pricing for certain products and services than the Company can offer. Larger banks may also have more resilient operational and information technology infrastructure. Further, increased competition among financial services companies due to the continued consolidation of financial institutions may adversely affect the Company's ability to market its products and services.

In addition, the Company's legally mandated lending limits are lower than those of certain of its competitors that have greater capital. Lower lending limits may discourage borrowers with lending needs that exceed these limits from doing business with the Company. The Company may try to serve such borrowers by selling loan participations to other financial institutions; however, this strategy may not succeed.

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#### Risks Related to Business Strategy

#### The Company may not be able to grow and if it does, it may have difficulty managing that growth.
The Company's ability to grow depends, in part, upon its ability to expand its market share, successfully attract deposits, and identify loan and investment opportunities as well as opportunities to generate fee-based income. The Company may not be successful in increasing the volume of loans and deposits at acceptable levels and upon terms it finds acceptable. The Company may also not be successful in expanding its operations organically or through strategic acquisitions while managing the costs and implementation risks associated with this growth strategy.

The Company previously exited from the business associated with digital currency entities and from the BaaS business. The deregulatory efforts of the current presidential administration may lead regulatory agencies to revise their positions and objectives so that our competitors may be able to continue, or begin, to operate lines of business similar to those we previously exited. As a result, the Company may be at a competitive disadvantage if it were to decide to reenter such lines of business and as such we may not be successful in reentering these markets.

The Company expects to grow the number of employees and customers and the scope of its operations, but it may not be able to sustain its historical rate of growth or continue to grow its business at all. Its success will depend upon the ability of its officers and key employees to continue to implement and improve operational and other systems, to manage multiple, concurrent customer relationships, and to hire, train and manage employees. In the event that the Company is unable to perform all these tasks and meet these challenges effectively, its growth prospects and earnings could be adversely impacted.

#### Uncertainty in the development, deployment, use and regulation of AI could subject us to additional risks.
We have made, and expect to continue making, investments in the integration of AI in our platform, products, and services, as we expect that we will need to integrate AI into our business to remain competitive. However, as with many innovations, AI presents risks and challenges that could adversely impact our business or our customers. The development, adoption, and use case for generative AI technologies are still in their early stages and may be ineffective or inadequate. AI development or deployment practices by the Company, our customers, or third-party developers or vendors could result in unintended consequences. For example, AI algorithms could be flawed or may be based on datasets that are inaccurate, biased or insufficient. In addition, we may rely on AI models developed by third parties, and, to that extent, would be dependent in part on the manner in which those third parties develop and train their models, including risks arising from the inclusion of any unauthorized material in the training data for their models and the effectiveness of the steps these third parties have taken to limit the risks associated with the output of their models, matters over which we may have limited visibility. We may also be unsuccessful in, or fail to achieve the expected benefits of, our use of AI, and if our AI-related offerings fail to operate as anticipated or as well as competing offerings or do not meet customer needs, we may be unable to recoup our investments in AI and our competitive position may be harmed. There also may be real or perceived social harm, unfairness, or other outcomes that undermine public confidence in the use and deployment of AI. In addition, third parties may deploy AI technologies to commit fraud against us or in a manner that reduces customer demand for our business or financial products and services. Any of the foregoing may result in decreased demand for our products, harm to our business, results of operations or reputation, or a negative impact on our customers and their business.

Additionally, the regulatory environment surrounding AI is still in development, including in the areas of intellectual property, cybersecurity, and privacy and data protection, and new laws or regulations could emerge that require substantial adjustments to our business practices. Compliance with new or changing laws, regulations or industry standards relating to AI may impose significant operational costs and may limit our ability to develop, deploy or use AI technologies. Failure to appropriately respond to this evolving landscape may result in legal liability, regulatory action, or reputational harm.

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#### Risks Related to Accounting Matters

#### Changes in accounting standards could materially impact the Company's financial statements.
From time to time, the FASB or the SEC may change the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of the Company's financial statements. In addition, the bodies that interpret the accounting standards (such as banking regulators, or outside auditors) may change their interpretations or positions on how these standards should be applied. These changes may be beyond the Company's control, can be hard to predict, and can materially impact how it records and reports its financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, the Company could be required to apply a new or revised standard retrospectively, or apply an existing standard differently, also retrospectively, in each case resulting in it needing to revise or restate prior period financial statements. For more information on changes in accounting standards, see "NOTE 3 — SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS*"* to the Company's consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

#### Risks Related to Laws and Regulation and Their Enforcement
***The Company and the Bank's business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects could be adversely affected by the highly regulated environment and the laws and regulations that govern it.***

The Company and the Bank are subject to extensive examination, supervision and comprehensive regulation by various federal and state agencies that govern almost all aspects of their operations. These laws and regulations are not intended to protect the Company's stockholders. Rather, these laws and regulations are intended to protect customers, depositors, the DIF and the overall financial stability of the U.S. economy. These laws and regulations, among other matters, prescribe minimum capital requirements, impose limitations on the business activities in which the Company or the Bank can engage, limit the dividend or distributions that the Bank can pay to the Company, restrict the ability of institutions to guarantee the Company's debt, and impose certain specific accounting requirements that may be more restrictive and may result in greater or earlier charges to earnings or reductions in capital than GAAP would require. For further discussion see Part I, Item 1., "Business*—*Regulation of the Bank*—Capitalization*" and "Business*—Holding Company Regulation*."

Compliance with these laws and regulations is difficult and costly, and changes to these laws and regulations often impose additional compliance costs. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could subject the Company and/or the Bank to restrictions on their business activities, fines and other penalties, the commencement of informal or formal enforcement actions against them, and other negative consequences, including reputational damage, any of which could adversely affect their business, financial condition, results of operations, capital base and the price of its securities. Further, any new laws, rules and regulations, or changes to the interpretation or application of existing laws, rules and regulations, on the federal, state or municipal level is out of our control, may be implemented with little or no prior notice, and could make compliance more difficult or expensive.

The Dodd-Frank Act, among other things, imposed higher capital requirements on bank holding companies and changed the rules regarding FDIC insurance premiums. Compliance costs with the Dodd-Frank Act and its implementing regulations has and will continue to result in additional operating and compliance burdens that could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects of the Company.

During 2024, the Company exited its GPG BaaS business. The Company has been subject to investigations by governmental entities concerning a prepaid debit card product program that was offered through the GPG BaaS business. As previously disclosed, the Bank entered into consent orders with the FRB and NYDFS in 2023, each of which constituted separate consensual resolutions with each of the FRB and the NYDFS with respect to their investigations, each of which is now closed as a result of such order. The FRB has subsequently lifted its order. In the third quarter of 2024, the Company recorded a $10.0 million regulatory reserve in connection with an investigation by the Attorney General of the State of Washington that was resolved in the fourth quarter of 2024. Additional enforcement or other actions arising out of the prepaid debit card program or otherwise could have a materially adverse effect on the Company and the Bank's assets, business, cash flows, financial condition, liquidity, prospects and/or results of operations. For further discussion see Part I, Item 3., "Legal Proceedings."

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#### Legislative and regulatory actions may increase the Company's costs and impact its business, governance structure, financial condition or results of operations.
Federal and state regulatory agencies frequently adopt changes to their regulations or change the manner in which existing regulations are applied. Certain aspects of regulatory or legislative changes to laws applicable to the financial industry, if enacted or adopted could: expose the Company to additional costs, including increased compliance costs; impact the profitability of the Company's business activities; limit the fees we may charge; increase the ability of non-banks to offer competing financial services and products; change deposit insurance assessments; require more oversight; or change certain of its business practices, including the ability to offer new products, obtain financing, attract deposits, make loans and achieve satisfactory interest rate spreads. These changes may also require the Company to invest significant management attention and resources to make any necessary changes to operations and could have an adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in federal policies and regulations by the executive branch and regulatory agencies may occur over time through the current presidential administration's and/or Congress's policy and personnel changes, which could lead to changes impacting the Company and its customers. For example, changes in federal immigration policy or shifts in foreign relations could negatively affect the EB-5 Program's attractiveness to developers and international investors. Furthermore, potential EB-5 Program investors may instead elect to participate in the "Gold Card" program, and therefore reduce the availability of funding for USCIS approved projects. In addition, any budget reductions or funding restrictions, discontinuance or reduction of federal matching, change in payment methodology or delays in states in which our healthcare industry customers operate could adversely affect such customers, which in turn could impact their ability to fulfill the payment obligations owed to us. If any of the foregoing were to occur, it could affect our business and results of operations.

However, the nature, timing and economic and political effects of such potential changes remain highly uncertain. Any future changes could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways. At this time, it is unclear whether and how any future changes or uncertainty surrounding future changes will adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, changes in the way in which existing statutes and regulations are interpreted or applied by courts and government agencies could affect the economy and banking industry, including our business and results of operations, in ways that are difficult to predict.

Federal income tax treatment of corporations and other federal and state tax provisions may be clarified and/or modified by legislative, administrative or judicial changes or interpretations at any time. Any such changes could adversely affect the Company, either directly, or indirectly as a result of effects on the Company's customers. In addition, on July 4, 2025, the OBBA was signed into law, which included a broad range of tax reform provisions affecting businesses, including extending and modifying certain key provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and accelerating the phase-out of certain incentives from the IRA.

***Monetary policies and regulations of the FRB could adversely affect the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Company.***

In addition to being affected by general economic conditions, the Company's earnings and growth are affected by the policies of the FRB. An important function of the FRB is to regulate the money supply and credit conditions. Among the instruments used by the FRB to implement these objectives are open market purchases and sales of U.S. government securities, adjustments of the discount rate and changes in banks' reserve requirements against bank deposits. These instruments are used in varying combinations to combat inflation and influence overall economic growth and the distribution of credit, bank loans, investments and deposits. Their use also affects interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.

The monetary policies and regulations of the FRB have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The effects of such policies upon the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations cannot be predicted. For further discussion, see "*"*—*Risks Related to Market Interest Rates*."

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#### Non-compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act, BSA, or other laws and regulations could result in fines or sanctions.
The USA PATRIOT Act and the BSA require financial institutions to develop programs to prevent financial institutions from being used for money laundering and terrorist activities. If such activities are detected, financial institutions are obligated to file suspicious activity reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. These rules require financial institutions to establish procedures for identifying and verifying the identity of customers seeking to open new financial accounts. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines or sanctions. While we have developed policies and procedures reasonably designed to assist in compliance with these laws and regulations, these policies and procedures may not be effective in preventing violations of these laws and regulations.

**Risks Related to Ownership of the Company's Common Stock**

***The market price of the Company's common stock may be subject to substantial fluctuations, which may make it difficult for you to sell your shares at the volume, prices and times desired.***

The market price of the Company's common stock may be highly volatile, which may make it difficult for you to resell your shares at the volume, prices and times desired. There are many factors that may affect the market price and trading volume of our common stock, most of which are outside of our control.

The stock market and the market for financial institution stocks has experienced substantial fluctuations in recent years, which in many cases have been unrelated to the operating performance and prospects of particular companies. In addition, significant fluctuations in the trading volume in our common stock may cause significant price variations to occur. Increased market volatility may materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock, which could make it difficult for you to sell your shares at the volume, prices and times desired.

***Certain banking laws and the Company's governing documents may have an anti-takeover effect, and there are substantial regulatory limitations on changes of control of bank holding companies.***

Certain federal banking laws, including regulatory approval requirements, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire the Company, even if doing so would be perceived to be beneficial to our stockholders. In addition, certain provisions of our governing documents, including the fact we have a classified Board of Directors with three-year staggered terms, which could delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of our Board, may make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of the Company, even if such event was perceived by stockholders to be beneficial to their interests. The combination of these laws and provisions in our governing documents may inhibit certain business combinations, including a non-negotiated merger or other business combination, which, in turn, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. These provisions in our governing documents could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult and expensive for holders of our common stock to elect directors other than the candidates nominated by our Board of Directors or otherwise remove existing directors and management, even if current management is not performing adequately.

***We may not pay regular future dividends on our common stock and thus shareholders should look to appreciation of our common stock to realize a gain on their investments.***

We declared cash dividends of $0.15 per share in each of the third and fourth quarters of 2025, respectively, as well as a cash dividend of $0.20 per share in the first quarter of 2026. However, we may not pay dividends in the future, and any dividends that we do pay may be less than those previously declared. Our future dividend policy is subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon various factors, including future earnings, if any, our capital requirements and general financial condition, and other factors. Accordingly, shareholders should look to appreciation of our common stock to realize a gain on their investment. This appreciation may not occur or may occur only over a longer timeframe. See Part II, Item 5., *"Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities*" for additional information regarding the Company's dividend declarations.

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***Although we have implemented a share repurchase program, we have discretion to not repurchase shares and to amend or suspend the program.***

In aggregate, the Board of Directors has authorized $100 million of share repurchases since March 2025. However, the Board of Directors may amend or suspend the share repurchase program at any time in its discretion. Shareholders may not be able to sell shares on a timely basis in the event the Board of Directors amends or suspends the share repurchase program. The number of shares to be repurchased and the timing of repurchases, if any, will depend on several factors, including market conditions, prevailing share price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other considerations. Although the share repurchase program is intended to enhance long-term shareholder value, we cannot provide assurance that this will occur. Furthermore, the share repurchase plan does not obligate the Company to acquire any amount of its common stock, and therefore should not be considered a guaranteed method to sell shares promptly or at a desired price. See Part II, Item 5., *"*Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities" for additional information regarding the Company's share repurchase program.

#### Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.

#### Item 1C. Cybersecurity

#### Risk Management and Strategy
The Company believes that a strong cybersecurity program is vital to effective cybersecurity risk management. The Company recognizes the importance of developing, implementing, and maintaining robust cybersecurity measures to help safeguard sensitive information and its business operations, and to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its information systems and the nonpublic information transmitted, processed and stored on its systems or those of third-party service providers. We design our program based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology ("NIST") Cybersecurity Framework. This does not imply that we meet any particular technical standards, specifications, or requirements, but that we use the NIST framework as a guide to help us identify, assess, and manage cybersecurity risks.

#### Managing Material Risks & Integrated Overall Risk Management
The Company has integrated cybersecurity risk management into its broader risk management framework in order to promote a culture that values protecting sensitive information. This integration is intended to promote the inclusion of cybersecurity considerations in decision-making processes throughout the Company. The Bank's general risk management personnel, including the Chief Risk Officer ("CRO"), work closely with their information technology and security counterparts to evaluate and address cybersecurity threats in alignment with our business objectives and operational needs.

The Company also maintains a system-wide information security program that applies to all employees. All employees are expected to assist in safeguarding the Company's information systems and to assist in the detection and reporting of cybersecurity incidents. This Company-wide program is intended to identify and assess internal and external cyber and information security risks that may threaten the security or integrity of nonpublic information stored on the Company's information systems or those of third-party providers from unauthorized access, use or other malicious acts.

The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the Company's cybersecurity program. The Board of Directors has established oversight mechanisms that are intended to promote effective governance in managing risks associated with cybersecurity threats because it recognizes the significance of these threats to the Company's operational integrity and the information stored on the Company's information systems or those of third-party service providers. See "—Governance—*Board of Directors Oversight*."

#### Engage Third-parties on Risk Management
Recognizing the complexity and evolving nature of cybersecurity threats, the Company engages with a range of external experts from time to time, including cybersecurity assessors, risk management professionals, and other consultants, in

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evaluating and testing our risk management systems. We also engage third-party services on an ongoing basis to conduct independent audits of our information security and information technology risk management systems. These engagements enable us to leverage specialized knowledge and insights and assist the Company with its goal of maintaining cybersecurity strategies and processes that are consistent with industry best practices. Our collaboration with these third-parties includes table top exercises, penetration testing and other cyber-support services.

#### Oversee Third-party Risk
Because the Company is aware of the risks associated with third-party service providers, the Company has implemented policies and processes to oversee and assist with managing these risks. The Company's Third-Party Risk Management Office (the "TPRM") conducts security and risk assessments of all third-party providers before engagement and monitors these third-party providers on an ongoing basis to assess each provider's compliance with the Company's cybersecurity standards, which are intended to be commensurate with the level of risk and complexity of the relationship with, and the activities performed by, a given provider engaged by the Company. In addition, the TPRM conducts routine risk assessments of any third-party provider, including those that provide critical services to the Company or have access to customers' protected data. This approach is designed to help identify and mitigate risks related to data breaches or other cybersecurity incidents originating from third-parties in order to better protect our customers' personally identifiable information and the Company's assets and data.

#### Risks from Cybersecurity Threats
We have not encountered cybersecurity threats or incidents that have materially and adversely affected, or are reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company's business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. Notwithstanding the defensive approach we take to cybersecurity, we may not be successful in preventing or mitigating a cybersecurity incident that could have a material adverse effect on us. While the Company maintains cybersecurity insurance, the costs related to cybersecurity threats, incidents or disruptions may not be fully insured. For more information regarding the risks we face from cybersecurity threats, see Part I, Item 1A., "Risk Factors—*Risks Related to the Company's Operations—A failure in the Company's operation and/or information systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including cyber-attacks, could impair the Company's liquidity, disrupt its businesses, result in the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, damage its reputation, and cause financial losses*."

#### Governance

#### Board of Directors Oversight
Our information security program is designed to ensure adequate governance and oversight is in place while evolving to meet changes in applicable laws and regulations, and industry best practices. Cybersecurity is a significant risk to the enterprise and matters related to information security are regularly featured as part of management's enterprise risk profile updates to the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Risk Committee"), which occur at least on a quarterly basis. The Chair of the Risk Committee reports to the Board of Directors on the committee's proceedings and activities, including in connection with the committee's deliberation on information security matters, on a regular basis. In addition to regular touchpoints on cyber matters at the Risk Committee, the Board of Directors receives briefings from the Bank's Chief Information Security Officer (the "CISO") semi-annually.

The Board of Directors directly, and through its standing committees (particularly the Risk Committee and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors) also engage in broader discussions regarding existing and emerging operational and technology risks with members of management across all lines of defense. To supplement the Board of Directors' regular engagement regarding the Company's information security program, the director education program includes cybersecurity-related training opportunities, which assists the directors in staying current on developments and maintaining appropriate knowledge regarding the evolving cybersecurity and threat landscape.

#### Reporting to Board of Directors
The CISO provides management, the Risk Committee and the Board of Directors with information regarding the Company's cybersecurity program and potential cybersecurity threats or incidents. In addition, the CISO is empowered to

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escalate material cybersecurity threats or incidents and strategic risk management decisions to the Board of Directors so that they can provide appropriate oversight and guidance on these critical cybersecurity issues within the context of the Company's overall strategic objectives and business operations. Management, including the Company's Chief Information Officer (the "CIO"), the CRO, and the Incident Management Team (the "IMT") are also required to report cybersecurity threats and incidents to the Risk Committee and/or the Board of Directors, as applicable.

#### Management's Role Managing Risk
The Company's ERMC, an interdepartmental, management-level committee, meets at least quarterly and is responsible for ensuring that the Company has appropriate policies and procedures in place to help identify, measure, monitor and control potentially significant business risks. In connection with these responsibilities, the ERMC receives detailed quarterly risk reports prepared by the CRO that identify various enterprise level risks and include proposed management action plans and strategies for risk mitigation and remediation, if required, to reduce residual risk exposures. This includes information security action plans from the CISO, the CIO, and/or other key stakeholders. The incorporation of these reports into the ERMC's meetings is intended to promote the inclusion of a wide range of risks, including cybersecurity considerations, in the overall risk management decision-making processes throughout the Company.

The Information Technology/Information Security Steering Committee (the "IT Steering Committee") reports directly into the ERMC and meets at least quarterly. The IT Steering Committee is composed of senior members of management, including the CIO, the CRO and the CISO. The IT Steering Committee oversees information technology matters at the Company, including the implementation of all cybersecurity policies, standards, guidelines and procedures. The responsibilities of the IT Steering Committee include, among other things, updating the Company's information technology policies, reviewing the architecture of the Company's information system infrastructure and monitoring the progress of any significant hardware or software updates or installation. In addition, the IT Steering Committee provides periodic updates related to any identified risks or any information-technology-related matters that, in the opinion of the IT Steering Committee, should be escalated to the ERMC and the Risk Committee of the Board.

The CISO plays an important role in the prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents and in informing management, the Risk Committee and the Board of Directors on cybersecurity risks and issues. The CISO provides quarterly briefings to the Risk Committee on any significant information security issues, relevant cybersecurity metrics, key performance indicators and the status of the Company's security-related strategic initiatives. As discussed above, the CISO also provides mid-year and annual reports to the full Board of Directors regarding the state of the Company's information security program. The annual reports encompass a broad range of topics, including:

● Confidentiality of nonpublic information and the integrity and security of the Company's information systems;

● Cybersecurity policies and procedures;

● Material cybersecurity risks;

● Cybersecurity program budget and resourcing considerations;

● Effectiveness of our cybersecurity program, including as benchmarked against applicable regulatory requirements and industry standard frameworks; and

● Any material cybersecurity incidents.

In addition to these scheduled meetings, the Risk Committee, the CISO, the CIO, the CRO, and other members of management maintain ongoing dialogues with respect to emerging or potential cybersecurity threats. The Risk Committee also receives reports and updates from management regarding significant cybersecurity developments so that the Board of Directors can be promptly notified, as and when appropriate, of any threats or incidents as well as management's proposed responses.

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#### Risk Management Personnel
The Company's CISO has extensive experience in the field of cybersecurity and is responsible for managing the Company's cybersecurity risks and ensuring that the Company's security posture is aligned with its business objectives. Our CISO's technical and business experience is helpful for developing and executing our cybersecurity strategies. The CISO helps to oversee the Company's information security policies and programs, perform risk and vulnerability assessments of the Company's information systems, and coordinate responses to cybersecurity incidents in conjunction with the CIO, the Company's Incident Response Team (the "IRT"), the IMT and management.

The Company's CIO has extensive experience in establishing and maintaining scalable and secure technology systems and is responsible for maintaining the Company's various digital platforms. Our CIO worked in various systems, information technology and digital managerial roles at a global financial and investment firm prior to joining the Company. Our CIO's technical and managerial experience is helpful for developing and executing our cybersecurity strategies. The CIO helps to oversee the Company's efforts to improve its system's capabilities, reliability, scalability and security.

The Company's CRO is responsible for identifying, controlling and mitigating risks that could impact the Company's operations. Our CRO's decades of experience managing enterprise risks faced by financial institutions supports our development and execution of our cybersecurity strategies in a manner that is aligned with the overall risk management framework of the Company.

If the Company is notified of a cybersecurity incident affecting the Company's information systems, either by an employee, our defensive infrastructure, a regular system audit or another mechanism, the IRT, led by the CIO, will perform the technical functions required to analyze and contain such an incident, including, but not limited to, technical triage, in-depth analysis, technical mitigation and any necessary recovery actions. The IMT will be activated by the CISO, the CRO or another member of the team to assist in the response and evaluate the cybersecurity threat and coordinate the business decisions necessary to limit the impact of the cybersecurity incident during and after the response. The IMT will also perform similar functions if we detect or are alerted to a cybersecurity threat or incident involving a third-party service provider.

The Company's Network and Cloud Administration is led by the CIO and is also responsible for managing security infrastructure and deploying, configuring, and managing various security solutions, tools and products to assist in safeguarding the Company's information system infrastructure and operations.

#### Monitor Cybersecurity Incidents
The CISO implements and oversees policies and processes for the regular monitoring of our information systems. This includes the deployment of additional security measures, including defensive infrastructure, and regular system audits to identify potential vulnerabilities. If the CISO, the IRT and/or management believe a cybersecurity incident is potentially material, the CISO, the CRO or another member of the team can convene the IMT to further assist in the Company's remediation and response efforts. Following the remediation of the cybersecurity incident, the IRT and/or IMT will review the effectiveness and appropriateness of the Company's response in order to identify and implement potential enhancements to the Company's security infrastructure and the broader risk management framework.

#### Item 2. Properties
The Company's headquarters are located at 99 Park Avenue, New York, New York. The Company has seven banking centers – four are in Manhattan, New York, one is in Brooklyn, New York, one is in Lakewood, New Jersey and one is in Long Island, New York. As of December 31, 2025, each of the Company's offices and banking centers are leased, except for its Brooklyn banking center located at 5102 13th Avenue, Brooklyn, which the Company owns. We also lease a property in Miami, Florida that is utilized as a loan production office. Additionally, we have entered into a lease on a property in West Palm Beach, Florida that we plan to open as a banking center in the second quarter of 2026. All the leases on these properties expire at various dates through 2041.

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The Company believes that current facilities at its offices and branches are adequate to meet its present and foreseeable needs.

#### Item 3. Legal Proceedings
There have been investigations by governmental entities concerning a prepaid debit card product program that was offered by the GPG BaaS business. These include investigations involving the Company and the Bank by the Board of Governors of the FRB and certain state authorities, including the NYDFS. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, third parties used this prepaid debit card product to establish unauthorized accounts and to receive unauthorized government benefits payments, including unemployment insurance benefits payments made pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act from many states. The Company ceased accepting new accounts from this program manager in July 2020 and exited its relationship with this program manager in August 2020. The Company has cooperated in these investigations.

As previously disclosed, the Bank entered into consent orders with each of the FRB and NYDFS in 2023, each of which constituted separate consensual resolutions with the FRB and the NYDFS with respect to their investigations concerning a prepaid debit card product program that was offered through the GPG BaaS business, each of which is now closed as a result of such order. The FRB has subsequently lifted its order. In the third quarter of 2024, the Company recorded a $10.0 million regulatory reserve in connection with an investigation by the Attorney General of the State of Washington that was resolved in the fourth quarter of 2024. Additional enforcement or other actions arising out of the prepaid debit card program in question, along with any other matters arising out of the foregoing program, could have a materially adverse effect on the Company and the Bank's assets, business, cash flows, financial condition, liquidity, prospects and/or results of operations. Since 2020, the Bank has been actively working to enhance its processes and procedures so as to more effectively and efficiently address the issues identified in the course of these investigations.

With respect to the previously disclosed litigation brought by Michael Wyse, as Plan Administrator for the Voyager Wind-Down Debtor (the "Plaintiff"), alleging that the Bank was responsible for fraud committed by Voyager Digital Holdings, Inc. against its customers, the Company's motion to dismiss, filed in February 2025, was granted as to all counts on August 4, 2025. The Plaintiff has since filed its appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The Company intends to continue to defend the case vigorously. Litigation is inherently uncertain, and the Company cannot reasonably estimate the maximum potential exposure or the range of possible loss in association with this matter in the event the Plaintiff's appeal is ultimately successful.

While the future outcome of litigation or regulatory matters cannot be determined at this time, in the opinion of management, as of December 31, 2025, the aggregate liability, if any, arising out of any such pending or threatened legal actions are not expected to be material to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity. For additional information regarding certain legal proceedings, see "Legal and Regulatory Proceedings" in NOTE 15 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES to the Company's consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

In addition to the matters described above, the Company is subject to various other pending and threatened legal actions relating to the conduct of its business activities, as well as inquiries and investigations from regulators, including but not limited to, the FRB and the NYDFS. In the opinion of management, as of December 31, 2025, the ultimate aggregate liability, if any, arising out of any such other pending or threatened matters will not be material to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity.

#### Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.

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#### PART II

#### Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The Company's shares of common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MCB". The approximate number of holders of record of the Company's common stock as of February 13, 2026 was 40. The Company's common stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on November 8, 2017.

We declared cash dividends of $0.15 per share in each of the third and fourth quarters of 2025, respectively. Although the Company also declared a cash dividend of $0.20 per share in 2026, the declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our common stock is at the discretion of our Board of Directors and depends on a number of factors, including:

● historical and projected financial condition, liquidity and results of operations;

● the Company's capital levels and requirements;

● statutory and regulatory prohibitions and other limitations;

● any contractual restriction on the Company's ability to pay cash dividends, including pursuant to the terms of any of its credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements;

● business strategy;

● tax considerations;

● alternative use of funds, such as for any potential acquisitions;

● general economic conditions; and

● other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors.

See Part I, Item 1A., "Risk Factors––*Risks Related to Ownership of the Company's Common Stock*––*We may not pay regular future dividends on our common stock and thus shareholders should look to appreciation of our common stock to realize a gain on their investments.*"

There were no sales of unregistered securities during the year ended December 31, 2025.

The following table sets forth information regarding the shares of common stock repurchased by the Company during the three months ended December 31, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Period** | <br>**Total**<br>**Number of**<br>**Shares**<br>**Purchased**  | <br>**Average**<br>**Price Paid** <br>**Per Share** | **Total**<br>**Number of**<br>**Shares**<br>**Purchased as** <br>**Part of**<br>**Publicly** <br>**Announced** <br>**Plans** | <br>**Dollar**<br>**Value of** <br>**Shares That**<br>**May Yet Be**<br>**Purchased**<br>**Under**<br>**the Plans** |
| October 1, 2025 to October 31, 2025 <sup>(1)</sup> | 67421 | $68.09 | 67421 | $45409088 |
| November 1, 2025 to November 30 2025 | 226180 | 68.12 | 226180 | 30001145 |
| December 1, 2025 to December 31 2025 |  |  |  | 30001145 |
| Total | 293601 | $68.12 | 293601 |  |

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(1) On July 17, 2025, the Company's Board of Directors approved a share repurchase plan with authorization to purchase up to an additional $50 million of the Company's common stock. In aggregate, the Board of Directors has authorized $100 million of share repurchases since March 2025.

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The Company may repurchase shares of common stock from time to time on the open market or by other means in accordance with applicable securities laws and other restrictions, including, in part, under a Rule 10b5-1 plan. The number of shares to be repurchased and the timing of repurchases, if any, will depend on several factors, including market conditions, prevailing share price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other considerations. The share repurchase plan has no expiration date, may be discontinued or suspended at any time and does not obligate the Company to acquire any amount of its common stock. See Part I, Item 1A., "Risk Factors––*Risks Related to Ownership of the Company's Common Stock*––*Although we have implemented a share repurchase program, we have discretion to not repurchase shares and to amend or suspend the program.*"

#### Performance Graph
The following graph compares, for the period from December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2025, the cumulative shareholder return (change in the stock price plus reinvested dividends) for the common stock of the Company with the cumulative return for the (i) Standard and Poor's 500 ("S&P 500") Index and (ii) KBW Bank Index. The performance reflected below assumes that $100 was invested in our common stock and each of the indices at their closing prices on December 31, 2020. The performance of our common stock reflected below is not necessarily indicative of our future performance.

![Graphic](mcb-20251231x10k004.jpg)

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#### Item 6. [Reserved]

#### Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

#### Executive Summary
The Company is a bank holding company headquartered in New York, New York and registered under the BHC Act. Through its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, a New York state chartered commercial bank, the Company provides a broad range of business, commercial and retail banking products and services to small businesses, middle-market enterprises, public entities and individuals primarily in the New York metropolitan area. For an analysis of 2024 results compared with 2023 results, see Part II, Item 7., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC.

The Company's primary lending products are CRE, including multi-family loans, and C&I loans. Substantially all loans are secured by specific items of collateral including business and consumer assets, and commercial and residential real estate. Commercial loans are expected to be repaid from cash flows from operations of commercial enterprises. The Company has developed various deposit gathering strategies, which generate the funding necessary to operate without a large branch network. In addition to traditional commercial banking products, the Company offers: corporate cash management and retail banking services; tailored financial solutions for government entities, municipalities, and public institutions; specialized services to facilitate secure and efficient real estate transactions and tax-deferred exchanges for title and escrow and Section 1031 exchanges; and EB-5 Program escrow accounts of foreign investor funds for USCIS approved job-creating projects. The Company's primary deposit products are checking, savings, and term deposit accounts, all of which are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum amounts allowed by law. These activities, together with seven strategically located banking centers, generate a stable source of deposits to support the growth of our diverse loan portfolio and other assets.

The Company is focused on organically growing its position in the New York metropolitan area. Growth in other markets across the country is generally dependent on the business activities of our New York-based customers. Through an experienced team of commercial relationship managers and its integrated, client-centric approach, the Company has grown market share by deepening existing client relationships and continually expanding its client base through referrals and the ability to offer alternatives to traditional retail banking products. The Company has converted many of its commercial lending clients into full retail relationship banking clients. Given the size of the market in which the Company operates and its differentiated approach to client service, there is significant opportunity to further grow its loans and deposits. By combining high-tech service with the relationship-based focus of a community bank with an extensive suite of financial products and services, the Company is well-positioned to continue to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities available in the New York metropolitan area and elsewhere.

#### Critical Accounting Policies
A summary of accounting policies is provided in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report. Critical accounting estimates are necessary in the application of certain accounting policies and procedures and are particularly susceptible to significant change. Critical accounting policies are defined as those involving significant judgments and assumptions by management that could have a material impact on the carrying value of certain assets or on income under different assumptions or conditions. Management believes the Company's most critical accounting policy, which involves the most complex or subjective decisions or assessments, is the allowance for credit losses.

#### Allowance for Credit Losses
The ACL has been determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company is responsible for the timely and periodic determination of the amount of the ACL. Management believes that the ACL for loans and loan commitments is adequate to cover expected credit losses over the life of the loan portfolio. Although management evaluates available information to determine the adequacy of the ACL, the level of allowance is an estimate which is subject to significant judgment and short-term change. Because of uncertainties associated with local and national economic forecasts, the operating and

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regulatory environment, collateral values and future cash flows from the loan portfolio, it is possible that a material change could occur in the ACL. The evaluation of the adequacy of loan collateral is often based upon estimates and appraisals. Because of uncertain economic conditions, the valuations determined from such estimates and appraisals may change. Accordingly, the Company may ultimately incur losses that vary from management's current estimates. Adjustments to the ACL will be reported in the period in which such adjustments become apparent and can be reasonably estimated. All loan losses are charged off to the ACL when the loss actually occurs or when the collectability of principal is deemed to be unlikely. Recoveries are credited to the allowance at the time of recovery. Various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Company's ACL. As a result of such examinations, the Company may need to recognize changes to the ACL based on the regulators' observations.

In estimating the ACL, the Company relies on models and economic forecasts developed by external parties as the primary driver of the ACL. These external models and forecasts are based on nationwide data sets. Economic forecasts can change significantly over an economic cycle and have a significant level of uncertainty associated with them. The performance of these models is dependent on the variables used in the models being reasonable predictors for the loan portfolio's performance. However, these variables may not capture all sources of risk within the portfolio. As a result, the Company reviews the results and makes qualitative adjustments to capture potential limitations of the external models as necessary. Such qualitative factors may include adjustments to better capture the imprecision associated with the economic forecasts, and the ability of the models to capture emerging risks within the portfolio that may not be represented in the data. These adjustments are evaluated through the Company's review process and revised as necessary on a quarterly basis to account for changes in forecasts, facts and circumstances.

One of the more significant judgments involved in estimating the Company's ACL relates to the macroeconomic forecasts used to estimate credit losses and the relative weightings applied to them. To illustrate the impact of changes in these forecasts to the Company's ACL, the Company performed a hypothetical sensitivity analysis that decreased the weight on the baseline scenario by 33% and equally allocated the difference to increase the weights on the more optimistic and adverse scenarios. All else equal, the impact of this hypothetical forecast would result in a net increase of approximately $9.7 million, or 9.9%, in the Company's total ACL for loans and loan commitments as of December 31, 2025. This hypothetical analysis is intended to illustrate the impact of changes in the macroeconomic forecasts at a point in time and is not intended to reflect the full nature and extent of potential future change in the ACL. It is difficult to estimate how potential changes in any one of the quantitative inputs or qualitative factors might affect the overall ACL and the Company's current assessments may not reflect the potential future impact of changes to those inputs or factors. For further discussion of the ACL, see Part I, Item 1., *"*Busines*s—*Asset Quality*—Allowance for Credit Losses—Loans and Loan Commitments."*

#### Recently Issued Accounting Standards
For a discussion of the impact of recently issued accounting standards, please see "NOTE 3 — SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS*"* to the Company's consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

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#### Selected Financial Information
The following table includes selected financial information for the Company for the periods indicated:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At or for the year ended December 31,**  | **At or for the year ended December 31,**  | **At or for the year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| **Performance Ratios** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Return on average assets | 0.90% | 0.91% | 1.19% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Return on average equity | 9.70 | 9.61 | 12.44 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net interest spread <sup>(1)</sup> | 2.84 | 1.94 | 1.85 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net interest margin <sup>(2)</sup> | 3.88 | 3.53 | 3.49 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities | 138.34 | 152.84 | 168.64 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-interest expense/average assets | 2.23 | 2.38 | 2.02 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Efficiency ratio | 55.86 | 62.68 | 52.46 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Average equity to average total assets | 9.30 | 9.52 | 9.54 |
| **Earnings per Share** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Basic earnings per common share | $6.71 | $5.97 | $6.95 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Diluted earnings per common share | 6.62 | 5.93 | 6.91 |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Determined by subtracting the average cost of total interest-bearing liabilities from the average yield on total interest-earning assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Determined by dividing net interest income by total average interest-earning assets.

#### Discussion of Financial Condition
The Company had total assets of $8.3 billion at December 31, 2025, an increase of 13.1% from December 31, 2024.

Total cash and cash equivalents were $393.6 million at December 31, 2025, an increase of $193.3 million, or 96.5%, from December 31, 2024. The increase was due primarily to an increase of $1.4 billion in deposits, partially offset by an increase in the loan book of $776.2 million and a decrease of $450.0 million in wholesale funding.

#### Investments
Total securities were $941.2 million at December 31, 2025, an increase of 2.8% from December 31, 2024. The change reflects $199.1 million of purchases of securities, partially offset by $179.8 million in paydowns and maturities of securities, and $18.4 million in sales of AFS securities.

The following table sets forth the stated maturities and weighted average yields of investment securities, excluding equity securities, at December 31, 2025. The table does not include the effect of prepayments or scheduled principal amortization. The weighted average yield for each group of securities was weighted by the amortized cost of the securities in the group. Tax-exempt securities, if any, were presented on a tax-equivalent basis, using a federal tax rate of 21%.

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---

| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Due Within** | **Due Within** | **Due After 1**  | **Due After 1**  | **Due After 5** | **Due After 5** | **Due After** | **Due After** |  |  |  |
| | **1 Year** | **1 Year** | **Through 5 Years** | **Through 5 Years** | **Through 10 Years** | **Through 10 Years** | **10 Years** | **10 Years** | **Total** | **Total** | **Total** |
| <br>*(dollars in thousands)* | **Amortized**<br>**Cost** | <br>**Yield** | **Amortized**<br>**Cost** | <br>**Yield** | **Amortized**<br>**Cost** | <br>**Yield** | **Amortized**<br>**Cost** | <br>**Yield** | **Amortized**<br>**Cost** | **Fair**<br>**Value** | <br>**Yield** |
| **Available-for-sale** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $10000 | 0.61% | $15000 | 1.07% | $— | —% | $5000 | 1.68% | $30000 | $28114 | 1.02% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities |  |  |  |  | 4823 | 1.92 | 6361 | 1.65 | 11184 | 9728 | 1.76 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS | 8 | 2.28 | 3600 | 1.18 | 4145 | 1.24 | 535596 | 3.06 | 543349 | 495032 | 3.03 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS |  |  | 6942 | 2.13 | 10892 | 5.61 | 27726 | 3.76 | 45560 | 43700 | 3.90 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2419 | 0.54 | 2419 | 2358 | 0.54 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $10008 | 0.61% | $25542 | 1.37% | $19860 | 3.80% | $577102 | 3.05% | $632512 | $578932 | 2.96% |
| **Held-to-maturity** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Treasury securities | $— | —% | $— | —% | $**—** | **—**% | $**—** | **—**% | $— | $— | 0.00% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities | **—** | **—** | **—** | **—** | **—** | **—** | 15065 | 2.00 | 15065 | 13663 | 2.00 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS |  |  | 366 | 2.16 | 4983 | 1.36 | 328166 | 1.91 | 333515 | 291853 | 1.91 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS |  |  | 8047 | 1.42 |  |  |  |  | 8047 | 7566 | 1.42 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $— | —% | $8413 | 1.45% | $4983 | 1.36% | $343231 | 1.92% | $356627 | $313082 | 1.90% |

---

At December 31, 2025, there were $807.5 million of securities pledged to support wholesale funding, and to a lesser extent certain other types of deposits, of which $118.2 million were encumbered. At December 31, 2024, there were $750.3 million of securities pledged to support wholesale funding, and to a lesser extent certain other types of deposits, of which $65.5 million were encumbered.

At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company's securities portfolio primarily consisted of investment grade mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations issued by government agencies.

*Allowance for Credit Losses – Securities* 

Effective January 1, 2023, the Company estimates and recognizes an ACL for HTM debt securities pursuant to ASC 326. The Company has a zero loss expectation for nearly all of its HTM securities portfolio, and has no ACL related to these securities. For the small portion of the HTM securities portfolio that does not have a zero loss expectation, the ACL is based on each security's amortized cost, excluding interest receivable, and represents the portion of the amortized cost that the Company does not expect to collect over the life of the security. The ACL is determined using average industry credit ratings and related historical loss experience, and is initially recognized upon acquisition of the securities, and subsequently remeasured on a recurring basis. At December 31, 2025, obligations of U.S. State and Municipal securities were rated investment grade and the associated ACL was immaterial.

Effective January 1, 2023, pursuant to ASC 326, the Company evaluates AFS debt securities that experienced a decline in fair value below amortized cost for credit impairment. In performing an assessment of whether any decline in fair value is due to a credit loss, the Company considers the extent to which the fair value is less than the amortized cost, changes in credit ratings, any adverse economic conditions, as well as all relevant information at the individual security level, such as credit deterioration of the issuer, explicit or implicit guarantees by the federal government or the collateral underlying the security. If it is determined that the decline in fair value was due to credit, an ACL is recorded, limited to the amount the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. The non-credit related decrease in the fair value, such as a decline due to changes in market interest rates, is recorded in other comprehensive income, net of tax. The Company recognizes a credit impairment if the Company has the intent to sell the security, or it is more likely than not that the Bank will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost. The unrealized losses on AFS securities are primarily due to the

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changes in market interest rates subsequent to purchase. In addition, the Company does not intend, nor would it be required to sell, these investments until there is a full recovery of the unrealized loss, which may be at maturity. As a result, no ACL was recognized during the year ended December 31, 2025.

#### Loans
Loans are the Company's primary interest-earning asset class.

*Loan Portfolio*

Total loans, net of deferred fees and unamortized costs, were $6.8 billion at December 31, 2025, an increase of 12.9% from December 31, 2024. The increase was due primarily to an increase of $884.1 million in CRE loans (including owner occupied), partially offset by a $174.5 million decrease in C&I loans. For the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company's loan production was $1.9 billion, as compared to $1.3 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024. As of December 31, 2025, total loans consisted primarily of CRE, including multi-family mortgage loans, and C&I. At December 31, 2025, 75.9% of the CRE and C&I loan portfolio was concentrated in the New York metropolitan area, mainly New York City, and Florida. At December 31, 2025, the Company's loan portfolio includes loans to the following industries (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2025** |
|  | <br>**Balance** | **% of Total**<br>**Loans** |
| **CRE** <sup>(1)</sup> |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Skilled Nursing Facilities | $2524627 | 37.0% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Hospitality | 475960 | 7.0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Office | 472724 | 6.9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Multi-family | 397010 | 5.8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Retail | 364048 | 5.3 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Mixed use | 327461 | 4.8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Construction | 261804 | 3.8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Land | 259749 | 3.8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Industrial | 187408 | 2.8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other | 589512 | 8.7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total CRE | $5860303 | 85.9% |
| **C&I** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Skilled Nursing Facilities | $212283 | 3.1% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Finance & Insurance | 218856 | 3.2 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Individuals | 140033 | 2.1 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Healthcare | 90612 | 1.3 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Services | 75322 | 1.1 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Wholesale | 59796 | 0.9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Manufacturing | 26196 | 0.4 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other | 48554 | 0.7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total C&I | $871652 | 12.8% |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) CRE, not including one-to four-family loans.

The largest concentration in the loan portfolio is to the healthcare industry, which amounted to $2.8 billion, or 41.4% of total loans, at December 31, 2025, including $2.7 billion in loans to skilled nursing facilities.

The following table sets forth certain information at December 31, 2025 regarding the amount of contractual loan maturities during the periods indicated. The table does not include any estimate of prepayments that may cause actual repayment experience to differ from that shown below (in thousands).

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Commercial**<br>**Real Estate** | <br>**Construction** | <br>**Multi-family** | **One-to Four-**<br>**Family** | **Commercial**<br>**and Industrial** | **Consumer**<br>**Loans** | <br>**Total** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Due within 1 year | $1496499 | $183465 | $181429 | $45951 | $392395 | $— | $2299739 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;After 1 year through 5 years | 3332568 | 78339 | 215581 |  | 429865 | 486 | 4056839 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;After 5 years though 15 years | 372422 |  |  | 2303 | 49392 | 9863 | 433980 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;After 15 years |  |  |  | 38195 |  |  | 38195 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total  | $5201489 | $261804 | $397010 | $86449 | $871652 | $10349 | $6828753 |

---

The following table sets forth the dollar amount of loans at December 31, 2025 that are due after one-year and have either fixed interest rates or floating interest rates (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2025** |
|  | **Fixed**<br>**Rate**<br>**Loans** | **Floating**<br>**Rate**<br>**Loans** | <br><br>**Total** |
| Real Estate |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial  | $2958657 | $746333 | $3704990 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Construction  | 2625 | 75714 | 78339 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Multi-family  | 214810 | 771 | 215581 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;One-to four-family  | 38004 | 2494 | 40498 |
| Commercial and industrial  | 308297 | 170960 | 479257 |
| Consumer  | 4117 | 6232 | 10349 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total  | $3526510 | $1002504 | $4529014 |

---

#### Asset Quality
Non-performing loans increased to $86.9 million at December 31, 2025 from $32.6 million at December 31, 2024, primarily due to a single out-of-market CRE multi-family loan relationship that was classified as non-performing in the third quarter of 2025. The table below sets forth key asset quality ratios (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At or for the year ended December 31,**  | **At or for the year ended December 31,**  | **At or for the year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| **Asset Quality Ratios** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-performing loans | $86884 | $32600 | $51897 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-performing loans to total loans | 1.28% | 0.54% | 0.92% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Allowance for credit losses to total loans | 1.43% | 1.05% | 1.03% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-performing loans to total assets | 1.05% | 0.45% | 0.73% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans | 111.7% | 194.1% | 111.7% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Ratio of net charge-offs (recoveries) to average loans outstanding in aggregate | 0.06% | —% | 0.02% |

---

#### Allowance for Credit Losses – Loans and Loan Commitments
The Company adopted ASC 326 effective January 1, 2023, which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date be based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Upon adoption, the Company recorded a cumulative effect adjustment that increased the allowance for credit losses for loans and loan commitments by $3.0 million, increased deferred tax assets by $777,000 and decreased retained earnings by $2.1 million, net of tax.

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The ACL for loans is measured on the loan's amortized cost basis, excluding interest receivable, and is initially recognized upon origination or purchase of the loans and subsequently remeasured on a recurring basis. The ACL is recognized as a contra-asset, and credit loss expense is recorded as a provision for credit losses in the consolidated statements of operations. Loan losses are charged off against the ACL when management believes the loan is uncollectible. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the ACL. Loans are normally placed on nonaccrual status if it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the full payment of principal and interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement or the loan is past due for a period of 90 days or more, unless the obligation is well-secured and is in the process of collection. The Company does not recognize an ACL on accrued interest receivable, consistent with its policy to reverse interest income when interest is 90 days or more past due.

The ACL for loans was $97.1 million at December 31, 2025, as compared to $63.3 million at December 31, 2024. The ratio of ACL to total loans was 1.43% at December 31, 2025 compared to 1.05% at December 31, 2024. The increase in the ACL was primarily due to loan growth and a single out-of-market CRE multi-family loan relationship that was classified as non-performing in the third quarter of 2025.

The following table sets forth the ACL by loan category for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2025** | **2025** | **2024** | **2024** | **2024** |
|  | <br>**Allowance**<br>**Amount** | <br>**% of**<br>**Allowance**<br>**to Total**<br>**Allowance** | **% of**<br>**Loans in**<br>**Category**<br>**to Total**<br>**Loans** | <br>**Allowance**<br>**Amount** | <br>**% of**<br>**Allowance**<br>**to Total**<br>**Allowance** | **% of**<br>**Loans in**<br>**Category**<br>**to Total**<br>**Loans** |
| Real Estate |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial | $60818 | 62.6% | 76.2% | $42070 | 66.5% | 71.3% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Construction | 2511 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 1962 | 3.1 | 3.4 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Multi-family | 22619 | 23.3 | 5.8 | 7290 | 11.5 | 6.3 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;One-to four-family | 540 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 577 | 0.9 | 1.5 |
| Commercial and industrial | 10180 | 10.5 | 12.8 | 10991 | 17.4 | 17.3 |
| Consumer | 413 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 383 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $97081 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $63273 | 100.0% | 100.0% |

---

The Company also records an ACL on unfunded loan commitments, which is based on the same assumptions as funded loans and also considers the probability of funding. The ACL is recognized as a liability, and credit loss expense is recorded as a provision for unfunded loan commitments within the provision for credit losses in the consolidated statements of operations. Upon funding of the loan, any related ACL previously recorded on the unfunded amount is reversed and an ACL is subsequently recognized on the outstanding loan. The ACL for loan commitments was $2.1 million at December 31, 2025, as compared to $2.0 million at December 31, 2024.

#### Goodwill
The Company had $9.7 million of goodwill associated with a purchase of a prepaid third-party debit card business as of December 31, 2025. Based on its annual impairment assessment, the Company determined that no impairment of goodwill existed as of December 31, 2025.

#### Other Assets and Other Liabilities
Other assets were $187.2 million at December 31, 2025, an increase of $3.9 million from December 31, 2024. The increase was due primarily to increases in premises and equipment and accrued interest receivables, partially offset by a decrease in lease right of use assets. Other liabilities were $103.8 million at December 31, 2025, a decrease of $6.1 million from December 31, 2024. The decrease was due primarily to decreases in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, including lease liabilities.

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#### Deposits
Total deposits were $7.4 billion at December 31, 2025, an increase of $1.4 billion, or 23.3%, from December 31, 2024. The increase in deposits from December 31, 2024 was due primarily to an increase broadly spread across most of the Bank's various deposit verticals. Non-interest-bearing demand deposits were 20.1% of total deposits at December 31, 2025, compared to 22.3% at December 31, 2024.

The tables below summarize the Company's deposit composition by segment for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **Percentage**<br>**of total**<br>**balance** | **2024** | **Percentage**<br>**of total**<br>**balance** |
| Non-interest-bearing demand deposits | $1479420 | 20.1% | $1334054 | 22.3% |
| Money market | 5698748 | 77.2 | 4514579 | 75.5 |
| Savings accounts | 8886 | 0.1 | 8943 | 0.1 |
| Time deposits | 190124 | 2.6 | 125397 | 2.1 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $7377178 | 100.0% | $5982973 | 100.0%  |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **2025 vs. 2024**<br>**dollar**<br>**Change** | **2025 vs. 2024**<br>**percentage** <br>**Change** |
| Non-interest-bearing demand deposits  | $145366 | 10.9% |
| Money market  | 1184169 | 26.2 |
| Savings accounts  | (57) | (0.6) |
| Time deposits  | 64727 | 51.6 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $1394205 | 23.3% |

---

The table below summarizes the Company's average balances and average interest rate paid, by segment, for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended December 31,** | **Year Ended December 31,** | **Year Ended December 31,** | **Year Ended December 31,** |
|  | **2025** | **Average**<br>**Rate** | **2024** | **Average**<br>**Rate** |
| Non-interest-bearing demand deposits | $1360516 | —% | $1788170 | —% |
| Money market | 5229143 | 3.69 | 4288522 | 4.56 |
| Savings accounts | 9007 | 1.40 | 9644 | 2.76 |
| Time deposits | 139676 | 4.10 | 57227 | 4.05 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $6738342 |  | $6143563 |  |

---

At December 31, 2025, the estimated aggregate amount of FDIC uninsured deposits (deposits in amounts greater than $250,000, which is the maximum amount for federal deposit insurance) was $2.0 billion. In addition, as of December 31, 2025, the estimated aggregate amount of the Company's uninsured time deposits was $46.4 million. The following are scheduled maturities of time deposits greater than $250,000 as of December 31, 2025 (in thousands):

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31, 2025** |
| Three months or less | $28869 |
| Over three months through six months | 8662 |
| Over six months through one-year | 7931 |
| Over one-year | 910 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $46372 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### Borrowings
To support the balance sheet, the Company may at times utilize FHLB advances or other funding sources. At December 31, 2025, the Company had no outstanding Federal funds purchased or FHLBNY advances. At December 31, 2024, the Company had $210.0 million of Federal funds purchased and $240.0 million of FHLBNY advances. The Company had cash on deposit with the FRBNY and available secured wholesale funding borrowing capacity of $3.3 billion and $2.9 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

The Federal Reserve established the Bank Term Funding Program ("BTFP") on March 12, 2023, as a funding source for eligible depository institutions. Advances can no longer be requested under the program. The BTFP was created to provide short-term liquidity (up to one-year) against the par value of certain high-quality collateral, such as U.S. Treasury securities. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company had no outstanding FRB term loans under the BTFP.

*Trust Preferred Securities Payable*

On December 7, 2005, the Company established MetBank Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust ("Trust I"). The Company owns all of the common stock of Trust I in exchange for contributed capital of $310,000. Trust I issued $10.0 million of preferred capital securities to investors in a private transaction and invested the proceeds, combined with the proceeds from the sale of Trust I's common capital securities, in the Company through the purchase of $10.3 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (the "Debentures") issued by the Company. The Debentures, the sole assets of Trust I, mature on December 9, 2035 and bear interest at a floating rate of three-month SOFR plus 1.85%. The Debentures are callable at any time. At December 31, 2025, the Debentures bore an interest rate of 6.02%.

On July 14, 2006, the Company established MetBank Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust ("Trust II"). The Company owns all of the common stock of Trust II in exchange for contributed capital of $310,000. Trust II issued $10.0 million of preferred capital securities to investors in a private transaction and invested the proceeds, combined with the proceeds from the sale of Trust II's common capital securities, in the Company through the purchase of $10.3 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (the "Debentures II") issued by the Company. The Debentures II, the sole assets of Trust II, mature on October 7, 2036, and bear interest at a floating rate of three-month SOFR plus 2.00%. The Debentures II are callable at any time. At December 31, 2025, the Debentures II bore an interest rate of 6.17%.

*Secured Borrowings*

The Company has loan participation agreements with certain counterparties. The Company is generally the servicer for these loans. If the transfer of the participation interest does not qualify for sale treatment under GAAP, the amount of the loan transferred is recorded as a secured borrowing. There were $11.0 million and $7.4 million in secured borrowings as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

#### Discussion of the Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2025

#### Net Income
Net income was $71.1 million for 2025, an increase of $4.4 million as compared to $66.7 million for 2024. This increase primarily reflects the $18.7 million increase in net interest income, partially offset by a $12.0 million decrease in non-interest income, driven primarily by the absence of $13.4 million in Banking-as-a-Service revenue and a $2.4 million increase in total non-interest expense. For further information on the change in non-interest expense, see *— Non-Interest Expense"* below.

#### Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin
Net interest income is the difference between interest earned on assets and interest incurred on liabilities. The following table presents an analysis of net interest income by each major category of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

liabilities. The table presents the average yield on interest-earning assets and the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities. Yields and costs were derived by dividing income or expense by the average balance of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, respectively, for the periods shown. Average balances were derived from daily balances over the periods indicated. Interest income included fees that management considers to be adjustments to yields. Yields on tax-exempt obligations were not computed on a tax-equivalent basis. Non-accrual loans were included in the computation of average balances. The yields set forth below include the effect of deferred loan origination fees and costs, and purchase discounts and premiums that are amortized or accreted to interest income and prepayment income.

---

| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  | **Year Ended**  |
|  | **December 31, 2025** | **December 31, 2025** | **December 31, 2025** | **December 31, 2024** | **December 31, 2024** | **December 31, 2024** | **December 31, 2023** | **December 31, 2023** | **December 31, 2023** |
| ***(dollars in thousands)*** | **Average**<br>**Balance** | <br>**Interest** | **Yield /** <br>**Rate** | **Average**<br>**Balance** | <br>**Interest** | **Yield /** <br>**Rate** | **Average**<br>**Balance** | <br>**Interest** | **Yield /** <br>**Rate** |
| **Assets:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Interest-earning assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Loans <sup>(1)</sup> | $6573447 | $480497 | 7.31% | $5842570 | $429748 | 7.36% | $5147653 | $345039 | 6.70% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Available-for-sale securities | 609162 | 16128 | 2.65 | 576040 | 12917 | 2.24 | 527873 | 8865 | 1.68 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Held-to-maturity securities | 391642 | 7304 | 1.87 | 450048 | 8369 | 1.86 | 499379 | 9608 | 1.92 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity investments - non-trading | 5664 | 169 | 2.97 | 3377 | 92 | 2.73 | 2381 | 52 | 2.17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Overnight deposits | 211880 | 9347 | 4.41 | 269472 | 15013 | 5.57 | 176813 | 9319 | 5.20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other interest-earning assets | 27661 | 1833 | 6.63 | 29386 | 2240 | 7.62 | 33061 | 2522 | 7.63 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest-earning assets | 7819456 | 515278 | 6.59 | 7170893 | 468379 | 6.53 | 6387160 | 375405 | 5.88 |
| Non-interest-earning assets | 137373 |  |  | 182936 |  |  | 169377 |  |  |
| Allowance for credit losses | (76069) |  |  | (60384) |  |  | (49923) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total assets | $7880760 |  |  | $7293445 |  |  | $6506614 |  |  |
| **Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Interest-bearing liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Money market and savings accounts | $5238150 | 193079 | 3.69 | $4298166 | 195695 | 4.55 | $3299427 | 127494 | 3.86 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Certificates of deposit | 139676 | 5731 | 4.10 | 57227 | 2318 | 4.05 | 42926 | 1183 | 2.76 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest-bearing deposits | 5377826 | 198810 | 3.70 | 4355393 | 198013 | 4.55 | 3342353 | 128677 | 3.85 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Borrowed funds | 274672 | 13233 | 4.82 | 336364 | 17282 | 5.14 | 445061 | 23892 | 5.37 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest-bearing liabilities | 5652498 | 212043 | 3.75 | 4691757 | 215295 | 4.59 | 3787414 | 152569 | 4.03 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-interest-bearing liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Non-interest-bearing deposits | 1360516 |  |  | 1788170 |  |  | 1960469 |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other non-interest-bearing liabilities | 135135 |  |  | 119364 |  |  | 137725 |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total liabilities | 7148149 |  |  | 6599291 |  |  | 5885608 |  |  |
| Stockholders' equity | 732611 |  |  | 694154 |  |  | 621006 |  |  |
| Total liabilities and equity | $7880760 |  |  | $7293445 |  |  | $6506614 |  |  |
| Net interest income |  | $303235 |  |  | $253084 |  |  | $222836 |  |
| Net interest rate spread <sup>(2)</sup> |  |  | 2.84% |  |  | 1.94% |  |  | 1.85% |
| Net interest margin <sup>(3)</sup> |  |  | 3.88% |  |  | 3.53% |  |  | 3.49% |
| Total cost of deposits <sup>(4)</sup> |  |  | 2.95% |  |  | 3.22% |  |  | 2.43% |
| Total cost of funds <sup>(5)</sup> |  |  | 3.02% |  |  | 3.32% |  |  | 2.65% |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Amount includes deferred loan fees and non-performing loans.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Determined by subtracting the average cost of total interest-bearing liabilities from the average yield on total interest earning assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) Determined by dividing net interest income by total average interest-earning assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) Determined by dividing interest expense on deposits by total average interest-bearing and non-interest bearing deposits.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) Determined by dividing interest expense by the sum of total average interest-bearing liabilities and total average non-interest-bearing deposits.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

The following table presents the effects of changing rates and volumes on net interest income for the periods indicated. The rate column shows the effects attributable to changes in rate (changes in rate multiplied by prior volume). The volume column shows the effects attributable to changes in volume (changes in volume multiplied by prior rate). For purposes of this table, changes attributable to both rate and volume, which cannot be segregated, have been allocated proportionately, based on the changes due to rate and the changes due to volume (in thousands).

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025 over 2024** | **2025 over 2024** | **2025 over 2024** | **2024 over 2023** | **2024 over 2023** | **2024 over 2023** |
|  | **Increase (Decrease)** | **Increase (Decrease)** | | **Increase (Decrease)** | **Increase (Decrease)** | |
|  | **Due to** | **Due to** | | **Due to** | **Due to** | |
|  | **Volume** | **Rate** | **Total**<br>**Increase**<br>**(Decrease)** | **Volume** | **Rate** | **Total**<br>**Increase**<br>**(Decrease)** |
| **Interest-earning assets:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Loans  | $53441 | $(2691) | $50750 | $49214 | $35495 | $84709 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Available-for-sale securities  | 775 | 2436 | 3211 | 867 | 3185 | 4052 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Held-to-maturity securities  | (1090) | 25 | (1065) | (925) | (314) | (1239) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity investments | 67 | 9 | 76 | 25 | 15 | 40 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Overnight deposits | (2870) | (2796) | (5666) | 5009 | 685 | 5694 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other interest-earning assets  | (126) | (281) | (407) | (280) | (2) | (282) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest-earning assets  | $50197 | $(3298) | $46899 | $53910 | $39064 | $92974 |
| **Interest-bearing liabilities:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Money market and savings accounts  | $38441 | $(41056) | $(2615) | $42922 | $25279 | $68201 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Certificates of deposit  | 3383 | 30 | 3413 | 471 | 664 | 1135 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total deposits  | 41824 | (41026) | 798 | 43393 | 25943 | 69336 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Borrowed funds | (3022) | (1028) | (4050) | (5623) | (987) | (6610) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest-bearing liabilities  | 38802 | (42054) | (3252) | 37770 | 24956 | 62726 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Change in net interest income  | $11395 | $38756 | $50151 | $16140 | $14108 | $30248 |

---

Net interest margin was 3.88% for 2025, as compared to 3.53% for 2024, the 35 basis point increase was primarily driven by the decrease in the cost of funds and loan spread discipline.

Total cost of funds for 2025 was 302 basis points compared to 332 basis points for 2024, which primarily reflects the reduction in short-term interest rates that favorably impacted our cost of deposits.

#### Interest Income
Interest income increased by $46.9 million to $515.3 million for 2025, as compared to $468.4 million for 2024. The increase from the prior year was due primarily to the $730.9 million increase in the average balance of loans.

#### Interest Expense
Interest expense decreased by $3.3 million to $212.0 million for 2025, as compared to $215.3 million for 2024. The decrease from the prior year was due primarily to the 30 basis point decrease in total cost of funds that primarily reflects the reduction in short-term interest rates that favorably impacted our cost of deposits

#### Provision for Credit Losses – Loans and Loan Commitments
The provision for credit losses for loans and loan commitments was $37.6 million for 2025, as compared to $6.3 million for 2024. The increase from the prior year was primarily due to a single out-of-market CRE multi-family loan relationship that was classified as non-performing in the third quarter of 2025 and loan growth.

#### Non-Interest Income
Non-interest income decreased by $12.0 million to $11.9 million for 2025, as compared to $23.8 million for 2024. The decrease from the prior year was driven primarily by the absence of $13.4 million in Banking-as-a-Service revenue.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### Non-Interest Expense
Non-interest expense was $176.0 million for 2025, an increase of $2.4 million from 2024. The increase from the prior year was due primarily to a $7.2 million increase in deposit program fees, a $6.2 million increase in compensation and benefits related to the increase in the number and mix of employees, and a $6.1 million increase in technology costs related to the digital transformation initiatives, partially offset by a decrease of $9.5 million in the regulatory settlement reserve, a $6.4 million decrease in professional fees and a decrease of $2.2 million in FDIC assessments.

#### Income Tax Expense
The effective tax rate for 2025 was 30.0% compared to 31.3% for 2024.

#### Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, which involve elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the consolidated statements of financial condition. Exposure to credit loss is represented by the contractual amount of the instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments as it does for on-balance sheet instruments.

The following is a table of off-balance sheet arrangements broken out by fixed and variable rate commitments for the periods indicated therein (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2025** | **2024** | **2024** | **2023** | **2023** |
|  | **Fixed Rate** | **Variable Rate** | **Fixed Rate** | **Variable Rate** | **Fixed Rate** | **Variable Rate** |
| Unused commitments | $113438 | $486517 | $108561 | $586821 | $67418 | $527730 |
| Standby and commercial letters of credit | 26388 |  | 31920 |  | 59532 |  |
|  | $139826 | $486517 | $140481 | $586821 | $126950 | $527730 |

---

The following is a maturity schedule for the Company's off-balance sheet arrangements at December 31, 2025 (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Total** | **2026** | **2027 - 2028** | **2029 - 2030** | **Thereafter** |
| Unused commitments | $599955 | $255440 | $329247 | $6895 | $8373 |
| Standby and commercial letters of credit | 26388 | 8671 | 17717 |  |  |
|  | $626343 | $264111 | $346964 | $6895 | $8373 |

---

#### Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity is the ability to quickly and economically meet current and future financial obligations. The Company's primary sources of funds consist of deposit inflows, loan repayments and maturities, securities cash flows and borrowings. While maturities and scheduled amortization of loans and securities and borrowings are predictable sources of funds, deposit flows, mortgage prepayments and securities sales may be greatly influenced by the general level of interest rates and changes thereto, economic conditions and competition.

The Company regularly reviews the need to adjust investments in liquid assets based upon its assessment of: (1) expected loan demand, (2) expected deposit flows, (3) yields available on interest-earning deposits and securities, and (4) the objectives of its asset/liability program. Excess liquidity is generally invested in interest earning deposits and short- and intermediate-term securities.

The Company's most liquid assets are cash and cash equivalents. The levels of these assets are dependent on the Company's operating, financing, lending, and investing activities during any given period. At December 31, 2025 and

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

2024, cash and cash equivalents totaled $393.6 million and $200.3 million, respectively. Securities classified as AFS, which provide additional sources of liquidity, totaled $578.9 million at December 31, 2025 and $482.1 million at December 31, 2024. At December 31, 2025, there were $807.5 million of securities pledged to support wholesale funding, and to a lesser extent certain other types of deposits, of which $118.2 million were encumbered. At December 31, 2024, there were $750.3 million of securities pledged to support wholesale funding, and to a lesser extent certain other types of deposits, of which $65.5 million were encumbered.

At December 31, 2025, the Company had zero outstanding Federal funds purchased or FHLBNY advances. At December 31, 2025, the Company had cash on deposit with the FRBNY and available secured wholesale funding borrowing capacity of $3.3 billion.

The Company has no material commitments or demands that are likely to affect its liquidity other than as set forth below. In the event loan demand were to increase faster than expected, or any other unforeseen demand or commitment were to occur, the Company could access its borrowing capacity with the FHLB or obtain additional funds through alternative funding sources, including the brokered deposit market.

Time deposits due within one year as of December 31, 2025 totaled $186.3 million, or 2.5% of total deposits. Total time deposits were $190.1 million, or 2.6% of total deposits, at December 31, 2025.

The Company's primary investing activities are the origination, and to a lesser extent, purchase of loans and securities. The Company originated $1.9 billion and $1.3 billion of loans during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company purchased $199.1 million and $72.8 million of securities, respectively.

Financing activities consist primarily of activity in deposit accounts and borrowings. The Company generates deposits from businesses and individuals through client referrals and other relationships and through its retail presence. The Company has established deposit concentration thresholds to help minimize the probability of over-reliance on any single depositor base for funds. Total deposits were $7.4 billion at December 31, 2025, an increase of $1.4 billion, or 23.3%, from December 31, 2024.

The Company has loan participation agreements with counterparties. The Company is generally the servicer for these loans. If the transfer of the participation interest does not qualify for sale treatment under GAAP, the amount of the loan transferred is recorded as a secured borrowing. There were $11.0 million in secured borrowings as of December 31, 2025 and $7.4 million as of December 31, 2024.

#### Regulation
The Company and the Bank are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the Federal banking agencies. At December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Bank met all applicable regulatory capital requirements, and the Bank is considered "well capitalized" under regulatory guidelines. The Company and the Bank manage their capital to comply with their internal planning targets and regulatory capital standards administered by federal banking agencies. The

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

Company and the Bank review capital levels on a monthly basis. Below is a table of the Company and Bank's capital ratios for the periods indicated:

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | <br>**At**<br>**December 31,** <br>**2025** | <br>**At**<br>**December 31,** <br>**2024** | **Minimum**<br>**Ratio to be**<br>**"Well**<br>**Capitalized"**  | **Minimum Ratio**<br>**Required for**<br>**Capital Adequacy** <br>**Purposes** | **Minimum**<br>**Capital**<br>**Conservation**<br>**Buffer**<sup>(1)</sup> |
| **The Company** |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 leverage ratio  | 9.5% | 10.8% | N/A | 4.0% | —% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Common equity tier 1  | 10.7% | 11.9% | N/A | 4.5% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio  | 11.0% | 12.3% | N/A | 6.0% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total risk-based capital ratio  | 12.3% | 13.3% | N/A | 8.0% | 2.5% |
| **The Bank** |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 leverage ratio  | 9.1% | 10.6% | 5.00% | 4.0% | —% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Common equity tier 1  | 10.5% | 12.0% | 6.50% | 4.5% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio  | 10.5% | 12.0% | 8.00% | 6.0% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total risk-based capital ratio  | 11.7% | 13.0% | 10.00% | 8.0% | 2.5% |

---

(1) As of December 31, 2025, the capital conservation buffer for the Company and the Bank was 4.3% and 3.7%, respectively, which exceeded the minimum requirement of 2.5% required to be held by banking institutions.

At December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, total CRE loans were 376.5% and 346.1% of the Bank's risk-based capital, respectively. The increase in the CRE concentration ratio was influenced by the Bank funding the share repurchase program and the anticipated quarterly dividends at the holding company level. See Part II, Item 5., "Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities" for additional information regarding the Company's quarterly dividends and share repurchase program.

#### Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

#### General
The principal objective of the Company's asset and liability management function is to evaluate the interest rate risk embedded within the balance sheet to inform a controlled assumption of IRR while maximizing net income and preserving adequate levels of liquidity and capital. The Board of Directors bears the ultimate responsibility for the Company's asset and liability management function. The Company's ALCO is responsible for assisting the Board of Directors with this oversight. The ALCO has further assigned responsibility for the day-to-day management of IRR to the CFO, or their designee. The ALCO meets regularly to review, among other things, the sensitivity of earnings and the market value of assets and liabilities to market interest rate changes and local and national market conditions and market interest rates. That group also reviews liquidity, capital, deposit mix, loan mix and investment positions. Based upon the nature of its operations, the Company is not directly subject to FX or commodity price risk.

#### Interest Rate Risk
As a financial institution, the Company's primary market risk exposure is IRR. Fluctuations in interest rates will ultimately impact both the level of income and expense recorded on most assets and liabilities, and, by varying degrees, the fair value of all interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. IRR is the potential for economic losses due to future interest rate changes. These economic losses can be reflected as a loss of future net interest income and/or a loss of current fair value risk. The objective of IRR management is to estimate the effect of changes in interest rates on net interest income and to adjust, as deemed appropriate, the balance sheet to manage the inherent risk while at the same time maximizing income.

The Company manages its exposure to interest rates primarily by prudently structuring its balance sheet in the ordinary course of business. The Company generally originates fixed and floating rate loans with maturities of less than five years.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

The IRR on these loans is offset to some degree by the mix and structure of the deposit portfolio. On occasion, the Company enters into derivative contracts as a part of its asset liability management strategy to help manage its IRR position.

#### Net Interest Income At-Risk
The Company analyzes its net interest income sensitivity to changes in interest rates through a simulation model, which estimates what net interest income would be for a one-year period based on current interest rates, and then calculates what the net interest income would be for the same period under different interest rate assumptions.

The following table shows the estimated impact on net interest income for the one-year period beginning December 31, 2025 resulting from potential changes in interest rates, expressed in basis points. These estimates require certain assumptions to be made, including loan and mortgage-related investment prepayment speeds, reinvestment rates, and deposit maturities and decay rates. These assumptions are inherently uncertain. As a result, no simulation model can precisely predict the impact of changes in interest rates on net interest income.

Although the net interest income table below provides an indication of the Company's interest rate risk exposure at a particular point in time, such estimates are not intended to, and do not necessarily provide a precise forecast of the effect of changes in market interest rates on net interest income and estimates may differ from actual results.

The table below indicates that at December 31, 2025, in the event of an instantaneous and sustained parallel upward shift of 200 basis points in interest rates, the Company would experience a 1.61% decrease in net interest income. In the event of an instantaneous and sustained parallel downward shift of 200 basis point in interest rates, it would experience a 4.08% increase in net interest income.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2025** |
| **Change in**<br>**Interest**<br>**Rates**<br>**(basis points)** | **Net**<br>**Interest**<br>**Income Year 1**<br>**Forecast** | **Year 1**<br>**Change**<br>**from** <br>**Level** |
| +300 | 332495 | (2.26)% |
| +200 | 334696 | (1.61) |
| +100 | 337597 | (0.76) |
|  | 340179 |  |
| -100 | 346537 | 1.87 |
| -200 | 354042 | 4.08 |
| -300 | 365589 | 7.47 |

---

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#### Economic Value of Equity Analysis
The Company analyzes the sensitivity of its financial condition to changes in interest rates through an EVE model. This analysis measures the difference between predicted changes in the fair value of assets and predicted changes in the fair value of liabilities assuming various changes in current interest rates. The table below represents an analysis of IRR as measured by the estimated changes in EVE, resulting from instantaneous and sustained parallel shifts in the yield curve (+/- 100, +/- 200 and +/- 300 basis points) at December 31, 2025 (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | | **Estimated** | **Estimated** |
| | | **Increase (Decrease) in** | **Increase (Decrease) in** |
| | | **EVE** | **EVE** |
| <br>**Change in**<br>**Interest Rates**<br>**(basis points)** <sup>(1)</sup> | <br>**Estimated** <br>**EVE** <sup>(2)</sup> | <br><br>**Dollars** | <br>**Percent** |
| +300 | $1050915 | $(137512) | (11.59)% |
| +200 | 1095978 | (92760) | (7.80)% |
| +100 | 1147835 | (40903) | (3.44) |
|  | 1188738 |  |  |
| -100 | 1222332 | 33594 | 2.83 |
| -200 | 1244685 | 55947 | 4.71 |
| -300 | 1264093 | 75355 | 6.34 |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Assumes an immediate uniform change in interest rates at all maturities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) EVE is the fair value of expected cash flows from assets, less the fair value of the expected cash flows arising from liabilities adjusted for the value of off-balance sheet contracts.

The table above indicates that at December 31, 2025, in the event of an immediate upward shift of 200 basis in interest rates, the Company would experience a 7.8% decrease in its EVE. In the event of an immediate downward shift of 200 basis points in interest rates, the Company would experience a 4.71% increase in its EVE.

The preceding simulation analyses do not represent a forecast of actual results and should not be relied upon as being indicative of expected operating results. These hypothetical estimates are based upon numerous assumptions, which are subject to change, including: the nature and timing of interest rate levels including the yield curve shape, prepayments on loans and securities, deposit decay rates, pricing decisions on loans and deposits, reinvestment/replacement of asset and liability cash flows, and others. Also, as market conditions vary, it is not unlikely that prepayment/refinancing levels, the varying impact of interest rate changes on caps and floors embedded in adjustable-rate loans, early withdrawal of deposits, changes in product preferences, and other internal/external variables will deviate from those assumed.

#### Effect of Inflation and Changing Prices
The consolidated financial statements and related financial data included in this report have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which require the measurement of financial position and operating results in terms of historical dollars without considering the change in the relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation. The primary impact of inflation on operations is reflected in increased operating costs. Unlike most industrial companies, virtually all the assets and liabilities of a financial institution are monetary in nature. As a result, interest rates generally have a more significant impact on a financial institution's performance than do general levels of inflation. Interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or to the same extent as the prices of goods and services.

#### Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
For the Company's consolidated financial statements, see index on page 68.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.

#### Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

#### Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a) Controls and Procedures

An evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's management, including the President and Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) as of December 31, 2025. Based on that evaluation, the Company's management, including the President and Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b) Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company's management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. The Company's system of internal control over financial reporting is designed under the supervision of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.

Our internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect transactions and dispositions of assets; provide reasonable assurances that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP and that receipts and expenditures are made only in accordance with the authorization of management and the Board of Directors; and provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company's assets that could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections on any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or that the degree of compliance with policies and procedures may deteriorate.

As of December 31, 2025, management assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting based upon the framework established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO"). Based upon its assessment, management believes that the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025 was effective using these criteria.

The Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025 has been audited by Crowe LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that has also audited the Company's consolidated financial statements of financial condition as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2025. Crowe LLP has issued an attestation report with respect to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025. See Part II, Item 8., *"*Financial Statements and Supplementary Data."

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c) Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes made in the Company's internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2025 that had materially affected, or was reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

#### Item 9B. Other Information
None.

#### Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Not applicable.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### PART III

#### Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Information regarding the Company's directors, executive officers and corporate governance is incorporated by reference to the Company's definitive Proxy Statement for its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Proxy Statement") which will be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2025. Specifically, the Company incorporates herein the information regarding its directors and executive officers included in the Proxy Statement under the headings "Proposal 1 — Election of Directors," "— Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors" and "Stock Ownership—Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports."

Information regarding the Company's corporate governance is incorporated herein by reference to the information in the Proxy Statement under the headings "Proposal 1 — Election of Directors — Committees of the Board and "Other Compensation Considerations—Insider Trading Policy." The Company has adopted a written Code of Ethics that applies to all directors, officers, including its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Controller, or persons performing similar functions, and employees. The Code of Ethics is published on the Company's website, www.mcbankny.com. The Company will provide to any person, without charge, upon request, a copy of such Code of Ethics. Such request should be made in writing to: Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. 99 Park Ave., 12th Floor, New York, New York, 10016, attention: Investor Relations.

#### Item 11. Executive Compensation
Information regarding executive and director compensation and the Compensation Committee is incorporated herein by reference to the information in the Proxy Statement under the headings "Compensation Matters," "Compensation Discussion and Analysis," "Compensation Committee Report," "CEO Pay Ratio" and "Pay Versus Performance."

#### Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Information regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management is included under the heading "Stock Ownership" in the Proxy Statement and are incorporated herein by reference.

#### Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
The "Proposal 1—Election of Directors—Board Independence" and "—Business Relationships and Related Party Transactions Policy" sections of the Company's Proxy Statement are incorporated herein by reference.

#### Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The "Proposal 3—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" section of the Company's Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### PART IV

#### Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

#### Financial Statements
See index to Consolidated Financial Statements on page 68.

#### Financial Statement Schedules
Financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not applicable or not required or the required information is shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements or Notes thereto under Part II, Item 8.*, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data*."

#### Exhibits Required by Item 601 of SEC Regulation S-K

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 3.1 | [Certificate of Incorporation of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 4, 2017 (File No. 333-220805)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000157104917008093/t1702583_ex3-1.htm)  |
| 3.2 | [Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2021 (File No. 333-254197)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000110465921035321/tm219423d1_ex3-2.htm)  |
| 3.3 | [Amended and Restated Bylaws of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2024 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837024015052/mcb-20240930xex3d3.htm)  |
| 4.1 | [Form of Common Stock Certificate of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 4, 2017 (File No. 333-220805)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000157104917008334/t1702739_ex4-1.htm)  |
| 4.2 | [Description of Securities of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2020 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837020002220/mcb-20191231ex43ea3f1d2.htm)  |
| 10.1\* | [Amended and Restated Employment Agreement by and among Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp., Metropolitan Commercial Bank and Mark R. DeFazio (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 7, 2020 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337420000013/ex10-1_8k010720.htm)  |
| 10.2\* | [Metropolitan Commercial Bank Amended and Restated Executive Annual Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2021 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337421000150/ex10-1_8k033121.htm)  |
| 10.3\* | [Form of Performance Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement - 2009 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2018 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337418000050/metroexb10_2.htm) |
| 10.4\* | [Amendment One to Restricted Share Agreements - 2009 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2018 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337418000050/metroexb10_1.htm)  |
| 10.5\* | [Form of Restricted Share Agreement - 2009 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2018 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000114420418017601/tv485701_ex10-8.htm)  |
| 10.6\* | [Form of Stock Option Agreement - 2009 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2018 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000114420418017601/tv485701_ex10-9.htm)  |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 10.7\* | [Employment Agreement by and between Metropolitan Commercial Bank and Scott Lublin (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 14, 2018 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000114420418044200/tv499840_ex10-1.htm)  |
| 10.8\* | [Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. 2019 Equity (Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2019 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000114420419020068/tv518021-def14a.htm)  |
| 10.9\* | [Change in Control Agreement between Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp., Metropolitan Commercial Bank and Nick Rosenberg (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 3, 2019 (File No. 001-38282)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337419000507/ex10-1_8k112719.htm)  |
| 10.10\* | [Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement – 2019 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 26. 2019 (File No. 333-233465)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337419000404/ex10-3_s8082119.htm)  |
| 10.11\* | [Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Award Agreement – 2019 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 26. 2019 (File No. 333-233465)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337419000404/ex10-2_s8082119.htm)  |
| 10.12\* | [Form of Time-Based Restricted Stock Award Agreement – 2019 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 26. 2019 (File No. 333-233465)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337419000404/ex10-4_s8082119.htm)  |
| 10.13\* | [Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement – 2019 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 26. 2019 (File No. 333-233465)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337419000404/ex10-5_s8082119.htm)  |
| 10.14\* | [Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement – 2019 Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 26. 2019 (File No. 333-233465)).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000094337419000404/ex10-6_s808192019.htm)  |
| 10.15\* | [Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. Amended and Restated 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22, 2024 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000110465924049714/tm2326541d2_def14a.htm) |
| 10.16\* | [Form of Director Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2025 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837025001884/mcb-20241231xex10d16.htm)  |
| 10.17\* | [Form of Executive Award Agreement with Time-Based Vesting (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2022 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837023002263/mcb-20221231xex10d20.htm) |
| 10.18\* | [Form of Executive Award Agreement with Performance-Based Vesting (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2022 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837023002263/mcb-20221231xex10d21.htm) |
| 10.19\* | [Change in Control Agreement between Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp., Metropolitan Commercial Bank and Laura Capra (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.23 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2022 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837023002263/mcb-20221231xex10d23.htm) |
| 10.20\* | [Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Award Agreement – 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 2, 2025 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837025006192/mcb-20250331xex10d1.htm) |
| 10.21\*  | [Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement – 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 2, 2025 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000155837025006192/mcb-20250331xex10d2.htm) |
| 10.22\* | [Form of Change in Control Agreement.](mcb-20251231xex10d22.htm) |
| 10.23\* | [Amendment to the Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. Amended and Restated 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix B to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2025 (File No. 001-38282)).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000110465925035755/tm2419161-2_def14a.htm) |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 19.1 | [Insider Trading Policy.](mcb-20251231xex19d1.htm) |
| 21.1 | [Subsidiaries of Registrant Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 4, 2017 (File No. 333-220805).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1476034/000157104917008093/t1702583_ex21.htm)  |
| 23.1 | [Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.](mcb-20251231xex23d1.htm) |
| 31.1 | [Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002](mcb-20251231xex31d1.htm). |
| 31.2 | [Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002](mcb-20251231xex31d2.htm). |
| 32.1 | [Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002](mcb-20251231xex32d1.htm). |
| 97.1 | [Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy.](mcb-20251231xex97d1.htm) |
| 101 | Inline Interactive data files pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T: (i) the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Operation for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 (iii) the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023 (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, (v) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, and (vi) the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| 104 | The cover page from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, has been formatted in Inline XBRL. |

---

Each management contract and compensatory plan has been marked with an asterisk (\*).

#### Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
None.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

**Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.** 

Date: February 20, 2026 By:/s/ Mark R. DeFazio

Mark R. DeFazio

President and Chief Executive Officer

(Duly Authorized Representative)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities indicated on February 20, 2026.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Signatures**  | **Title** |
| /s/ Mark R. DeFazio | President, Chief Executive Officer and Director  |
| Mark R. DeFazio | (Principal Executive Officer) |
| /s/ Daniel F. Dougherty | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  |
| Daniel F. Dougherty | (Principal Financial Officer) |
| /s/ G. David Bonnar | Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer |
| G. David Bonnar | (Principal Accounting Officer) |
| /s/ Anthony J. Fabiano | Chairman of the Board  |
| Anthony J. Fabiano |  |
| /s/ Dale C. Fredston | Director  |
| Dale C. Fredston  |  |
| /s/ David J. Gold | Director  |
| David J. Gold  |  |
| /s/ Harvey M. Gutman | Director  |
| Harvey M. Gutman  |  |
| /s/ Terence J. Mitchell | Director  |
| Terence J. Mitchell  |  |
| /s/ Robert C. Patent | Director  |
| Robert C. Patent  |  |
| /s/ Maria F. Ramirez | Director  |
| Maria F. Ramirez  |  |
| /s/ William Reinhardt | Director |
| William Reinhardt |  |
| /s/ George J. Wolf, Jr. | Director |
| George J. Wolf, Jr. |  |
| /s/ Chaya Pamula | Director |
| Chaya Pamula |  |
| /s/ Katrina Robinson | Director |
| Katrina Robinson |  |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM](#Audit_Opinion) (PCAOB ID - 173) | 69 |
| [CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION](#CONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFFINANCIALCONDITI) | 72 |
| [CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS](#CONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFOPERATIONS_53307) | 73 |
| [CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME](#CONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFCOMPREHENSIVEINC) | 74 |
| [CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY](#CONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFCHANGESINSTOCKHO) | 75 |
| [CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS](#CONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFCASHFLOWS_642995) | 76 |
| [NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS](#Notes_to_Consolidated_Financial) | 77 |
| [NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION](#Note_1) | 77 |
| [NOTE 2 — BASIS OF PRESENTATION](#Note_2) | 77 |
| [NOTE 3 — SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS](#Note_3) | 85 |
| [NOTE 4 — INVESTMENT SECURITIES](#Note_4) | 87 |
| [NOTE 5 — LOANS](#Note_5) | 90 |
| [NOTE 6 — LEASES](#Note_6) | 97 |
| [NOTE 7 — PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT](#Note_7) | 98 |
| [NOTE 8 — DEPOSITS](#Note_8) | 98 |
| [NOTE 9 — BORROWINGS](#Note_9) | 99 |
| [NOTE 10 — INCOME TAXES](#Note_10) | 100 |
| [NOTE 11 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS](#Note_11) | 102 |
| [NOTE 12 — FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS](#Note_12) | 103 |
| [NOTE 13 — STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN](#Note_13) | 106 |
| [NOTE 14 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN](#Note_14) | 108 |
| [NOTE 15 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES](#Note_15)  | 108 |
| [NOTE 16 — REGULATORY CAPITAL](#Note_16) | 109 |
| [NOTE 17 — EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE](#Note_17) | 111 |
| [NOTE 18 — ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)](#Note_18) | 112 |
| [NOTE 19 — REVENUE FROM CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS](#Note_19)  | 113 |
| [NOTE 20 — DERIVATIVES](#Note_20)  | 114 |
| [NOTE 21 — PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION](#Note_21) | 116 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Shareholders and the Board of Directors of

Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.

New York, New York

**Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting**

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial condition of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2025, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework: (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2025 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework: (2013) issued by COSO.

**Basis for Opinions**

The Company's management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements and an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

**Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting**

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

**Critical Audit Matter**

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Allowance for Credit Losses – Economic Scenarios used in Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") and Commercial and Industrial ("C&I") Loans Portfolio Segment Models

As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company accounts for credit losses under ASC 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost at the reporting date. As of December 31, 2025, the balance of the allowance for credit losses on loans ("ACL") was $97.1 million.

To calculate the ACL for loans collectively evaluated, the Company uses lifetime loss rate models. The CRE and C&I lifetime loss rate models calculate the expected losses over the life of the loan based on exposure at default loan attributes and reasonable, supportable economic forecasts.

To account for economic uncertainty, the Company uses multiple forecasted economic scenarios provided by the models in determining the quantitative ACL. The economic scenarios include various projections based on variables such as, Gross Domestic Product ("GDP"), interest rates, property price indices, and employment measures, among others. The economic scenarios are probability-weighted based on available information at the time of the calculation execution. Scenario weightings and model parameters are reviewed for each calculation and are subject to change.

We consider the auditing procedures related to management's forecasted economic scenarios used within the quantitative CRE and C&I lifetime loss rate models to be a critical audit matter due to the extent of audit effort and high degree of specialized knowledge and skills required to evaluate the resultant lifetime loss rates produced from the models.

To address this matter, we tested the operating effectiveness of the Company's controls related to evaluating, adjusting, and concluding on forecasted economic scenarios used for the CRE and C&I lifetime loss rate models, including the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Management's evaluation of the establishment of the methodology in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Management's evaluation of lifetime loss rate models, including an evaluation of whether management appropriately applied their methodology, an evaluation of the forecasted economic scenarios used within their model, and an evaluation of the reasonableness of the resultant lifetime loss rates;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Management's evaluation of the reasonableness of judgments over the forecasted economic scenarios selected in the model and approval of the overall allowance for credit losses on loans.

Our substantive procedures related to the forecasted economic scenarios used for the CRE and C&I lifetime loss rate models included the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Evaluating the appropriateness of the established methodology;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Evaluating the lifetime loss rate models, including a directionality analysis of the forecasted economic scenarios on the loss rate forecasts, and the reasonableness of the resultant lifetime loss rates, assisted by firm specialists;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Evaluating the reasonableness of forecasted economic scenarios, assisted by firm specialists;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Evaluating the reasonableness of the overall allowance for credit losses.

/s/ Crowe LLP

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2008.

New York, New York

February 20, 2026

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**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES**

#### CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
**(in thousands, except share data)**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **December 31,** <br>**2025** | **December 31,** <br>**2024** |
| **Assets** |  |  |
| Cash and due from banks | $12086 | $13078 |
| Overnight deposits | 381501 | 187190 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total cash and cash equivalents | 393587 | 200268 |
| Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value | 578932 | 482085 |
| Investment securities held-to-maturity (estimated fair value of $313.1 million and $366.7 million at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively) | 356627 | 428557 |
| Equity investment securities, at fair value | 5609 | 5109 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities | 941168 | 915751 |
| Other investments | 20632 | 30636 |
| Loans, net of deferred fees and costs | 6810233 | 6034076 |
| Allowance for credit losses | (97081) | (63273) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net loans | 6713152 | 5970803 |
| Other assets | 187177 | 183291 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total assets | $8255716 | $7300749 |
| **Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity** |  |  |
| Deposits |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Noninterest-bearing demand deposits | $1479420 | $1334054 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Interest-bearing deposits | 5897758 | 4648919 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total deposits | 7377178 | 5982973 |
| Federal funds purchased  |  | 210000 |
| Federal Home Loan Bank of New York advances |  | 240000 |
| Trust preferred securities | 20620 | 20620 |
| Secured and other borrowings | 10975 | 7441 |
| Other liabilities | 103831 | 109888 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total liabilities | 7512604 | 6570922 |
| Common stock, $0.01 par value, 25,000,000 shares authorized, 11,300,191 and 11,197,625 shares issued; and 10,088,617 and 11,197,625 shares outstanding at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | 113 | 112 |
| Additional paid in capital | 405565 | 400188 |
| Retained earnings | 450639 | 382661 |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | (39739) | (53134) |
| Treasury stock, at cost, 1,211,574 and 0 shares at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | (73466) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total stockholders' equity | 743112 | 729827 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $8255716 | $7300749 |

---

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

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**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES**

#### CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
**(in thousands, except per share data)**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| **Interest and dividend income** |  |  |  |
| Loans, including fees | $480497 | $429748 | $345039 |
| Securities | 23601 | 21378 | 18525 |
| Overnight deposits | 9347 | 15013 | 9319 |
| Other interest and dividends | 1833 | 2240 | 2522 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest income | 515278 | 468379 | 375405 |
| **Interest expense** |  |  |  |
| Deposits  | 198810 | 198013 | 128677 |
| Borrowed funds | 11939 | 15795 | 22424 |
| Trust preferred securities | 1294 | 1487 | 1468 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest expense | 212043 | 215295 | 152569 |
| Net interest income | 303235 | 253084 | 222836 |
| Provision for credit losses | 37592 | 6257 | 12283 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net interest income after provision for credit losses | 265643 | 246827 | 210553 |
| **Non-interest income** |  |  |  |
| Service charges on deposit accounts | 8388 | 8269 | 6071 |
| Global Payments Group revenue |  | 13355 | 19005 |
| Other income | 3483 | 2205 | 2827 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total non-interest income | 11871 | 23829 | 27903 |
| **Non-interest expense** |  |  |  |
| Compensation and benefits | 84029 | 77859 | 66961 |
| Bank premises and equipment | 10322 | 9656 | 9344 |
| Professional fees | 14932 | 21320 | 18064 |
| Technology costs | 17135 | 11012 | 4940 |
| Deposit related program fees | 24021 | 16836 | 13104 |
| FDIC assessments | 9548 | 11780 | 9077 |
| Regulatory settlement reserve |  | 9463 | (5521) |
| Other expenses | 16018 | 15649 | 15569 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total non-interest expense | 176005 | 173575 | 131538 |
| Net income before income tax expense | 101509 | 97081 | 106918 |
| Income tax expense | 30411 | 30395 | 29650 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net income | $71098 | $66686 | $77268 |
| Earnings per common share |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Basic earnings | $6.71 | $5.97 | $6.95 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Diluted earnings | $6.62 | $5.93 | $6.91 |

---

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

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**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES**

#### CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
**(in thousands)**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  |
|  | **December 31,**  | **December 31,**  | **December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Net income  | $71098 | $66686 | $77268 |
| Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Securities available-for-sale:** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unrealized gain (loss) arising during the period, net | 16869 | 1354 | 7149 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income, net | (472) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | 16397 | 1354 | 7149 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Cash flow hedges:** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unrealized gain (loss) arising during the period, net | (2469) | 1922 | (2417) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income, net | (533) | (3474) | (3370) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | (3002) | (1552) | (5787) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total other comprehensive income (loss), net | 13395 | (198) | 1362 |
| Comprehensive income (loss), net | $84493 | $66488 | $78630 |

---

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

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**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES**

#### CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
**(in thousands, except share data)**

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Common** | **Common** | | | | | |
|  | **Stock** | **Stock** | **Additional**<br>**Paid-in Capital** | **Retained**<br>**Earnings** | **AOCI (Loss),**<br>**Net** | **Treasury**<br>**Stock** | <br>**Total** |
|  | Shares | Amount |  |  |  |  |  |
| **Year Ended**  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Balance at January 1, 2025  | 11197625 | $112 | $400188 | $382661 | $(53134) | $— | $729827 |
| Issuance of common stock under stock compensation plans | 160939 | 1 |  |  |  |  | 1 |
| Employee and non-employee stock-based compensation  |  |  | 8928 |  |  |  | 8928 |
| Redemption of common stock for exercise of stock options and tax withholdings for restricted stock vesting | (58373) |  | (3551) |  |  |  | (3551) |
| Treasury stock purchased | (1211574) |  |  |  |  | (73466) | (73466) |
| Net income  |  |  |  | 71098 |  |  | 71098 |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) |  |  |  |  | 13395 |  | 13395 |
| Cash dividends declared on common stock ($0.30 per share) |  |  |  | (3120) |  |  | (3120) |
| Balance at December 31, 2025  | 10088617 | $113 | $405565 | $450639 | $(39739) | $(73466) | $743112 |
| Balance at January 1, 2024  | 11062729 | $111 | $395871 | $315975 | $(52936) | $— | $659021 |
| Issuance of common stock under stock compensation plans | 223483 | 1 |  |  |  |  | 1 |
| Employee and non-employee stock-based compensation  |  |  | 8899 |  |  |  | 8899 |
| Redemption of common stock for exercise of stock options and tax withholdings for restricted stock vesting | (88587) |  | (4582) |  |  |  | (4582) |
| Net income  |  |  |  | 66686 |  |  | 66686 |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) |  |  |  |  | (198) |  | (198) |
| Balance at December 31, 2024 | 11197625 | $112 | $400188 | $382661 | $(53134) | $— | $729827 |
| Balance at January 1, 2023  | 10949965 | $109 | $389276 | $240810 | $(54298) | $— | $575897 |
| Cumulative effect of changes in accounting principle |  |  |  | (2103) |  |  | (2103) |
| Issuance of common stock under stock compensation plans | 285190 | 4 |  |  |  |  | 4 |
| Employee and non-employee stock-based compensation  |  |  | 9765 |  |  |  | 9765 |
| Redemption of common stock for exercise of stock options and tax withholdings for restricted stock vesting | (172426) | (2) | (3170) |  |  |  | (3172) |
| Net income  |  |  |  | 77268 |  |  | 77268 |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) |  |  |  |  | 1362 |  | 1362 |
| Balance at December 31, 2023 | 11062729 | $111 | $395871 | $315975 | $(52936) | $— | $659021 |

---

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

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**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES**

#### CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
**(in thousands)**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| **Cash flows from operating activities** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net income | $71098 | $66686 | $77268 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net depreciation, amortization, and accretion | (11053) | (11412) | 7142 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Provision for credit losses | 37592 | 6257 | 12283 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stock-based compensation | 8928 | 8899 | 9765 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other, net | (1174) | (2986) | (75) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Deferred income tax (benefit) expense  | (9264) | (2798) | (2800) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net change in: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Receivable from global payments, net |  | 87648 | (2043) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Third-party debit cardholder balances |  | (10178) | (401) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other assets | (3963) | (4089) | (30019) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other liabilities | (3484) | 10432 | (28694) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 88680 | 148459 | 42426 |
| **Cash flows from investing activities** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Loan originations and payments, net | (765847) | (395390) | (789736) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Redemptions of FRB and FHLB Stock | 36570 | 48348 | 152400 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Purchases of FRB and FHLB Stock | (26566) | (40018) | (169256) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Purchase of securities available-for-sale | (199063) | (72810) | (46809) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Purchase of securities held-for-investment |  |  | (24595) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from sales and calls of securities available-for-sale | 18400 |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from paydowns and maturities of securities available-for-sale | 108419 | 53166 | 42342 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from paydowns and maturities of securities held-to-maturity | 71381 | 39724 | 65954 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Purchase of premises and equipment | (6257) | (2631) | (5749) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities  | (762963) | (369611) | (775449) |
| **Cash flows from financing activities** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from (repayments of) federal funds purchased, net | (210000) | 111000 | (51000) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from (repayments of) FHLB advances, net | (240000) | (200000) | 340000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Redemption of common stock for tax withholdings for restricted stock vesting | (3551) | (4582) | (3170) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from (repayments of) other borrowings, net |  | 100000 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Proceeds from (repayments of) secured borrowings, net | 3534 | (100144) | (140) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net increase (decrease) in deposits | 1394205 | 245681 | 459380 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Purchase of treasury stock | (73466) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cash dividend paid | (3120) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 867602 | 151955 | 745070 |
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 193319 | (69197) | 12047 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period | 200268 | 269465 | 257418 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period | $393587 | $200268 | $269465 |
| Supplemental information |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cash paid for: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Interest | $212217 | $215380 | $151403 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Income Taxes | $25852 | $34795 | $36171 |

---

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION
Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp., a New York corporation (the "Company"), is a bank holding company headquartered in New York, New York and registered under the BHC Act. Through its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the "Bank"), a New York state chartered commercial bank, the Company provides a broad range of business, commercial and retail banking products and services to small businesses, middle-market enterprises, public entities and affluent individuals primarily in the New York Metropolitan area. See the "GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS" for the definition of certain terms and acronyms used throughout this Form 10-K.

The Company's primary lending products are CRE loans (including multi-family loans) and C&I loans. Substantially all loans are secured by specific items of collateral including business assets, consumer assets, and commercial and residential real estate. Commercial loans are expected to be repaid from cash flows from operations of businesses.

The Company's primary deposit products are checking, savings, and term deposit accounts, all of which are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum amounts allowed by law. In addition to traditional commercial banking products, the Company offers: corporate cash management and retail banking services; customized financial solutions for government entities, municipalities, public institutions and charter schools; specialized services to facilitate secure and efficient real estate transactions and tax-deferred exchanges for title and escrow and Section 1031 exchanges; and EB-5 Program escrow accounts of foreign investor funds for USCIS approved job-creating projects.

The Company and the Bank are subject to the regulations of certain state and federal agencies and, accordingly, are periodically examined by those regulatory authorities. The Company's business is affected by state and federal legislation and regulations.

#### NOTE 2 — BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform with GAAP and predominant practices within the U.S. banking industry. The Consolidated Financial Statements (the "financial statements") include the accounts of the Company and the Bank. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented. A summary of the Company's significant accounting policies consistently applied in the preparation of the accompanying financial statements follows.

#### Use of Estimates
In preparing the financial statements in conformity with GAAP, management has made estimates and assumptions based on available information. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reported periods. Actual results could differ from those estimated. Information available that could affect these judgements include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates, changes in the performance of the economy, and changes in the financial condition of borrowers.

#### Cash and Cash Equivalents
For the purpose of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents are defined as cash on hand and amounts due from banks and money market funds. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, cash and cash equivalents included $380.5 million and $186.3 million, respectively, of cash on hand or on deposit with the FRB. Also included in cash and cash equivalents were $15.5 million and $12.6 million of cash held in escrow and collateral accounts for third-party debit card program managers at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Additionally, there was $792,000 and $762,000 of cash pledged for a related

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
collateral account at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Net cash flows are reported for customer loan and deposit transactions, other investments, receivable from global payments, third-party debit cardholder balances, other assets, other liabilities, federal funds purchased, FHLB advances, other borrowings, and secured borrowings.

#### Securities
Debt securities are classified as HTM and carried at amortized cost when management has the positive intent and ability to hold them to maturity. Debt securities are classified as AFS when they might be sold before maturity. Securities classified as AFS are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses reported in other comprehensive income, net of tax. Equity securities with readily determinable fair values are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value reported in net income.

Interest income includes amortization of purchase premiums or discounts. Premiums and discounts on securities are amortized using the level yield method without anticipating prepayments, except for MBS where prepayments are anticipated. Gains and losses on sales are recorded on the trade date and determined using the specific identification method. Gains and losses on sales of securities are recognized in the consolidated statements of operations upon sale.

The Company estimates and recognizes an ACL for HTM debt securities pursuant to ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (ASC 326) ("ASC 326"). The Company has a zero loss expectation for nearly all of its HTM securities portfolio, and therefore has no ACL related to these securities. For the small portion of HTM securities portfolio that does not have a zero loss expectation, the ACL is based on the amortized cost of the securities, excluding interest receivable, and represents the portion of the amortized cost that the Company does not expect to collect over the life of the securities. The ACL is determined using average industry credit ratings and historical loss experience, and is initially recognized upon acquisition of the securities, and subsequently remeasured on a recurring basis.

The Company evaluates AFS debt securities that experienced a decline in fair value below amortized cost for credit impairment. In performing an assessment of whether any decline in fair value is due to a credit loss, the Company considers the extent to which the fair value is less than the amortized cost, changes in credit ratings, any adverse economic conditions, as well as all relevant information at the individual security level, such as credit deterioration of the issuer, explicit or implicit guarantees by the federal government or the collateral underlying the security. If it is determined that the decline in fair value was due to credit, an ACL is recorded, limited to the amount the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. The non-credit related decrease in the fair value, such as a decline due to changes in market interest rates, is recorded in other comprehensive income, net of tax. If the Company intends to sell the AFS security, or it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost, the Company will write down the security's amortized cost basis to its fair value, write off any existing ACL, and recognize any incremental impairment in net income.

#### Revenue Recognition
Any revenues from contracts with customers, which are not exempt from the accounting requirements under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, are accounted for using the five-step method prescribed by the ASC. These revenue items are debit card income, service charges on deposit accounts and other service charges. In accordance with the ASC, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised services. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration which the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for these services. The Company applies the following five steps to properly recognize revenue: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The majority of the Company's revenue is derived from interest income on loans, which is not subject to the ASC.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### Deposit Related Program Fees
Deposit related program fees include certain licensing fees and EB-5 Program account fees. Licensing fees on certain deposit accounts held by bankruptcy trustees are expensed as incurred. These accounts require the use of a software interface provided by a third party. Bankruptcy accounts subject to the licensing fees amounted to $492.3 million and $305.4 million at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. EB-5 Program accounts subject to fees amounted to $480.8 million and $291.2 million at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

#### Transfers of Financial Assets
Transfers of financial assets are accounted for as sales when control over the assets has been relinquished. Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when the assets have been isolated from the Company, the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets, and the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through an agreement to repurchase them before their maturity. Transfers of financial assets that do not meet the criteria to be accounted for as sales are recorded as secured borrowings.

#### Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses
Loans receivable that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or payoff are reported at their outstanding principal balances, adjusted for any charge-offs, and any deferred fees or costs on originated loans. Loan origination fees, net of certain direct origination costs, are deferred and recognized in interest income using the level-yield method without anticipating prepayments.

Interest income on loans is accrued and credited to operations based upon the principal amounts outstanding. Loans are normally placed on non-accrual if it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the full payment of principal and interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement, or the loan is past due for a period of 90 days or more, unless the obligation is well-secured and is in the process of collection. Any unpaid interest previously accrued on those loans is reversed from income. Interest payments received on such loans are applied as a reduction of the loan principal balance when the collectability of principal, wholly or partially, is in doubt. Interest payments received may be recognized as interest income when the principal balance of the non-accrual loan is deemed to be collectible. Interest income is recognized when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and the loans are returned to accrual status.

The following loan portfolio segments have been identified: CRE, Construction, Multi-Family, One-to Four-Family, C&I, and Consumer.

The risk characteristics of each of the identified portfolio segments are as follows:

*Commercial Real Estate —* CRE loans are secured by nonresidential real estate and generally have larger balances and involve a greater degree of risk than residential real estate loans. Repayment of CRE loans depends on the cash flow of the borrower and the net operating income of the property, the borrower's profitability, and the value of the underlying property. Of primary concern in CRE lending is the borrower's creditworthiness and the cash flows from the property. Payments on loans secured by income properties often depend on successful operation and management of the properties. As a result, repayment of such loans may be subject, to a greater extent than residential real estate loans, to adverse conditions in the real estate market or the economy. CRE is also subject to adverse market conditions that cause a decrease in market value or lease rates, obsolescence in location or function and market conditions associated with oversupply of units in a specific region.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
*Construction —* Construction financing is generally considered to involve a higher degree of risk of loss than long-term financing on improved, occupied real estate. Risk of loss on a construction loan depends largely upon the accuracy of the initial estimate of the property's value at completion of construction and the estimated cost of construction. During the construction phase, a number of factors could result in delays and cost overruns. If the estimate of construction costs proves to be inaccurate, additional funds may be required to be advanced in excess of the amount originally committed to permit completion of the building.

If the estimate of value proves to be inaccurate, the value of the building may be insufficient to assure full repayment if liquidation is required. If foreclosure is required on a building before or at completion due to a default, there can be no assurance that all of the unpaid balance of, and accrued interest on, the loan as well as related foreclosure and holding costs will be recovered.

*Multi-family —* Multi-family real estate loans are secured by real estate of five or more units and generally have larger balances and involve a greater degree of risk than residential real estate loans. Repayment of multi-family real estate loans depends on the cash flow analysis of the property, occupancy rates, and unemployment rates, combined with the net operating income of the property, the borrower's profitability, and the value of the underlying property. Payments on these loans depend on successful operation and management of the properties, and repayment of such loans may be subject to adverse conditions in the real estate market and/or the economy.

*One-to Four-Family —* One-to four-family loans for primary residences are generally made on the basis of the borrower's ability to make repayment from his or her employment income or other income, and which are secured by real property whose value tends to be more easily ascertainable. Repayment of one-to four-family loans is subject to adverse employment conditions in the local economy leading to increased default rates and decreased market values, including from oversupply in a geographic area. In general, these loans depend on the borrower's continuing financial stability and, therefore, are likely to be adversely affected by various factors, including job loss, divorce, illness, or personal bankruptcy. Furthermore, the application of various federal and state laws, including federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws, may limit the amount that can be recovered on such loans.

*Commercial & Industrial —* C&I loans are generally of higher risk and typically are made on the basis of the borrower's ability to make repayment from the cash flows of the borrower's business. As a result, the availability of funds for the repayment of commercial loans may depend substantially on the success of the business itself. Furthermore, any collateral securing such loans may depreciate over time, may be difficult to appraise, and may fluctuate in value.

*Consumer —* Consumer loans are primarily comprised of purchased student loans. As a result, repayment of such loans are subject, to a greater extent than loans secured by collateral, to the financial condition of the borrower.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASC 326, which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost to be based on historical experience, current condition, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2023. See *"*NOTE 3 — SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS*,*" for a discussion on the adoption of this ASC.

The ACL for loans is measured on the loan's amortized cost basis, excluding interest receivable, and is initially recognized upon origination or purchase of the loans and subsequently remeasured on a recurring basis. The ACL is recognized as a contra-asset, and credit loss expense is recorded as a provision for credit losses in the consolidated statements of operations. Loan losses are charged-off against the ACL when management believes the loan is uncollectible. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the ACL. The Company does not recognize an ACL on accrued interest receivable, consistent with its policy to reverse interest income when interest is 90 days or more past due.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Company also records an ACL on unfunded loan commitments, which is based on the same assumptions as funded loans and also considers the probability of funding. The ACL is recognized as a liability, and credit loss expense is recorded as a provision for unfunded loan commitments within the provision for credit losses in the consolidated statements of operations. Upon funding of the loan, any related ACL previously recorded on the unfunded amount is reversed and an ACL is subsequently recognized on the outstanding loan.

To calculate the ACL for loans and loan commitments collectively evaluated, the Company uses models developed by a third party. The lifetime loss rate models calculate the expected losses over the life of the loan based on exposure at default loan attributes and reasonable, supportable economic forecasts. The exposure at default considers the current unpaid balance, prepayment assumptions, and expected utilization assumptions.

Key assumptions used in the models include portfolio segmentation, prepayments, risk rating, a peer scalar, and the expected utilization of unfunded commitments among others. The portfolios are segmented by loan level attributes such as loan type, loan size, date of origination, and delinquency status to create homogenous loan pools. Pool level metrics are calculated, and loss rates are subsequently applied to the pools as the loans have similar characteristics. Prepayment assumptions, if applicable, are embedded within the models and are based on the same data used for model development and incorporate adjustments for reasonable and supportable forecasts. The models employ mean reversion techniques to predict credit losses for loans that are expected to mature beyond the forecast period.

To account for economic uncertainty, the Company uses multiple economic scenarios provided by the model vendor in determining the ACL. The forecasts include various projections based on variables such as, Gross Domestic Product, interest rates, property price indices, and employment measures, among others. The forecasts are probability-weighted based on available information at the time the calculation is conducted. Scenario weightings and model parameters are reviewed for each calculation and are subject to change.

The CRE and C&I lifetime loss rate models were developed using the historical loss experience of all banks in the model's developmental dataset. Banks in the model's developmental dataset may have different loss experiences due to geography and portfolio as well as operational and underwriting procedures that vary from those of the Company, and therefore, the Company calibrates expected losses using a peer scalar function provided by the models. The peer scalar was calculated by examining the loss rates of peer banks that have similar asset bases and that operate in similar markets as the Company and comparing these peer group loss rates to the model results.

The Company also considers qualitative adjustments to expected credit loss estimates for information not already captured in the quantitative loss estimation models. Qualitative factor adjustments may increase or decrease management's estimate of expected credit losses. Qualitative loss factors are based on the Company's judgment of market, industry or business specific data, changes in loan composition, performance trends, regulatory changes, uncertainty of macroeconomic forecasts, and other asset specific risk characteristics.

When loans do not share risk characteristics with other financial assets they are evaluated individually. Management applies its normal loan review procedures in making these judgments. Individually evaluated loans consist of nonaccrual loans and loans that have been modified due to financial difficulty. In determining the ACL, the Company generally applies a discounted cash flow method for instruments that are individually assessed. For collateral dependent financial assets where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, the ACL is measured based on the difference between the fair value of the collateral (less selling costs if applicable) and the amortized cost basis of the asset as of the measurement date. Fair value is generally calculated based on the value of the underlying collateral less an appraisal discount.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### Goodwill
Goodwill and certain other intangibles generally arise from business combinations accounted for under the purchase method of accounting. Goodwill and other intangibles deemed to have indefinite lives generated from business combinations are not subject to amortization and are instead tested for impairment not less than annually or more frequently if events and circumstances exist that indicate that a goodwill impairment test should be performed. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the carrying amount of goodwill was $9.7 million, which was associated with a purchase of a prepaid third-party debit card business. Based on the Company's annual impairment assessment no impairment of goodwill existed as of December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023.

#### Stock-Based Compensation
Compensation cost is recognized for stock options, restricted stock awards and restricted stock units, based on the fair value of these awards at the date of grant. A Black-Scholes model is utilized to estimate the fair value of options. The market price of the Company's common stock at the date of grant is used for restricted stock awards and restricted stock units. Compensation cost is recognized over the required service period, generally defined as the vesting period. For awards with time-based vesting, compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award.

The Company also awards PRSUs to certain employees. The PRSUs are classified as either equity or a liability, depending on certain criteria provided in ASC 718, Stock Based Compensation. This classification affects whether the measurement of fair value is fixed (i.e., measured only once) on the grant date or whether fair value will be remeasured each reporting period until settled. On the grant date, the estimate of equity-classified awards' fair value would be fixed, the cumulative amount of previously recognized compensation cost would be adjusted, and the Company would no longer have to remeasure the award. If the award is liability-classified, the awards would continue to be marked to fair value each reporting period until settlement. The Company recognizes compensation cost for awards with performance conditions if and when it concludes that it is probable that the performance conditions will be achieved. The Company assesses the probability of vesting (i.e., that the performance conditions will be met) at each reporting period and, if required, adjusts compensation cost based on its probability assessment.

#### Concentrations of Credit Risk
Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of temporary cash investments including due from banks, interest-bearing deposits with banks and real estate loans receivable. A significant portion of real estate loans are collateralized by property in the New York metropolitan area. The ultimate collectability of these loans may be susceptible to changes in the real estate market in this area.

#### Leases
The Company follows ASC 842, Leases. The Company's real estate leases are recognized as operating leases. The related ROU lease assets and liabilities are recognized to reflect our right to use the underlying assets and contractual obligations associated with future rent payments. ROU assets are included in other assets and lease liabilities are included in other liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Operating lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. On a periodic basis, ROU assets are assessed for impairment and an impairment loss would be recognized if the carrying amount of the ROU asset is not recoverable.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### Premises and Equipment
Premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is computed over the estimated useful lives of the assets by the straight-line method with useful lives ranging from three to thirty years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the terms of the respective leases or the estimated lives of the improvements.

#### Other Investments
Other investments include FRB and FHLB stock and CRA related investments. The Company is a member of the FRB and the FHLB systems. FHLB members are required to own membership stock and purchase activity-based stock that is based on the level of outstanding borrowings and municipal letters of credit. FRB and FHLB stock are carried at cost, classified as a restricted security, and periodically evaluated for impairment based on ultimate recovery of par value. Both cash and stock dividends are reported as income. At December 31, 2025, the Company held FRB and FHLB stock of $11.4 million and $7.2 million, respectively. At December 31, 2024, the Company held FRB and FHLB stock of $11.4 million and $17.2 million, respectively. At December 31, 2025 and 2024 the Company held a $1.5 million investment in The Disability Opportunity Fund, respectively, which is an equity equivalent investment in a community development financial institution. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company also held $498 million of time deposits in community development financial institutions, respectively.

#### Derivatives
On occasion, the Company enters into derivative contracts as a part of its asset liability management strategy to help manage its interest rate risk position. The derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges. A cash flow hedge is a hedge of a forecasted transaction or the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability. For a cash flow hedge, the gain or loss on the derivative is reported in accumulated other comprehensive income and is reclassified into earnings in the same periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. Changes in the fair value of the derivative that are not highly effective in hedging the changes in expected cash flows of the hedged item are recognized immediately in current earnings. The amounts are reclassified to earnings in the same income statement line item that is used to present the earnings effect of the hedged item when the hedged item affects earnings.

The Company formally documents the relationship between derivatives and hedged items, as well as the risk management objective and the strategy for undertaking hedged transactions at the inception of the hedging relationship. The documentation includes linking the cash flow hedges to specific assets and liabilities on the balance sheet or to specific forecasted transactions or group of forecasted transactions. The Company also formally assesses, both at the hedge's inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivative instruments that are used are highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of the hedged items. The Company discontinues hedge accounting when it determines that the derivative is no longer effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows of the hedged item, the derivative is settled or terminates, a hedged forecasted transaction is no longer probable, or treatment of the derivative as a hedge is no longer appropriate or intended.

When a cash flow hedge is discontinued but the hedged cash flows or forecasted transactions are still expected to occur, gains or losses that were in accumulated other comprehensive income are amortized into earnings over the same periods in which the hedged transactions will affect earnings. If the forecasted transaction is deemed probable to not occur, the derivative gain or loss reported in accumulated other comprehensive income is reclassified into current earnings.

The Company also periodically enters into certain commercial loan interest rate swap agreements to provide commercial loan customers the ability to convert loans from variable to fixed interest rates. These derivative instruments are marked to market in earnings with changes in fair value reported as non-interest income.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income consists of net income and other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) includes unrealized gains and losses and reclassification to earnings related to AFS securities and cash flow hedges.

#### Earnings per Common Share
Basic earnings per common share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the applicable period, including outstanding participating securities. Diluted earnings per common share is computed using the weighted average number of shares determined for the basic computation plus the dilutive effect of potential common shares issuable under certain stock compensation plans. Unvested share-based awards and preferred shares that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents (whether paid or unpaid) are participating securities and are included in the computation of earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method.

#### Income Taxes
Income tax expense is the total of the current year income tax due or refundable and the change in deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities as measured by the enacted tax rates which will be in effect when these differences reverse. A valuation allowance is recorded, as necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to an estimated amount expected to be realized.

A tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is "more likely than not" that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the "more likely than not" test, no tax benefit is recorded.

The Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

#### Loan Commitments and Related Financial Instruments
Financial instruments include off-balance sheet credit instruments, such as commitments to make loans and commercial letters of credit, issued to meet customer financing needs. The face amount for these items represents the exposure to loss, before considering customer collateral or ability to repay. Such financial instruments are recorded when they are funded.

#### Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair values of financial instruments are estimated using relevant market information and other assumptions, as more fully disclosed in a separate note. Fair value estimates involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment regarding interest rates, credit risk, prepayments, and other factors, especially in the absence of liquid markets for certain items. Changes in assumptions or in market conditions could significantly affect the estimates.

#### Loss Contingencies
Loss contingencies, including claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business, are recorded as liabilities when the likelihood of loss is probable and an amount or range of loss can be reasonably estimated.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### Reclassifications
Some items in the prior year financial statements may have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Reclassification had no effect on prior year net income or stockholders' equity.

#### Operating Segment
The Company adopted ASU 2023-07 "Segment Reporting (Topic 280) - Improvement to Reportable Segment Disclosures" on January 1, 2024. The Company has determined that all of its banking divisions meet the aggregation criteria of ASC 280 as its current operating model is structured whereby banking divisions serve a similar base of primarily commercial clients utilizing a company-wide offering of similar products and services managed through similar processes and platforms that are collectively reviewed by the Company's Chief Executive Officer, who has been identified as the chief operating decision maker ("CODM").

The CODM regularly assesses performance of the aggregated single operating and reporting segment and decides how to allocate resources based on net income calculated on the same basis as is net income reported in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. The CODM is also regularly provided with expense information at a level consistent with that disclosed in the Company's consolidated statements of operations.

#### NOTE 3 — SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASC 326, which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost to be based on historical experience, current condition, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. ASC 326 requires that financial institutions and other organizations will use forward-looking information to better inform their credit loss estimates. This guidance also amends the accounting for credit losses on AFS debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2023 using a modified retrospective approach. The Company recorded a cumulative effect adjustment that increased the allowance for credit losses for loans and loan commitments by $3.0 million, increased deferred tax assets by $777,000 and decreased retained earnings by $2.1 million, net of tax.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures". ASU 2023-09 requires annual disclosures which provide qualitative and quantitative updates to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid disclosures, among others, in order to enhance the transparency of income tax disclosures. The Company adopted this guidance prospectively in 2025, which did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, "Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40)". ASU 2024-03 requires disaggregation of certain expense captions into specified categories in disclosures within the footnotes to the financial statements. ASU No. 2024-03 does not change the expense captions an entity presents on the face of the income statement. Subsequently issued ASU No. 2025-01 amended the effective date of ASU No. 2024-03 to require all public business entities to adopt the new guidance for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. The guidance may be applied on a prospective or retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU No. 2024- 03 on its consolidated financial statements.

ASU No. 2025-06, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): "Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Internal-Use Software" clarifies the accounting for costs related to internal-use software. The new guidance clarifies the threshold entities apply to begin capitalizing costs and removes all references to project stages in ASC Subtopic 350-40. ASU No. 2025-06 is effective for the Company beginning in 2028. The new guidance may be

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
applied using a prospective, retrospective or modified transition approach with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2025-06 on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-08, "Financial instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Purchased Loans," which amends the guidance in ASC 326 on the accounting for certain purchased loans. Under the ASU, entities must account for acquired loans (excluding credit cards) that meet certain criteria at acquisition ("purchased seasoned loans") by recognizing them at their purchase price plus an allowance for expected credit losses (the "gross-up approach"). ASU 2025-08 also introduces an accounting policy election related to the subsequent measurement of expected credit losses for entities that use a method other than a discounted cash flow analysis to estimate credit losses on purchased seasoned loans. If this accounting policy is elected, entities can use the amortized cost basis of the asset to subsequently measure their credit loss allowance. ASU 2025-08 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026. Early adoption is permitted in an interim or annual reporting period in which financial statements have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2025-08 on its consolidated financial statements.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 4 — INVESTMENT SECURITIES
The following tables summarizes the amortized cost and fair value of AFS and HTM debt securities and equity investments and the corresponding amounts of gross unrealized gains and losses recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and gross unrecognized gains and losses recognized in earnings (in thousands):

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** | <br>**Amortized**<br>**Cost** | **Gross**<br>**Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Gains** | **Gross**<br>**Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** | <br>**Fair Value** |
| **Available-for-Sale Securities:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $30000 | $— | $(1886) | $28114 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities | 11184 |  | (1456) | 9728 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS | 543349 | 2409 | (50726) | 495032 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS | 45560 | 79 | (1939) | 43700 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities | 2419 |  | (61) | 2358 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities available-for-sale | $632512 | $2488 | $(56068) | $578932 |
| **Held-to-Maturity Securities:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities | $15065 | $— | $(1402) | $13663 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS | 333515 |  | (41662) | 291853 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS | 8047 |  | (481) | 7566 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities held-to-maturity | $356627 | $— | $(43545) | $313082 |
| **Equity Investments:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;CRA Mutual Fund | $5858 | $— | $(249) | $5609 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total equity investment securities | $5858 | $— | $(249) | $5609 |

---

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**At December 31, 2024** | <br>**Amortized**<br>**Cost** | **Gross**<br>**Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Gains** | **Gross**<br>**Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** | <br>**Fair Value** |
| **Available-for-Sale Securities:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $67999 | $— | $(4247) | $63752 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities | 11341 |  | (1841) | 9500 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS | 430968 | 854 | (68754) | 363068 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS | 46094 |  | (2966) | 43128 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities | 2677 |  | (40) | 2637 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities available-for-sale | $559079 | $854 | $(77848) | $482085 |
| **Held-to-Maturity Securities:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Treasury securities | $29938 | $— | $(410) | $29528 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities | 15319 |  | (1686) | 13633 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS | 375232 |  | (58866) | 316366 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS | 8068 |  | (876) | 7192 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities held-to-maturity | $428557 | $— | $(61838) | $366719 |
| **Equity Investments:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;CRA Mutual Fund | $5503 | $— | $(394) | $5109 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total equity investment securities | $5503 | $— | $(394) | $5109 |

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following table summarizes the proceeds and associated gains and (losses) from sales and calls of securities (in thousands):

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Proceeds | $18400 | $— | $— |
| Gross gains | $674 | $— | $— |
| Tax impact | $(202) | $— | $— |

---

The tables below summarize, by contractual maturity, the amortized cost and fair value of debt securities. The tables do not include the effect of principal repayments or scheduled principal amortization. Equity securities, primarily investment in mutual funds, have been excluded from the table. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities if borrowers have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties (in thousands):

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Held-to-Maturity** | **Held-to-Maturity** | **Available-for-Sale** | **Available-for-Sale** |
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** | **Amortized Cost** | **Fair Value** | **Amortized Cost** | **Fair Value** |
| Due within 1 year | $— | $— | $10000 | $9960 |
| After 1 year through 5 years |  |  | 15000 | 14261 |
| After 5 years through 10 years |  |  | 4823 | 3985 |
| After 10 years | 15065 | 13663 | 11361 | 9636 |
| Mortgage-backed and Asset-backed Securities | 341562 | 299419 | 591328 | 541090 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total Securities | $356627 | $313082 | $632512 | $578932 |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Held-to-Maturity** | **Held-to-Maturity** | **Available-for-Sale** | **Available-for-Sale** |
| <br>**At December 31, 2024** | **Amortized Cost** | **Fair Value** | **Amortized Cost** | **Fair Value** |
| Due within 1 year | $29938 | 29527 | 38000 | 36954 |
| After 1 year through 5 years |  |  | 24999 | 23200 |
| After 5 years through 10 years |  |  | 4827 | 3713 |
| After 10 years | 15319 | 13633 | 11514 | 9385 |
| Mortgage-backed and Asset-backed Securities | 383300 | 323559 | 479739 | 408833 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total Securities | $428557 | $366719 | $559079 | $482085 |

---

At December 31, 2025, there were $807.5 million of securities pledged to support wholesale funding, and to a lesser extent certain other types of deposits, of which $118.2 million were encumbered. At December 31, 2024, there were $750.3 million of securities pledged to support wholesale funding, and to a lesser extent certain other types of deposits, of which $65.5 million were encumbered.

At December 31, 2025 and 2024, there were no holdings of securities of any one issuer, other than the U.S. Government and its agencies, in an amount greater than 10% of stockholders' equity. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, all Residential and Commercial MBS held by the Company were issued by U.S. government-sponsored entities and agencies.

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following tables present debt securities with unrealized/unrecognized losses, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position, are as follows (in thousands):

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Less than 12 Months** | **Less than 12 Months** | **12 Months or More** | **12 Months or More** | **Total** | **Total** |
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** | <br>**Estimated**<br>**Fair Value** | **Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** | <br>**Estimated**<br>**Fair Value** | **Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** | <br>**Estimated**<br>**Fair Value** | **Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** |
| **Available-for-Sale Securities:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $— | $— | $28114 | $(1886) | $28114 | $(1886) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities |  |  | 9728 | (1456) | 9728 | (1456) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS |  |  | 241900 | (50726) | 241900 | (50726) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS | 10878 | (13) | 23354 | (1926) | 34232 | (1939) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities |  |  | 2358 | (61) | 2358 | (61) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities available-for-sale | $10878 | $(13) | $305454 | $(56055) | $316332 | $(56068) |
| **Held-to-Maturity Securities:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities | $— | $— | $13663 | $(1402) | $13663 | $(1402) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS |  |  | 291853 | (41662) | 291853 | (41662) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS |  |  | 7566 | (481) | 7566 | (481) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities held-to-maturity | $— | $— | $313082 | $(43545) | $313082 | $(43545) |

---

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Less than 12 Months** | **Less than 12 Months** | **12 Months or More** | **12 Months or More** | **Total** | **Total** |
| <br>**At December 31, 2024** | <br>**Estimated**<br>**Fair Value** | **Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** | <br>**Estimated**<br>**Fair Value** | **Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** | <br>**Estimated**<br>**Fair Value** | **Unrealized/**<br>**Unrecognized**<br>**Losses** |
| **Available-for-Sale Securities:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $— | $— | $63752 | $(4247) | $63752 | $(4247) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities |  |  | 9500 | (1841) | 9500 | (1841) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS | 46859 | (1104) | 258763 | (67650) | 305622 | (68754) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS | 19624 | (410) | 23504 | (2556) | 43128 | (2966) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities |  |  | 2637 | (40) | 2637 | (40) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities available-for-sale | $66483 | $(1514) | $358156 | $(76334) | $424639 | $(77848) |
| **Held-to-Maturity Securities:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Treasury securities | $— | $— | $29528 | $(410) | $29528 | $(410) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities |  |  | 13633 | (1686) | 13633 | (1686) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Residential MBS |  |  | 316366 | (58866) | 316366 | (58866) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial MBS |  |  | 7192 | (876) | 7192 | (876) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total securities held-to-maturity | $— | $— | $366719 | $(61838) | $366719 | $(61838) |

---

Except for U.S. State and Municipal securities, the Company has a zero loss expectation for its HTM securities portfolio, and therefore has no ACL related to these securities. Obligations of U.S. State and Municipal securities were rated investment grade at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 and the associated ACL was immaterial.

AFS securities in unrealized loss positions are evaluated for impairment related to credit losses on a quarterly basis. The unrealized losses on AFS securities are primarily due to the changes in market interest rates subsequent to purchase. In addition, the Company does not intend, nor would it be required to sell, these investments until there is a full recovery of the unrealized loss, which may be at maturity. As a result, no ACL was recognized during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 5 — LOANS
Loans, net of deferred fees and costs, consist of the following (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At**<br>**December 31,** <br>**2025** | **At**<br>**December 31,** <br>**2024** |
| Real estate |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial | $5201489 | $4317361 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Construction | 261804 | 206960 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Multi-family | 397010 | 376737 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;One-to four-family | 86449 | 90880 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total real estate loans | 5946752 | 4991938 |
| Commercial and industrial | 871652 | 1046146 |
| Consumer | 10349 | 12961 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total loans | 6828753 | 6051045 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Deferred fees, net of origination costs | (18520) | (16969) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loans, net of deferred fees and costs | 6810233 | 6034076 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Allowance for credit losses | (97081) | (63273) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net loans | $6713152 | $5970803 |

---

At December 31, 2025, there were $3.7 billion of loans pledged to support wholesale funding, of which $446.5 million were encumbered. At December 31, 2024, there were $3.3 billion of loans pledged to support wholesale funding, of which $348.8 million were encumbered.

The following tables present the activity in the ACL by segment. The portfolio segments represent the categories that the Company uses to determine its ACL (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Year ended December 31, 2025** | <br>**CRE** | <br>**C&I** | <br>**Construction** | **Multi-**<br>**family** | **One-to four-**<br>**family** | <br>**Consumer** | <br>**Total** |
| Allowance for credit losses: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Beginning balance | $42070 | $10991 | $1962 | $7290 | $577 | $383 | $63273 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Provision/(credit) for credit losses | 18748 | (1236) | 549 | 19156 | (37) | 281 | 37461 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loans charged-off |  |  |  | (3827) |  | (262) | (4089) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Recoveries |  | 425 |  |  |  | 11 | 436 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total ending allowance balance | $60818 | $10180 | $2511 | $22619 | $540 | $413 | $97081 |

---

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Year ended December 31, 2024** | <br>**CRE** | <br>**C&I** | <br>**Construction** | **Multi-**<br>**family** | **One-to four-**<br>**family** | <br>**Consumer** | <br>**Total** |
| Allowance for credit losses: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Beginning balance | $35635 | $11207 | $1765 | $8215 | $663 | $480 | $57965 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Provision/(credit) for credit losses | 6434 | (336) | 197 | (925) | (86) | 147 | 5431 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loans charged-off |  |  |  |  |  | (247) | (247) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Recoveries | 1 | 120 |  |  |  | 3 | 124 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total ending allowance balance | $42070 | $10991 | $1962 | $7290 | $577 | $383 | $63273 |

---

Net charge-offs (recoveries) for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 were $3.7 million and $123,000, respectively.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following table presents the activity in the ACL for unfunded loan commitments (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| Balance at the beginning of period  | $2008 | $1182 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Provision/(credit) for credit losses | 132 | 826 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total ending allowance balance | $2140 | $2008 |

---

The following tables present the recorded investment in non-accrual loans, loans past due over 90 days and still accruing by class of loans (in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** | <br><br>**Total**<br>**Non-accrual** | <br>**Non-accrual**<br>**Without an**<br>**ACL** | **Loans Past Due**<br> **90 Days and**<br>**Greater and**<br>**Still Accruing** |
| Commercial real estate | $32809 | $3365 | $— |
| Commercial & industrial | 8989 | 6989 |  |
| Multi-family | 42599 | 7861 |  |
| One-to-four family | 2450 | 2450 |  |
| Consumer |  |  | 37 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $86847 | $20665 | $37 |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**At December 31, 2024** | <br>**Total**<br>**Non-accrual** | <br>**Non-accrual**<br>**Without an**<br>**ACL** | **Loans Past Due**<br> **90 Days and**<br>**Greater and**<br>**Still Accruing** |
| Commercial real estate | $25087 | $25087 | $— |
| Commercial & industrial | 6989 | 6989 |  |
| One-to-four family | 452 | 452 |  |
| Consumer |  |  | 72 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $32528 | $32528 | $72 |

---

Interest income on nonaccrual loans recognized on a cash basis for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 was immaterial.

The following tables present the aging of the recorded investment in past due loans by class of loans (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** | <br>**30-59**<br>**Days** | <br>**60-89**<br>**Days** | **Non-accrual or**<br>**90 Days and**<br>**Greater** | **Total Past**<br>**Due or**<br>**Non-accrual** | <br>**Current**<br>**Loans** | <br><br>**Total** |
| Commercial real estate | $— | $— | $32809 | $32809 | $5168680 | $5201489 |
| Commercial & industrial |  | 200 | 8989 | 9189 | 862463 | 871652 |
| Construction |  |  |  |  | 261804 | 261804 |
| Multi-family | 1755 |  | 42599 | 44354 | 352656 | 397010 |
| One-to four-family | 1246 |  | 2450 | 3696 | 82753 | 86449 |
| Consumer | 81 |  | 37 | 118 | 10231 | 10349 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $3082 | $200 | $86884 | $90166 | $6738587 | $6828753 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**At December 31, 2024** | <br>**30-59**<br>**Days** | <br>**60-89**<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Days&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;** | **Non-accrual or**<br>**90 Days and**<br>**Greater** | **Total Past**<br>**Due or**<br>**Non-accrual** | <br>**Current**<br>**Loans** | <br><br>**Total** |
| Commercial real estate | $7115 | $— | $25087 | $32202 | $4285159 | $4317361 |
| Commercial & industrial |  |  | 6989 | 6989 | 1039157 | 1046146 |
| Construction |  |  |  |  | 206960 | 206960 |
| Multi-family |  |  |  |  | 376737 | 376737 |
| One-to four-family | 2049 |  | 452 | 2501 | 88379 | 90880 |
| Consumer | 124 | 22 | 72 | 218 | 12743 | 12961 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $9288 | $22 | $32600 | $41910 | $6009135 | $6051045 |

---

#### Credit Quality Indicators
The Company aggregates loans into risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt such as: current financial information, historical payment experience, credit documentation, public information, and current economic trends, among other factors. Except for one-to four-family loans and consumer loans, the Company analyzes loans individually by classifying the loans as to credit risk at least annually. For one-to four-family loans and consumer loans, the Company evaluates credit quality based on the aging status of the loan, which was previously presented. An analysis is performed on a quarterly basis for loans classified as special mention, substandard, or doubtful. The Company uses the following definitions for risk ratings. Loans not meeting these definitions are considered to be pass rated loans.

**Special Mention** - Loans classified as special mention have a potential weakness that deserves management's attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan or of the Company's credit position at some future date.

**Substandard** - Loans classified as substandard are inadequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans so classified have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the Company will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.

**Doubtful** - Loans classified as doubtful have all the weaknesses inherent in those classified as substandard, with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following table presents loan balances by credit quality indicator and year of origination at December 31, 2025 (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** | **2022** | **2021** | **2020**<br>**& Prior** | <br>**Revolving** | <br>**Total**  |
| **CRE** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $2514770 | $1030181 | $675773 | $524079 | $192304 | $135336 | $50491 | $5122934 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Special Mention | 19525 | 21500 |  |  | 1246 |  |  | 42271 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard | 3475 |  |  | 24000 | 8809 |  |  | 36284 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $2537770 | $1051681 | $675773 | $548079 | $202359 | $135336 | $50491 | $5201489 |
| **Construction** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $129806 | $49898 | $51484 | $— | $— | $— | $30616 | $261804 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $129806 | $49898 | $51484 | $— | $— | $— | $30616 | $261804 |
| **Multi-family** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $169606 | $32869 | $30296 | $36451 | $60650 | $8930 | $2671 | $341473 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Special Mention | 12938 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12938 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard | 40070 | 2529 |  |  |  |  |  | 42599 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $222614 | $35398 | $30296 | $36451 | $60650 | $8930 | $2671 | $397010 |
| **One-to four-family** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Current | $— | $— | $45000 | $3192 | $211 | $35596 | $— | $83999 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard |  |  |  |  |  | 2450 |  | 2450 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $— | $— | $45000 | $3192 | $211 | $38046 | $— | $86449 |
| **C&I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $130514 | $138733 | $46470 | $80377 | $16377 | $2372 | $399005 | $813848 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard | 14008 |  | 7643 | 20968 |  |  | 15185 | 57804 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $144522 | $138733 | $54113 | $101345 | $16377 | $2372 | $414190 | $871652 |
| **Consumer** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Current | $— | $— | $— | $— | $— | $10231 | $— | $10231 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Past due |  |  |  |  |  | 118 |  | 118 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $— | $— | $— | $— | $— | $10349 | $— | $10349 |
| **Total** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass/Current | $2944696 | $1251680 | $849023 | $644099 | $269543 | $192465 | $482783 | $6634289 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Special Mention | 32463 | 21500 |  |  | 1246 |  |  | 55209 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard/Past due | 57553 | 2529 | 7643 | 44968 | 8809 | 2568 | 15185 | 139255 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $3034712 | $1275709 | $856666 | $689067 | $279598 | $195033 | $497968 | $6828753 |
| **Charge-offs** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Multi-family | $— | $— | $— | $— | $3827 | $— | $— | $3827 |
| Consumer |  |  |  |  |  | 262 |  | 262 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $— | $— | $— | $— | $3827 | $262 | $— | $4089 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following table presents loan balances by credit quality indicator and year of origination at December 31, 2024 (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **2024** | **2023** | **2022** | **2021** | **2020** | **2019**<br>**& Prior** | <br>**Revolving** | <br>**Total**  |
| **CRE** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $1613785 | $1114212 | $927851 | $241340 | $125676 | $149727 | $26569 | $4199160 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Special Mention | 73859 |  | 5000 | 14255 |  |  |  | 93114 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard | 1087 |  | 24000 |  |  |  |  | 25087 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $1688731 | $1114212 | $956851 | $255595 | $125676 | $149727 | $26569 | $4317361 |
| **Construction** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $104503 | $65231 | $8693 | $— | $— | $— | $28533 | $206960 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $104503 | $65231 | $8693 | $— | $— | $— | $28533 | $206960 |
| **Multi-family** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $110440 | $38143 | $74120 | $63086 | $23005 | $13480 | $3224 | $325498 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard |  |  | 30300 | 20939 |  |  |  | 51239 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $110440 | $38143 | $104420 | $84025 | $23005 | $13480 | $3224 | $376737 |
| **One-to four-family** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Current | $— | $45000 | $3469 | $— | $9531 | $30379 | $— | $88379 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Past Due |  |  |  |  |  | 2501 |  | 2501 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $— | $45000 | $3469 | $— | $9531 | $32880 | $— | $90880 |
| **C&I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass | $238850 | $96201 | $119601 | $62865 | $14987 | $1929 | $452477 | $986910 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Special Mention |  | 1497 | 10246 |  |  |  | 1000 | 12743 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard |  | 7643 | 20968 | 4697 |  |  | 13185 | 46493 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $238850 | $105341 | $150815 | $67562 | $14987 | $1929 | $466662 | $1046146 |
| **Consumer** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Current | $— | $— | $— | $— | $— | $12743 | $— | $12743 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Past due |  |  |  |  |  | 218 |  | 218 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $— | $— | $— | $— | $— | $12961 | $— | $12961 |
| **Total** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Pass/Current | $2067578 | $1358787 | $1133734 | $367291 | $173199 | $208258 | $510803 | $5819650 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Special Mention | 73859 | 1497 | 15246 | 14255 |  |  | 1000 | 105857 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Substandard/Past due | 1087 | 7643 | 75268 | 25636 |  | 2719 | 13185 | 125538 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $2142524 | $1367927 | $1224248 | $407182 | $173199 | $210977 | $524988 | $6051045 |
| **Charge-offs** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Consumer | $— | $— | $— | $— | $— | $247 | $— | $247 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
A loan is considered collateral dependent when the borrower is experiencing financial difficulties and repayment is expected to be substantially provided by the operation or sale of the collateral. The following table presents collateral dependent substandard loans by portfolio segment as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **December 31,** <br>**2025** | **December 31,** <br>**2024** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Collateral dependent loans:** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial real estate | $36284 | $24000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Multi-family | 42599 | 51239 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One-to four-family | 2450 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total  | $81333 | $75239 |

---

The following tables show the amortized cost basis of modified loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty (in thousands):

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | <br>**Extension** | **Combination**<br>**Term**<br>**Extension and** <br>**Interest Rate**<br>**Reduction** | <br>**Total** | <br>**Modifications**<br>**as a % of**<br>**Loan Class** |
| <br>**Year ended December 31, 2025** |  |  |  |  |
| Commercial & industrial | $9810 | $— | $9810 | 1.1% |
| Multi-family | 34738 |  | 34738 | 8.7% |
| Total | $44548 | $— | $44548 |  |

---

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | <br>**Extension** | **Combination**<br>**Term**<br>**Extension and** <br>**Interest Rate**<br>**Reduction** | <br>**Interest Rate**<br>**Reduction** | <br>**Total** | <br>**Modifications**<br>**as a % of**<br>**Loan Class** |
| <br>**Year ended December 31, 2024** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Commercial & industrial | $— | $11686 | $— | $11686 | 1.1% |
| Multi-family |  | 48224 | 3015 | 51239 | 13.6% |
| Total | $— | $59910 | $3015 | $62925 |  |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Types of Modifications** | **Types of Modifications** |
| | <br>**Term** <br>**Extension** | **Weighted** <br>**Average** <br>**Interest**<br>**Rate**<br>**Reduction** |
| <br>**Year ended December 31, 2025** |  |  |
| Commercial & industrial | 144 months |  |
| Multi-family | 6-12 months |  |
| **Year ended December 31, 2024** |  |  |
| Commercial & industrial | 11-12 months | 2.9% |
| Multi-family | 6-12 months | 4.1% |

---

There were $34.7 million of CRE multi-family loans and $7.0 million of C&I loans that had a payment default during the year ended December 31, 2025 that were modified in the prior 12 months before default to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. At December 31, 2025 there were no additional commitments to lend to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty whose loans have been modified.

There were $7.0 million of C&I loans, that had a payment default during the year ended December 31, 2024 that were modified in the prior 12 months before default to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. At December 31, 2024, there were no additional commitments to lend to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty whose loans have been modified.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 6 — LEASES
The Company leases its corporate office, banking centers and loan production offices. The following tables present the Company's lease cost and other information related to its operating leases (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| Supplemental balance sheet information: |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lease assets (classified in Other assets on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition)  | $44994 | $47619 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lease liabilities (classified in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition) | $49337 | $51910 |
| Weighted average remaining lease term in years | 14.4 | 15.2 |
| Weighted average discount rate | 4.77% | 4.73% |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Components of lease cost: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Operating lease cost (classified in Bank premises & equipment on the Consolidated Statement of Operations) | $5334 | $5119 | $5290 |
| Supplemental cash flow information: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Operating cash outflows from operating leases | $5283 | $5012 | $5191 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Non-cash activity related to lease assets: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lease assets obtained from new operating lease liabilities | $388 | $9197 | $2036 |

---

The following table presents the remaining maturity of lease liabilities as well as the reconciliation of undiscounted lease payments to the discounted operating lease liabilities (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| Lease liabilities maturing in: |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2026 | $5379 | $5257 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2027 | 5003 | 5274 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2028 | 4590 | 4899 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2029 | 4577 | 4486 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2030 | 4768 | 4499 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thereafter | 45572 | 50340 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total | $69889 | $74755 |
| Less: Present value discount | (20552) | (22845) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total lease liabilities | $49337 | $51910 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 7 — PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT
Premises and equipment are summarized as follows (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| Furniture and Equipment | $19221 | $16413 |
| Land, buildings and improvements | 13479 | 13479 |
| Leasehold Improvements | 25002 | 23467 |
| Total Premises and Equipment | 57702 | 53359 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Less accumulated depreciation and amortization | (19356) | (18395) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total Premises and Equipment, net | $38346 | $34964 |

---

Depreciation and amortization expense amounted to $2.9 million, $2.7 million and $2.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

#### NOTE 8 — DEPOSITS
Deposits consisted of the following (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Noninterest bearing demand accounts | $1479420 | $1334054 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Money market | 5698748 | 4514579 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Savings accounts | 8886 | 8943 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Time deposits | 190124 | 125397 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total deposits | $7377178 | $5982973 |

---

Time deposits that meet or exceed the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000 at December 31, 2025 and 2024 were $46.4 million and $26.2 million, respectively.

The following table presents the scheduled annual maturities of time deposits (in thousands):

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,** <br>**2025** |
| 2026 | $186289 |
| 2027 | 2900 |
| 2028 | 935 |
| 2029 |  |
| 2030 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total time deposits | $190124 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 9 — BORROWINGS

#### Federal Funds Purchased, FHLB Advances, and Secured and Other Borrowings
Federal funds purchased and FHLBNY advances consisted of the following (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | | | **Interest Expense** | **Interest Expense** | **Interest Expense** |
|  | | | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  |
|  | | | **December 31,**  | **December 31,**  | **December 31,**  |
|  | <br>**At**<br>**December 31,** <br>**2025** | <br>**At**<br>**December 31,** <br>**2024** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase | $— | $210000 | $4009 | $769 | $5651 |
| Federal Home Loan Bank of New York advances | $— | $240000 | $7310 | $11659 | $17321 |
| Secured and other borrowings: |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Secured borrowings | $10975 | $7441 | N.M | N.M | N.M |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Federal Reserve Bank term loan | $— | $— | $— | $4096 | $— |

---

N.M. – not meaningful

Federal funds purchased are generally overnight transactions and had a weighted average interest rate of 4.48% at December 31, 2024. The FHLBNY advances are short-term transactions and had a fixed weighted average interest rate of 4.56% at December 31, 2024. There were no securities sold under agreements to repurchase outstanding as December 31, 2025 and 2024.

The Federal Reserve established the Bank Term Funding Program ("BTFP") on March 12, 2023, as a funding source for eligible depository institutions. Advances can no longer be requested under the program. The BTFP was created to provide short-term liquidity (up to one-year) against the par value of certain high-quality collateral, such as U.S. Treasury securities. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company had no outstanding FRB term loans under the BTFP.

At December 31, 2025, the Company had cash on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and available secured wholesale funding borrowing capacity of $3.3 billion.

#### Trust Preferred Securities Payable
On December 7, 2005, the Company established MetBank Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust ("Trust I"). The Company received all of the common stock of Trust I in exchange for contributed capital of $310,000. Trust I issued $10.0 million of preferred capital securities to investors in a private transaction and invested the proceeds, combined with the proceeds from the sale of Trust I's common capital securities, in the Company through the purchase of $10.3 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (the "Debentures") issued by the Company. The Debentures, the sole assets of Trust I, mature on December 9, 2035 and are callable at any time. At December 31, 2025 and 2024 the Debentures bore interest at a floating rate of three-month SOFR plus 1.85%. The interest rates were 6.02% and 6.77% as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

On July 14, 2006, the Company established MetBank Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust ("Trust II"). The Company received all of the common stock of Trust II in exchange for contributed capital of $310,000. Trust II issued $10.0 million of preferred capital securities to investors in a private transaction and invested the proceeds, combined with the proceeds from the sale of Trust II's common capital securities, in the Company through the purchase of $10.3 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (the "Debentures II") issued by the Company.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Debentures II, the sole assets of Trust II, mature on October 7, 2036 and are callable at any time. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Debentures bore interest at a floating rate of three-month SOFR plus 2.00%. The interest rates were 6.17% and 6.92% as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

The Company is not considered the primary beneficiary of these trusts; therefore, the trusts are not consolidated in the Company's financial statements. Interest on the subordinated debentures may be deferred by the Company at any time or from time to time for a period not exceeding twenty consecutive quarterly payments (five years), provided there is no event of default. At the end of the deferral period, the Company must pay accrued interest, at which point it may elect a new deferral period provided that no deferral may extend beyond maturity.

The investments in the common stock of Trust I and Trust II are included in other assets on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The subordinated debentures may be included in Tier 1 capital (with certain applicable limitations) under current regulatory guidelines and interpretations.

#### NOTE 10 — INCOME TAXES
Income tax expense consisted of the following (in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Current |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Federal | $25113 | $20729 | $21503 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;State and local | 14562 | 12464 | 10947 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total current | 39675 | 33193 | 32450 |
| Deferred |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Federal | (5539) | (1479) | (2662) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;State and local | (3725) | (1319) | (138) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total deferred | (9264) | (2798) | (2800) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total income tax expense | $30411 | $30395 | $29650 |

---

The Company did not have any income tax expense (benefit) in foreign jurisdictions for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Deferred tax assets and liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| Deferred tax assets: |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Allowance for credit losses | $29093 | $19208 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Lease liabilities | 14785 | 15555 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net unrealized loss on securities available for sale | 16057 | 23063 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Off balance sheet reserves | 641 | 382 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net unrealized loss on interest rate derivatives | 1201 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Restricted stock | 1856 | 1822 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other | 75 | 136 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total gross deferred tax assets | 63708 | 60166 |
| Deferred tax liabilities: |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Right of use lease asset | 13484 | 14269 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Depreciation and amortization | 4258 | 3190 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Net unrealized gain on interest rate derivatives |  | 147 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Prepaid assets | 1762 | 1181 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total gross deferred tax liabilities | 19504 | 18787 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net deferred tax asset, included in other assets | $44204 | $41379 |

---

The following is a reconciliation of the Company's statutory federal income tax rate to its effective tax rate (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the year ended December 31,**  | **For the year ended December 31,**  | **For the year ended December 31,**  | **For the year ended December 31,**  | **For the year ended December 31,**  | **For the year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2025** | **2024** | **2024** | **2023** | **2023** |
|  | **Tax expense/**<br>**(benefit)** | <br>**Rate** | **Tax expense/**<br>**(benefit)** | <br>**Rate** | **Tax expense/**<br>**(benefit)** | <br>**Rate** |
| Pretax income at statutory rates | $21317 | 21.00% | $20367 | 21.00% | $22453 | 21.00% |
| State and local taxes, net of federal income tax benefit | 8561 | 8.43 | 8804 | 9.08 | 8539 | 7.99 |
| Nontaxable or nondeductible items: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tax-exempt income, net | (101) | (0.10) | (103) | (0.11) | (104) | (0.10) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other | 650 | 0.64 | 1780 | 1.84 | (940) | (0.88) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity compensation |  |  |  |  | (1063) | (0.99) |
| Other | (16) | (0.01) | (453) | (0.47) | 765 | 0.71 |
| Effective income tax expense/rate | $30411 | 29.96% | $30395 | 31.34% | $29650 | 27.73% |

---

The Company adopted ASU 2023-09 on a prospective basis for the year ended December 31, 2025 and has included the following table as a result of the adoption, which presents income taxes paid, net of refunds received (in thousands):

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **For the year ended December 31, 2025** |
| Federal | $17000 |
| State and local: |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;New York | 3555 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;New York City | 2910 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;New Jersey | 1640 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other | 747 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total cash paid for income taxes | $25852 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Company and the Bank filed consolidated Federal, California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, and Tennessee income tax returns in 2024 and 2023. The Bank is subject to Alabama, Florida, and Missouri income taxes on a separate company basis.

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, there are no unrecognized tax benefits, and the Company does not expect this to significantly change in the next twelve months. Except for California, Kentucky, New Jersey and New York City, the Company is no longer subject to examination by the U.S. federal and state or local tax authorities for years prior to 2022. California, Kentucky, and New Jersey are no longer subject to examination for years prior to 2021. As of December 31, 2025, the Company was no longer under audit in any jurisdictions.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had net deferred tax assets of $44.2 million. These deferred tax assets can only be realized if the Company generates taxable income in the future. The Company regularly evaluates the feasibility of the deferred tax asset positions. In determining whether a valuation allowance is necessary, the Company considers the level of taxable income in prior years to the extent that carrybacks are permitted under current tax laws, as well as estimates of future pre-tax and taxable income and tax planning strategies that would, if necessary, be implemented. The Company expects to realize the deferred tax assets over the allowable carryback and/or carryforward periods. Therefore, no valuation allowance was deemed necessary against the deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2025. However, if an unanticipated event occurred that materially changed pre-tax and taxable income in future periods, a valuation allowance may become necessary and could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

On July 4, 2025, the President of the United States signed into law budget reconciliation bill H.R.I, referred to as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" ("OBBBA"). The OBBBA contains numerous federal tax provisions including modifications to the capitalization of research and development expenses, limitations on deductions for interest expense, and accelerated fixed asset depreciation. The Company considered the effects of the OBBBA on its consolidated financial statements, and no material impact was noted.

#### NOTE 11 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In the ordinary course of business, certain principal officers, directors, and their affiliates have deposits with the Company, which at December 31, 2025 and 2024 were $4.8 million and $471,000, respectively. There were no extensions of credit to the Company's directors, executive officers, principal stockholders and their associates at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

On August 15, 2016, the Company made a loan to an executive officer of the Company, which was subsequently extended on August 15, 2021, in the amount of $780,000 and having an interest rate of 2.1% per annum (the "2021 Loan"). On March 6, 2023, the Company purported to make a loan to this executive officer in the amount of $7.5 million with a fixed interest rate of 5.7% per annum (the "2023 Loan"), and the executive officer used substantially all of the proceeds of the 2023 Loan to pay the exercise price in connection with the exercise of certain existing stock options (the "Option Shares") and satisfy withholding tax obligations in connection with such exercise (the "Option Exercise").

In connection with the preparation of the proxy statement for the Company's 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, the Company's management and Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, along with outside counsel, reevaluated the 2023 Loan as well as the 2021 Loan. As part of this reevaluation, the Company determined that the 2023 Loan and the 2021 Loan were likely impermissible under applicable law and/or regulations. As a result of these determinations, and to the extent that the 2023 Loan and the Option Exercise were not void as a matter of law, on April 26, 2023, the Company and the executive officer entered into a Rescission Agreement (the "Rescission Agreement"). The Rescission Agreement provided, among other things, (i) that the 2023 Loan and the Option Exercise would be rescinded and deemed null and

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
void, (ii) that payments made in respect of the 2023 Loan, if any, would be returned, and (iii) that any dividends received by the executive officer in respect of the Option Shares have been returned or repaid to the Company. In connection with the entry into the Rescission Agreement, the executive officer repaid, in full, the 2021 Loan.

In the third quarter of 2023, the executive officer exercised the 220,200 existing stock options on a net share settlement basis, resulting in the issuance of 71,655 shares of the Company's common stock.

#### NOTE 12 — FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The Company uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and to determine fair value disclosures. Accounting guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The standard describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

*Level 1:*Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the entity has the ability to access as of the measurement date.

*Level 2:*Significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

*Level 3:*Significant unobservable inputs that reflect a reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.

#### Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring and Non-Recurring Basis
Assets measured on a recurring basis are limited to the Company's AFS securities portfolio, equity investments, and derivative contracts. The AFS portfolio is carried at estimated fair value with any unrealized gains and losses, net of taxes, reported as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss in shareholders' equity. Equity investments are carried at estimated fair value with changes in fair value reported on the statements of operations. Outstanding derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedges are carried at estimated fair value with changes in fair value reported as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss in shareholders' equity. Outstanding derivatives not designated as hedges are carried at estimated fair value with changes in fair value reported as non-interest income. The fair values for substantially all of these assets are obtained monthly from an independent nationally recognized pricing service. On a quarterly basis, the Company assesses the reasonableness of the fair values obtained for the AFS portfolio by reference to a second independent nationally recognized pricing service. Based on the nature of these securities, the Company's independent pricing service provides prices which are categorized as Level 2 since quoted prices in active markets for identical assets are generally not available for the majority of securities in the Company's portfolio. Various modeling techniques are used to determine pricing for the Company's mortgage-backed securities, including option pricing and discounted cash flow models. The inputs to these models include benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data. On an annual basis, the Company obtains the models, inputs and assumptions utilized by its pricing service and reviews them for reasonableness. Other than derivative contracts, the Company did not have any liabilities that were measured at fair value at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

From time to time, the Company may be required to record at fair value other assets or liabilities on a non-recurring basis, such as certain loans where the carrying value is based on the fair value of the underlying collateral estimated using Level 3 inputs consisting of individual third-party appraisals that may be adjusted based on certain criteria.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and non-recurring basis are summarized below (in thousands):

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fair Value Measurement using:** | **Fair Value Measurement using:** | **Fair Value Measurement using:** | **Fair Value Measurement using:** |
|  | <br>**Carrying**<br>**Amount** | **Quoted Prices**<br>**in Active**<br>**Markets**<br>**For Identical**<br>**Assets (Level 1)** | <br>**Significant**<br>**Other**<br>**Observable**<br>**Inputs (Level 2)** | <br>**Significant**<br>**Unobservable**<br>**Inputs (Level 3)** |
| **At December 31, 2025** |  |  |  |  |
| **Recurring Fair Value Measurements:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Assets** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $28114 | $— | $28114 | $— |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities  | 9728 |  | 9728 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Residential mortgage securities | 495032 |  | 495032 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial mortgage securities | 43700 |  | 43700 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities | 2358 |  | 2358 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CRA Mutual Fund | 5609 | 5609 |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Derivative assets | 888 |  | 888 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Liabilities** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Derivative liabilities | 4562 |  | 4562 |  |
| **Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Assets** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Collateral dependent loans | 42408 |  |  | 42408 |
|  | **Fair Value Measurement using:** | **Fair Value Measurement using:** | **Fair Value Measurement using:** | **Fair Value Measurement using:** |
|  |  | **Quoted Prices** |  |  |
|  |  | **in Active** | **Significant** |  |
|  |  | **Markets** | **Other** | **Significant** |
|  | **Carrying** | **For Identical** | **Observable** | **Unobservable** |
|  | **Amount** | **Assets (Level 1)** | **Inputs (Level 2)** | **Inputs (Level 3)** |
| **At December 31, 2024** |  |  |  |  |
| **Recurring Fair Value Measurements:** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Assets** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Government agency securities | $63752 | $— | $63752 | $— |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. State and Municipal securities  | 9500 |  | 9500 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Residential mortgage securities | 363068 |  | 363068 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Commercial mortgage securities | 43128 |  | 43128 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Asset-backed securities | 2637 |  | 2637 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CRA Mutual Fund | 5109 | 5109 |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Derivative assets | 919 |  | 919 |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Liabilities** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Derivative liabilities | 1539 |  | 1539 |  |

---

There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during 2025 or 2024.

At December 31, 2025, collateral dependent multifamily loans with a total amortized cost of $34.7 million were reduced by an allowance for credit losses of $19.9 million for a reported total net carrying amount of $14.8 million. At December 31, 2025, collateral dependent CRE loans with a total amortized cost of $32.0 million were reduced by an allowance for credit losses of $4.4 million for a reported total net carrying amount of $27.6 million. The collateral values for these loans were estimated using individual third party appraisals that utilized the sales comparison valuation technique. The Company used Level 3 inputs to estimate the fair value including discounts to the appraisals for costs to sell, and other adjustments ranging from -100% to 15%, and with a weighted-average of -40%. There were no material assets and liabilities held at

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 2024 for which non-recurring fair value adjustments were recorded during the year ended December 31, 2024.

#### Assets and Liabilities Not Measured at Fair Value
The Company has engaged independent pricing service providers to provide the fair values of its financial assets and liabilities not measured at fair value. These providers follow FASB's exit pricing guidelines, as required by ASC 820 Fair Value Measurement, when calculating the fair market value. Cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from banks and overnight deposits. The estimated fair values of cash and cash equivalents are assumed to equal their carrying values, as these financial instruments are either due on demand or have short-term maturities. For securities and the disability fund, if quoted market prices are not available for a specific security, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics, or discounted cash flows. These pricing models primarily use market-based or independently sourced market parameters as inputs, including, but not limited to, yield curves, interest rates, equity or debt prices, and credit spreads. The estimated fair value of loans are measured at amortized cost using an exit price notion. Ownership in equity securities of the FRB and FHLB is generally restricted and there is no established liquid market for their resale. The fair values of deposit liabilities with no stated maturity (i.e., money market and savings deposits, and non-interest-bearing demand deposits) are equal to the carrying amounts payable on demand. Time deposits are valued using a replacement cost of funds approach. Trust preferred securities are valued using a replacement cost of funds approach. For all other assets and liabilities it is assumed that the carrying value equals their current fair value.

Carrying amount and estimated fair values of financial instruments not carried at fair value were as follows (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | | **Fair Value Measurement Using:** | **Fair Value Measurement Using:** | **Fair Value Measurement Using:** | |
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** | <br>**Carrying**<br>**Amount** | **Quoted Prices**<br>**in Active**<br>**Markets**<br>**For Identical**<br>**Assets (Level 1)** | <br>**Significant**<br>**Other**<br>**Observable**<br>**Inputs (Level 2)** | <br>**Significant**<br>**Unobservable**<br>**Inputs (Level 3)** | <br>**Total Fair**<br>**Value** |
| **Financial Assets:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cash and due from banks | $12086 | $12086 | $— | $— | $12086 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Overnight deposits | 381501 | 381501 |  |  | 381501 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Securities held-to-maturity | 356627 |  | 313082 |  | 313082 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Loans, net | 6713152 |  |  | 6790711 | 6790711 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FRB Stock | 11410 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FHLB Stock | 7224 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Disability Fund | 1500 |  | 1500 |  | 1500 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Time deposits at banks | 498 | 498 |  |  | 498 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Accrued interest receivable | 35818 |  | 2430 | 33388 | 35818 |
| **Financial Liabilities:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-interest-bearing demand deposits | $1479420 | $1479420 | $— | $— | $1479420 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Money market and savings deposits | 5707634 | 5707634 |  |  | 5707634 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Time deposits | 190124 |  | 190195 |  | 190195 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Trust preferred securities | 20620 |  |  | 20028 | 20028 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Accrued interest payable | 1635 | 12 | 1302 | 321 | 1635 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Secured and other borrowings | 10975 |  | 10975 |  | 10975 |

---

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | | **Fair Value Measurement Using:** | **Fair Value Measurement Using:** | **Fair Value Measurement Using:** | |
| <br>**At December 31, 2024** | <br>**Carrying**<br>**Amount** | **Quoted Prices**<br>**in Active**<br>**Markets**<br>**For Identical**<br>**Assets (Level 1)** | <br>**Significant**<br>**Other**<br>**Observable**<br>**Inputs (Level 2)** | <br>**Significant**<br>**Unobservable**<br>**Inputs (Level 3)** | <br>**Total Fair**<br>**Value** |
| **Financial Assets:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cash and due from banks | $13078 | $13078 | $— | $— | $13078 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Overnight deposits | 187190 | 187190 |  |  | 187190 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Securities held-to-maturity | 428557 |  | 366719 |  | 366719 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Loans, net | 5970803 |  |  | 5878582 | 5878582 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FRB Stock | 11410 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FHLB Stock | 17228 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Disability Fund | 1500 |  | 1500 |  | 1500 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Time deposits at banks | 498 | 498 |  |  | 498 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Accrued interest receivable | 33209 |  | 2105 | 31104 | 33209 |
| **Financial Liabilities:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Non-interest-bearing demand deposits | $1334054 | $1334054 | $— | $— | $1334054 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Money market and savings deposits | 4523522 | 4523522 |  |  | 4523522 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Time deposits | 125397 |  | 125288 |  | 125288 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Federal funds purchased | 210000 |  | 210000 |  | 210000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Federal Home Loan Bank of New York advances | 240000 |  | 240000 |  | 240000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Trust preferred securities | 20620 |  |  | 20024 | 20024 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Accrued interest payable | 1809 | 12 | 1436 | 361 | 1809 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Secured and other borrowings | 7441 |  | 7441 |  | 7441 |

---

#### NOTE 13 — STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN

#### Equity Incentive Plan
At December 31, 2025, the Company maintained two stock compensation plans, the Amended and Restated 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2022 EIP"), and the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2019 EIP"). The 2019 EIP expired on May 31, 2022 but had outstanding restricted stock awards subject to vesting schedules.

The 2022 EIP was approved on May 31, 2022 by stockholders of the Company and an amendment and restatement of the 2022 EIP was approved by the stockholders of the Company on May 29, 2024 to increase the number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the plan by 358,000. The stockholders of the Company subsequently approved an amendment to the 2022 EIP on May 28, 2025 to increase the number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the plan by an additional 750,000. Under the 2022 EIP at December 31, 2025, the maximum number of shares of stock that may be delivered to participants in the form of restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options, including ISOs and non-qualified stock options, is 901,312, subject to adjustment as set forth in the 2022 EIP, plus any awards that are made available under the 2019 EIP after March 15, 2022.

#### Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units
The Company issued restricted stock awards and restricted stock units under the 2022 EIP, and the 2019 EIP (collectively, "restricted stock grants") to certain key personnel. Each restricted stock grant vests based on the vesting schedule outlined in the restricted stock grant agreement. Restricted stock grants are subject to forfeiture if the holder is not employed by the Company on the vesting date.

In the first quarter of 2025 and 2024, 133,359 and 168,469 restricted stock grants were issued to certain key personnel, respectively. One-third of these shares vest each year for three years beginning on March 1, 2026 and March 1, 2025,

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
respectively. Total compensation cost that has been charged against income for restricted stock grants was $5.9 million, $6.9 million and $6.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, there was $7.3 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to the restricted stock awards. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.81 years.

In January 2025, 2024 and 2023, 27,500 of restricted shares were granted to members of the Board of Directors, which each fully vest one-year from the grant date. Total expense for the awards granted to members of the Board of Directors was $1.8 million, $1.4 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, there was no unrecognized expense related to these grants.

The following table summarizes the changes in the Company's restricted stock awards:

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  | **Year ended**  |
|  | **December 31, 2025** | **December 31, 2025** | **December 31, 2024** | **December 31, 2024** | **December 31, 2023** | **December 31, 2023** |
|  | <br>**Number**<br>**of**<br>**Shares** | **Weighted**<br>**Average**<br>**Grant Date**<br>**Fair Value**<br>**per Share** | <br>**Number**<br>**of**<br>**Shares** | **Weighted**<br>**Average**<br>**Grant Date**<br>**Fair Value**<br>**per Share** | <br>**Number**<br>**of**<br>**Shares** | **Weighted**<br>**Average**<br>**Grant Date**<br>**Fair Value**<br>**per Share** |
| Outstanding, beginning of period | 277095 | $50.59 | 233852 | $63.98 | 129562 | $86.01 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Granted | 160859 | 61.10 | 195969 | 42.28 | 198498 | 56.04 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Forfeited | (26122) | 52.01 | (19243) | 51.37 | (29218) | 62.53 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Vested | (150357) | 53.44 | (133483) | 61.74 | (64990) | 84.28 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Outstanding at end of period | 261475 | $55.27 | 277095 | $50.59 | 233852 | $63.98 |

---

The total fair value of shares vested is $9.3 million, $6.8 million, and $3.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

#### Performance-Based Stock Units
During the second quarter of 2022, the Company established a long-term incentive award program under the 2022 EIP. Under the program, 52,807 PRSUs were awarded in the first quarter of 2025, which vest over a three-year period beginning in March 2026 if certain performance criteria are met. If the performance criteria are not met, no compensation cost is recognized and any recognized compensation cost is reversed. In the second quarter of 2024, 73,260 PRSUs were awarded, of which 31,746 met the performance criteria and will vest in equal installments over a three-year period beginning in June 2025. The weighted average service inception date fair value of the outstanding awarded shares was $4.3 million. Total compensation cost that has been charged against income for these PRSUs was $1.2 million, and $640,000 for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, there was $2.1 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to the PRSUs. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.47 years.

During the second quarter of 2021, the Company established a long-term incentive award program under the 2019 EIP. Under the program, 90,000 PRSUs were awarded. During the second quarter of 2022, 20,800 PRSUs were forfeited and reissued pursuant to the 2022 EIP. The weighted average service inception date fair value of the outstanding awarded shares was $6.0 million. At the beginning of 2024, 2023, and 2022, 30,800, 29,200, and 30,000 PRSUs, respectively, vested as all performance criteria were met. All 90,000 vested shares were delivered in the first quarter of 2024. Total compensation cost that has been charged against income for the PRSUs was $2.2 million, for the year ended December 31, 2023.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 14 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN
The Company has a 401(k) plan for eligible employees. The contribution for any participant may not exceed the maximum amount allowable by law. Each year, the Company may elect to match a percentage of participant contributions. The Company may also elect each year to make additional discretionary contributions to the plan. The total contributions were $1.3 million, $1.2 million and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

#### NOTE 15 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

#### Financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk
The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the financial statements. The Company's exposure to credit loss in the event of non-performance by the counterparty to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance-sheet instruments.

The following off-balance-sheet financial instruments whose contract amounts represent credit risk, are outstanding (in thousands):

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2025** | **At December 31, 2024** | **At December 31, 2024** |
|  | **Fixed**<br>**Rate** | **Variable**<br>**Rate** | **Fixed**<br>**Rate** | **Variable**<br>**Rate** |
| Unused loan commitments | $113438 | $486517 | $108561 | $586821 |
| Standby and commercial letters of credit | 26388 |  | 31920 |  |
|  | $139826 | $486517 | $140481 | $586821 |

---

A commitment to extend credit is a legally binding agreement to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. These commitments do not necessarily represent future cash requirements and generally expire within two years. At December 31, 2025, the interest rates for the Company's commitments ranged from 3.3% to 9.5% for its fixed rate loan commitments and 4.8% to 10.3% for its variable rate loan commitments. At December 31, 2024, the interest rates for the Company's commitments ranged from 3.0% to 9.3% for its fixed rate loan commitments and 6.3% to 11.5% for its variable rate loan commitments. The amount of collateral obtained, if any, by the Company upon extension of credit is based on management's credit evaluation of the borrower. Collateral held varies but may include mortgages on commercial and residential real estate, security interests in business assets, equipment, deposit accounts with the Company or other financial institutions and securities.

The Company's stand-by letters of credit amounted to $26.4 million and $31.9 million as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The Company's stand-by letters of credit are collateralized by interest-bearing accounts of $21.8 million and $36.2 million as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

#### Legal and Regulatory Proceedings
The Bank entered into (i) an Order to Cease and Desist and Order of Assessment of a Civil Money Penalty Issued Upon Consent with the FRB (the "FRB Consent Order"), effective October 16, 2023, and (ii) a Consent Order with the NYDFS (the "NYDFS Consent Order"), effective October 18, 2023. The FRB Consent Order and NYDFS Consent Order constitute

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#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
separate consensual resolutions with each of the FRB and the NYDFS with respect to their investigations, each of which is now closed as a result of such order.

In the third quarter of 2024, the Company recorded a $10.0 million regulatory reserve in connection with an investigation by the Attorney General of the State of Washington that was resolved in the fourth quarter of 2024. Additional enforcement or other actions arising out of the prepaid debit card program in question, along with any other matters arising out of the foregoing program, could have a materially adverse effect on the Company and the Bank's assets, business, cash flows, financial condition, liquidity, prospects and/or results of operations. Since 2020, the Bank has been actively working to enhance its processes and procedures so as to more effectively and efficiently address the issues identified in the course of these investigations.

In addition to the matters described above, the Company is subject to various other pending and threatened legal actions relating to the conduct of its business activities, as well as inquiries and investigations from regulators. While the future outcome of litigation or regulatory matters cannot be determined at this time, in the opinion of management, as of December 31, 2025, the aggregate liability, if any, arising out of any such other pending or threatened matters are not expected to be material to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity.

#### NOTE 16 — REGULATORY CAPITAL
The Company and Bank are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the Federal banking agencies. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company and the Bank met all applicable regulatory capital requirements and the Bank met the requirements to be considered "well capitalized" under regulatory guidelines. The Company and Bank manage their capital to comply with their internal planning targets and regulatory capital standards administered by federal banking agencies. The Company and Bank review capital levels on a monthly basis.

The Company and the Bank are subject to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's capital guidelines for U.S. banks (Basel III rules). The minimum required capital conservation buffer was 2.5% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the capital conservation buffer for the Company was 4.3% and 5.3%, respectively. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the capital conservation buffer for the Bank was 3.7% and 5.0%, respectively. The net unrealized gain or loss on AFS securities is not included in the computation of the regulatory capital. The Company and the Bank meet all capital adequacy requirements, to which they are subject, as of December 31, 2025 and 2024.

Prompt corrective action regulations provide five classifications: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized, although these terms are not used to represent overall financial condition. If adequately capitalized, regulatory approval is required to accept brokered deposits. If undercapitalized, capital distributions are limited, as is asset growth and expansion, and capital restoration plans are required. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the most recent regulatory notifications categorized the Bank and the Company as well capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. There are no conditions or events since that notification that management believes have changed the institution's category.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following is a summary of actual capital amounts and ratios for the Company and the Bank compared to the requirements for minimum capital adequacy and classification as well capitalized. Actual and required capital amounts and ratios are presented below at year end (dollars in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| |  |  | **For** | **For** | **To be Well** | **To be Well** | |
| |  |  | **Capital** | **Capital** | **Capitalized under** | **Capitalized under** | |
| |  |  | **Adequacy** | **Adequacy** | **Prompt Corrective** | **Prompt Corrective** | |
| | **Actual** | **Actual** | **Purposes** | **Purposes** | **Action Regulations** | **Action Regulations** | **Minimum** <br>**Capital**<br>**Conservation**<br>**Buffer** |
| | **Amount** | **Ratio** | **Amount** | **Ratio** | **Amount** | **Ratio** | **Ratio** |
| <br>**At December 31, 2025** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| **The Company** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to average assets) | $793738 | 9.5% | $333936 | 4.0% | $N/A | N/A | —% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 common equity (to risk-weighted assets) | $773118 | 10.7% | $324706 | 4.5% | $N/A | N/A | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $793738 | 11.0% | $432941 | 6.0% | $N/A | N/A | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $884046 | 12.3% | $577255 | 8.0% | $N/A | N/A | 2.5% |
| **The Bank** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to average assets) | $756729 | 9.1% | $334012 | 4.0% | $417514 | 5.0% | —% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 common equity (to risk-weighted assets) | $756729 | 10.5% | $324676 | 4.5% | $468976 | 6.5% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $756729 | 10.5% | $432901 | 6.0% | $577202 | 8.0% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $847028 | 11.7% | $577202 | 8.0% | $721502 | 10.0% | 2.5% |
| **At December 31, 2024** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| **The Company** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to average assets) | $793847 | 10.8% | $294141 | 4.0% | $N/A | N/A | —% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 common equity (to risk-weighted assets) | $773227 | 11.9% | $291450 | 4.5% | $N/A | N/A | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $793847 | 12.3% | $388600 | 6.0% | $N/A | N/A | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $859129 | 13.3% | $518134 | 8.0% | $N/A | N/A | 2.5% |
| **The Bank** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to average assets) | $775106 | 10.6% | $293513 | 4.0% | $366892 | 5.0% | —% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 common equity (to risk-weighted assets) | $775106 | 12.0% | $291421 | 4.5% | $420942 | 6.5% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $775106 | 12.0% | $388562 | 6.0% | $518082 | 8.0% | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total capital (to risk-weighted assets) | $840387 | 13.0% | $518082 | 8.0% | $647603 | 10.0% | 2.5% |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 17 — EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
The Company uses the two-class method in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share. Under the two-class method, earnings available to common stockholders for the period are allocated between common stockholders and participating securities according to dividends declared (or accumulated) and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The factors used in the earnings per share calculation are as follows (in thousands, except per share data):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| **Basic**  |  |  |  |
| Net income per consolidated statements of income | $71098 | $66686 | $77268 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Less: Earnings allocated to participating securities |  |  | (365) |
| Net income available to common stockholders | $71098 | $66686 | $76903 |
| Weighted average common shares outstanding including participating securities | 10594606 | 11179074 | 11112572 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Less: Weighted average participating securities |  |  | (52462) |
| Weighted average common shares outstanding | 10594606 | 11179074 | 11060110 |
| Basic earnings per common share | $6.71 | $5.97 | 6.95 |
| **Diluted** |  |  |  |
| Net income allocated to common stockholders | $71098 | $66686 | $76903 |
| Weighted average common shares outstanding for basic earnings per common share | 10594606 | 11179074 | 11060110 |
| Add: Dilutive effects of assumed vesting of performance based restricted stock units | 28940 |  | 69790 |
| Add: Dilutive effects of assumed vesting of restricted stock units | 118124 | 76149 |  |
| Average shares and dilutive potential common shares | 10741670 | 11255223 | 11129900 |
| Dilutive earnings per common share | $6.62 | $5.93 | $6.91 |

---

For the year ended December 31, 2025, all performance based restricted stock units and restricted stock units were considered in computing diluted earnings per common share. For the year ended December 31, 2024, 42,735 of performance based restricted stock units were not considered in the calculation of diluted earnings per share as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2023, 248,234 of restricted stock units were not considered in the calculation of diluted earnings per share as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 18 — ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
The following table presents the tax effects allocated to each component of Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (in thousands):

---

| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2025** | **2025** | **2024** | **2024** | **2024** | **2023** | **2023** | **2023** |
|  | **Before**<br>**Tax** | **Tax**<br>**Effect** | **After**<br>**Tax** | **Before**<br>**Tax** | **Tax**<br>**Effect** | **After**<br>**Tax** | **Before**<br>**Tax** | **Tax**<br>**Effect** | **After**<br>**Tax** |
| **Unrealized gain (loss) arising on AFS securities** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Unrealized gain (loss) arising during the period | $24088 | $(7219) | $16869 | $789 | $565 | $1354 | $11135 | $(3986) | $7149 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Reclassification adjustment for gain included in net income | (674) | 202 | (472) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net Change | $23414 | $(7017) | $16397 | $789 | $565 | $1354 | $11135 | $(3986) | $7149 |
| **Unrealized gain (loss) arising on cash flow hedges** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Unrealized gain (loss) arising during the period | $(3535) | $1066 | $(2469) | $2730 | $(808) | $1922 | $(3350) | $933 | $(2417) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Reclassification adjustment for gain included in net income | (761) | 228 | (533) | (5013) | 1539 | (3474) | (4864) | 1494 | (3370) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net Change | (4296) | 1294 | (3002) | (2283) | 731 | (1552) | (8214) | 2427 | (5787) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total other comprehensive income (loss) | $19118 | $(5723) | $13395 | $(1494) | $1296 | $(198) | $2921 | $(1559) | $1362 |

---

The following table presents the after-tax changes in the balances of each component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) at the dates indicated (in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | <br><br>**AFS**<br>**Securities** | <br><br>**Cash Flow**<br>**Hedge** | **Total**<br>**Accumulated**<br>**Other**<br>**Comprehensive**<br>**Income (Loss)** |
| Balance at January 1, 2025 | $(53331) | $197 | $(53134) |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) arising during the period, net of tax | 16397 | (3002) | 13395 |
| **Balance at December 31, 2025** | $(36934) | $(2805) | $(39739) |
| Balance at January 1, 2024 | $(54685) | $1749 | $(52936) |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) arising during the period, net of tax | 1354 | (1552) | (198) |
| **Balance at December 31, 2024** | $(53331) | $197 | $(53134) |
| **Balance at January 1, 2023** | (61834) | 7536 | (54298) |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) arising during the period, net of tax | 7149 | (5787) | 1362 |
| **Balance at December 31, 2023** | $(54685) | $1749 | $(52936) |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The proceeds from sales and calls of securities during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were $18.4 million, $0 and $0, respectively. The following table shows the amounts reclassified out of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income for the realized gain on the sale of securities and the realized gain on derivative cash flow hedges (in thousands):

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Affected line item in**<br>**the Consolidated Statements**<br>**of Operations** |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |  |
| Realized gain on sale of AFS securities | (674) | $— | $— | Gain on Sale of Securities |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Income tax (expense) benefit | 202 |  |  | Income tax expense |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total reclassifications, net of income tax | (472) | $— | $— |  |
| Realized gain (loss) on derivative cash flow hedges | 761 | $5013 | $4864 | Licensing fees and interest expense |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Income tax (expense) benefit | (228) | (1539) | (1494) | Income tax expense |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total reclassifications, net of income tax | 533 | $3474 | $3370 |  |

---

#### NOTE 19 — REVENUE FROM CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS
All of the Company's revenue from contracts with customers that are in the scope of ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers are recognized in non-interest income. The following table presents the Company's revenue from contracts with customers (in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  | **Year ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Service charges on deposit accounts | $8388 | $8269 | $6071 |
| Global Payments Group revenue |  | 13355 | 19005 |
| Other service charges and fees  | 2665 | 2312 | 2804 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total  | $11053 | $23936 | $27880 |

---

A description of the Company's revenue streams accounted for under the accounting guidance follows:

#### Service charges on deposit accounts
The Company offers business and personal retail products and services, which include, but are not limited to, online banking, mobile banking, Automated Clearing House ("ACH") transactions, and remote deposit capture. A standard deposit contract exists between the Company and all deposit customers. The Company earns fees from its deposit customers for transaction-based services (such as ATM use fees, stop payment charges, statement rendering, and ACH fees), account maintenance, and overdraft services. Transaction-based fees are recognized at the time the transaction is executed as that is the point in time the Company fulfills the customer's request. Account maintenance fees, which relate primarily to monthly maintenance, are earned over the course of a month, representing the period over which the Company satisfies the performance obligation. Overdraft fees are recognized at the point in time that the overdraft occurs. Service charges on deposits are withdrawn from the customer's account balance.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### Global payment group revenue
During 2024, the Company exited the GPG BaaS business, and only residual operational tasks remain to be completed. The Company offered corporate cash management and retail banking services and, through its global payments business, provided services to non-bank financial service companies. The Company received transaction data at the end of each month for services rendered, at which time revenue was recognized. Additionally, service charges specific to GPG customers' deposits were recognized within GPG revenue.

#### Other service charges
The primary component of other service charges relates to letter of credit fees and FX conversion fees. The Company outsources FX conversion for foreign currency transactions to correspondent banks. The Company earns a portion of an FX conversion fee that the customer is charged to process an FX conversion transaction. Revenue is recognized at the end of the month once the customer has remitted the transaction information to the Company.

#### NOTE 20 — DERIVATIVES
On occasion, the Company enters into derivative contracts as a part of its asset liability management strategy to help manage its interest rate risk position. At December 31, 2025, these derivatives had a notional amount of $1.0 billion and contractual maturities ranging from April 24, 2027 to August 1, 2027. The notional amount of the derivatives does not represent the amount exchanged by the parties. The derivatives were designated as cash flow hedges of certain deposit liabilities and borrowings of the Company. The hedges were determined to be highly effective during the year ended December 31, 2025. The Company expects the hedges to remain highly effective during the remaining term of the derivatives.

In addition, the Company periodically enters into certain commercial loan interest rate swap agreements to provide commercial loan customers the ability to convert loans from variable to fixed interest rates. Under these agreements, the Company enters into a variable-rate loan agreement with a customer in addition to a swap agreement. This swap agreement effectively converts the customer's variable rate loan into a fixed rate loan. The Company then enters into a corresponding swap agreement with a third party to offset its exposure on the variable and fixed components of the customer agreement. As the interest rate swap agreements with the customers and third parties are not designated as hedges, the instruments are marked to market in earnings. At December 31, 2025, these interest rate swaps have a notional amount of $69.0 million and a contractual maturity of August 15, 2028.

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following tables reflect the derivatives recorded on the balance sheet (in thousands):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | | **Fair Value** | **Fair Value** |
|  | <br>**Notional**<br>**Amount** | **Other**<br>**Assets** | **Other**<br>**Liabilities** |
| **At December 31, 2025** |  |  |  |
| Derivatives designated as hedges: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Interest rate swaps related to client deposits and borrowings | $1000000 | $— | $3674 |
| Derivatives not designated as hedges: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Interest rate swaps | $69000 | $888 | $888 |
| **At December 31, 2024** |  |  |  |
| Derivatives designated as hedges: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Interest rate swaps related to client deposits and borrowings | $550000 | $585 | $1205 |
| Derivatives not designated as hedges: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Interest rate swaps | $69000 | $334 | $334 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

#### NOTE 21 — PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Condensed financial information for the Company (parent company only) is as follows (in thousands):

**Condensed Statements of Financial Condition**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **At December 31,**  | **At December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** |
| **Assets** |  |  |
| Cash and due from banks | $36058 | $16820 |
| Investments | 620 | 620 |
| Investment in subsidiary bank, at equity | 726724 | 731705 |
| Other assets | 1461 | 1960 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total assets | 764863 | 751105 |
| **Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity** |  |  |
| Trust preferred securities | 20620 | 20620 |
| Other liabilities | 1131 | 658 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total liabilities | 21751 | 21278 |
| **Stockholders' Equity** |  |  |
| Common stock | 113 | 112 |
| Surplus | 405565 | 400188 |
| Retained earnings | 450639 | 382661 |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | (39739) | (53134) |
| Treasury Stock | (73466) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total equity | 743112 | 729827 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $764863 | $751105 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
**Condensed Statements of Operations**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Income |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Loans | $— | $— | $3 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Securities and money market funds | 40 | 46 | 46 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest income | 40 | 46 | 49 |
| Interest expense |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Trust preferred securities  | 1334 | 1534 | 1514 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Subordinated debt |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total interest expense | 1334 | 1534 | 1514 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net interest expense | (1294) | (1488) | (1465) |
| Provision for credit losses |  |  | 4 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net interest expense after provision for credit losses | (1294) | (1488) | (1461) |
| Other expense | 6335 | 5106 | 5227 |
| Loss before undistributed earnings of subsidiary bank | (7629) | (6594) | (6688) |
| Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiary bank | 76423 | 71284 | 82101 |
| Income before income tax benefit | 68794 | 64690 | 75413 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Income tax benefit | 2304 | 1996 | 1855 |
| Net income | $71098 | $66686 | $77268 |
| Comprehensive income | $84493 | $66488 | $78630 |

---

[**Table of Contents**](#TOC)

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

#### NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
**Condensed Statement of Cash Flows**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  | **Year Ended December 31,**  |
|  | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| **Cash Flows From Operating Activities** |  |  |  |
| Net income | $71098 | $66686 | $77268 |
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Undistributed earnings of subsidiary bank | (76423) | (71284) | (82101) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cash dividend from subsidiary bank | 94800 |  | 5000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other operating adjustments | 10164 | 9054 | 9697 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 99639 | 4456 | 9864 |
| **Cash Flows From Investing Activities** |  |  |  |
| Proceeds from loan payments |  |  | 776 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |  |  | 776 |
| **Cash Flows From Financing Activities** |  |  |  |
| Redemption of common stock for tax withholdings for restricted stock vesting | (3815) | (4582) | (3170) |
| Purchase of common shares to treasury | (73466) |  |  |
| Dividends paid | (3120) |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (80401) | (4582) | (3170) |
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 19238 | (126) | 7470 |
| Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year | 16820 | 16946 | 9476 |
| Cash and cash equivalents, end of year | $36058 | $16820 | $16946 |

---

## Exhibit 10.22

Exhibit 10.22

#### FORM OF

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP. AND METROPOLITAN COMMERCIAL BANK CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT
This change in control agreement (the "**Agreement**") is made effective as of the [●] day of

[●] (the "**Effective Date**"), by and among Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp., a New York corporation with its principal place of business located at 99 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016 (the "**Company**"), its wholly-owned subsidiary, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, a commercial bank with its main office also at 99 Park Avenue New York, New York 10016 (the "**Bank**"), and [●] (the "**Officer**").

**WHEREAS**, the Officer is currently employed as [●] of the Company and the Bank;

**WHEREAS**, the Company and Bank wish to assure itself of the Officer's continued active participation in the business of the Company and Bank; and

**WHEREAS**, in order to induce the Officer to remain in the employ of the Bank and in consideration of Officer's agreeing to remain in the employ of the Bank, the parties desire to specify the severance benefits which shall be due the Officer in the event that [his][her] employment with the Bank is terminated under specified circumstances in the event of and following a Change in Control (as defined below).

**NOW, THEREFORE**, in consideration of the contribution of the Officer, and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the parties hereto agree as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **TERM OF AGREEMENT** 

The term of this Agreement shall be twelve (12) full calendar months from the Effective Date of this Agreement set forth above, and shall include any extension or renewal made pursuant to this Section. Commencing at the end of each day following the Effective Date, the term of the Agreement shall be extended for one additional day each day so that a constant term of twelve (12) months shall remain in effect hereunder; provided, however, that following a Change in Control, the Agreement shall no longer be extended. For the sake of clarity, this Agreement shall have a term of twelve (12) full calendar months from a Change of Control (the "**Term**").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **DEFINITIONS** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)<u>Change</u><u> </u><u>in</u><u> </u><u>Control</u>. For purposes of this Agreement, a "**Change in Control**" shall mean the Company or the Bank sells, by way of a merger, consolidation, asset sale or similar transaction, to any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (as determined under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "**Code**")) assets of the Company or the Bank that have a total fair market value equal to more than fifty-one percent (51%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the corporation immediately before such disposition or related dispositions, where "gross fair market value" means the value of the assets

------

of the corporation, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)<u>Good Reason</u>. For purposes of this Agreement, "**Good Reason**" shall mean a termination by Officer following a Change in Control if, without Officer's express written consent, any of the following occurs:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)failure to appoint or reappoint Officer to the position and title that the Officer maintained immediately prior to a Change in Control;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)a material change in Officer's authority, duties or responsibilities to become one of lesser authority, duty or responsibilities then the position Officer held immediately prior a Change in Control; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) a material reduction in Officer's base salary and benefits.

provided, however, that prior to any termination of employment for Good Reason, Officer must first provide written notice to the Bank (or its successor) within sixty (60) days following the initial existence of the condition, describing the existence of such condition, and the Bank shall thereafter have the right to remedy the condition within thirty (30) days of the date the Bank received the written notice from Officer. If the Bank remedies the condition within such thirty (30) day cure period, then no Good Reason shall be deemed to exist with respect to such condition. If the Bank does not remedy the condition within such thirty (30) day cure period, then Officer may deliver a Notice of Termination for Good Reason at any time within sixty (60) days following the expiration of such cure period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)<u>Termination for Cause</u>. For purposes of this Agreement, "**Cause**" shall mean termination because of, in the good faith determination of the Board:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)the conviction of the Officer of a felony or of any lesser criminal offense involving moral turpitude;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)the willful commission by the Officer of a criminal or other act that, in the judgment of the Board or the President and Chief Executive Officer will likely cause substantial economic damage to the Company, the Bank or any subsidiary or substantial injury to the business reputation of the Company, the Bank or any subsidiary;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3)the commission by the Officer of an act of fraud in the performance of [his][her] duties on behalf of the Company, the Bank or any subsidiary;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4)the continuing willful failure of the Officer to perform [his][her] duties to the Company, the Bank or any subsidiary (other than any such failure resulting from the Officer's incapacity due to physical or mental illness) after written notice thereof;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5)a material breach by the Officer of the Bank's Code of Ethics or any other material policy of the Bank, including, without limitation, the Bank's harassment or discrimination prevention policy; or

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6)an order of a federal or state regulatory agency or a court of competent jurisdiction requiring the termination of the Officer's employment with the Bank or the Company.

A determination of whether Officer's employment shall be terminated for Cause shall be made at a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose, at which the Board makes a finding that in good faith opinion of the Board an event set forth in clauses (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or

(6) above has occurred and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **BENEFITS UPON TERMINATION IN CONNECTION WITH A CHANGE IN CONTROL** 

If Officer's employment by the Bank, or its successor, is terminated on or after a Change in Control and during the term of this Agreement by (1) the Bank, or its successor, for a reason other than Cause, or (2) Officer for Good Reason, then the Bank, or its successor, shall pay the Officer, or in the event of [his][her] death (subsequent to a Change in Control and termination of employment), [his][her] beneficiary or beneficiaries, or [his][her] estate, as applicable, a cash severance amount equal to one times the greater of the Officer's base salary in effect as of the Date of Termination or the base salary in effect immediately prior to the date of a Change in Control, payable by lump sum within ten (10) business days of the Date of Termination.

In no event shall the aggregate payments to be made or afforded to the Officer under this Agreement (the "**Termination Benefits**") constitute an "excess parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Code or any successor thereto, and in order to avoid such a result, Termination Benefits will be reduced, if necessary, to an amount (the "**Non-Triggering Amount**"), the value of which is one dollar ($1.00) less than an amount equal to [●] ([●]) times the Officer's "base amount", as determined in accordance with Section 280G of the Code. The reduction required among the Termination Benefits provided by this Section 3 shall be applied to the cash severance benefits otherwise payable under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **NOTICE OF TERMINATION** 

Any purported termination of Officer's employment by the Bank or by the Officer shall be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a "**Notice of Termination**" shall mean a written notice which shall indicate the date of termination and, in the event of termination by the Officer, the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Officer's employment under the provision so indicated. "**Date of Termination**" shall mean the date specified in the Notice of Termination (which, in the case of a termination for Cause, shall be immediate).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **SOURCE OF PAYMENTS** 

It is intended by the parties hereto that all payments provided in this Agreement shall be paid in cash or check from the general funds of the Bank. Further, the Company shall guarantee the payment and provision of all amounts and benefits due hereunder to Officer and, if such amounts and benefits due from the Bank are not timely paid or provided by the Bank, such amounts and benefits shall be paid or provided by the Company.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.** **ENTIRE AGREEMENT** 

This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement between the Bank and Officer relating to the subject matter hereof, other than that certain Offer Letter, dated [●], between the Bank and Officer. No provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted to mean that Officer is subject to receiving fewer benefits than those available to Officer without reference to this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**7.** **NO ATTACHMENT** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution, attachment, levy, or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect any such action shall be null, void, and of no effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the Officer, the Bank and the Company and their respective successors and assigns.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.** **MODIFICATION AND WAIVER** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)No term or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been waived, nor shall there be any estoppel against the enforcement of any provision of this Agreement, except by written instrument of the party charged with such waiver or estoppel. No such written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver unless specifically stated therein, and each such waiver shall operate only as to the specific term or condition waived and shall not constitute a waiver of such term or condition for the future or as to any act other than that specifically waived.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**9.** **POST TERMINATION OBLIGATIONS** 

All payments and benefits to Officer under this Agreement shall be subject to Officer's compliance with this Section 9. Officer recognizes and acknowledges that the knowledge of the business activities and plans for business activities of the Bank, the Company and affiliates thereof, as it may exist from time to time, is a valuable, special and unique asset of the business of the Bank and the Company. Officer will not, during or after the term of Officer's employment, disclose any knowledge of the past, present, planned or considered business activities of the Bank, the Company or affiliates thereof to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Officer may disclose any knowledge of banking, financial and/or economic principles, concepts or ideas which are not solely and exclusively derived from the business plans and activities of the Bank. Further, Officer may disclose information regarding the business activities of the Bank or the Company to supervisory governmental authorities pursuant to a formal regulatory request. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by Officer of the provisions of this Section, the Bank will be entitled to an injunction restraining Officer from disclosing, in whole or in part, the knowledge of the past,

------

present, planned or considered business activities of the Bank or affiliates thereof, or from rendering any services to any person, firm, corporation, other entity to whom such knowledge, in whole or in part, has been disclosed, or is threatened to be disclosed. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Bank from pursing any other remedies available to the Bank for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from Officer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**10.** **REQUIRED PROVISIONS** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)Without limiting the foregoing, all payments to Officer under this Agreement are subject and conditioned upon compliance with Section 18(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. Section 1828(k), and the regulations promulgated thereunder in 12 C.F.R. part 359.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Board may terminate Officer's employment at any time, but any termination by the Board other than Termination for Cause shall not prejudice Officer's right to compensation or other benefits under this Agreement. Officer shall have no right to receive compensation or other benefits for any period after Termination for Cause.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)This Agreement is intended to comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, and the final regulations promulgated thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)For purposes of this Agreement, any termination of Officer's employment shall be construed to require a "separation from service" in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, such that the Bank and Officer reasonably anticipate that the level of bona fide services Officer would perform after termination of employment would permanently decrease to a level that is less than 50% of the average level of bona fide services performed (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding thirty-six (36)-month period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event Officer is a Specified Employee (as defined herein), then, solely, to the extent required to avoid penalties under Section 409A of the Code, Officer's payments shall be delayed until the first day of the seventh month following Officer's Separation from Service. A "**Specified Employee**" shall be interpreted to comply with Section 409A of the Code and shall mean a key employee within the meaning of Section 416(i) of the Code (without regard to paragraph 5 thereof).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**11.** **SEVERABILITY** 

If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so invalid, and each such other provision and part thereof shall to the full extent consistent with law continue in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**12.** **HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY** 

The headings of sections and paragraphs herein are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

------

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**13.** **GOVERNING LAW** 

The validity, interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement shall be settled exclusively by binding arbitration, as an alternative to civil litigation and without any trial by jury to resolve such claims, conducted by a single arbitrator, mutually acceptable to the Bank and Officer, sitting in a location selected by the Bank within fifty (50) miles from the main office of the Bank, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association's National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes then in effect. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**14.** **PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES** 

All reasonable legal fees paid or incurred by the Officer pursuant to any dispute or question of interpretation relating to this Agreement shall be paid or reimbursed by the Bank if the Officer is successful on the merits pursuant to a legal judgment, arbitration or settlement, provided that such payment shall be made by the Bank not later than two and one-half months after the end of the year in which such dispute is resolved in the Officer's favor.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**15.** **SUCCESSOR TO THE BANK AND COMPANY** 

The Bank and the Company shall require any successor or assignee, whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or substantially all the business or assets of the Bank and/or the Company, expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the obligations of the Bank and the Company under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that the Bank and the Company would be required to perform if no such succession or assignment had taken place.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**16.** **OBLIGATIONS OF BANK** 

The termination of Officer's employment, other than following a Change in Control, shall not result in any obligation of the Bank or the Company under this Agreement. This Agreement provides for certain payments and benefits to Officer only in the event that there first occurs a Change in Control.

#### [Signature Page Follows]

------

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. and the Officer have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the Effective Date specified above.

#### METROPOLITAN COMMERCIAL BANK
By: Name:

Title:

#### METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP.
By: Name:

Title:

#### OFFICER
By: Name:

Title:

------

## Exhibit 19.1

&nbsp;&nbsp;**Exhibit 19.1**<br>

![Graphic](mcb-20251231xex19d1001.jpg)

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| Policy Name  | **Insider Trading Policy** | Approval Date  | April 29, 2025 |

---

Contents

<sup>1. PURPOSE</sup>[2](#_Toc196392594)

<sup>2. SCOPE</sup>[2](#_Toc196392595)

[3.](#_Toc196392596) [GOVERNING REGULATIONS, APPLICABLE POLICIES OR PROCEDURES](#_Toc196392596)[3](#_Toc196392596)

<sup>4. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES</sup>[3](#_Toc196392597)

<sup>5. KEY DEFINITIONS</sup>[4](#_Toc196392598)

<sup>6. POLICY CONTENT</sup>[5](#_Toc196392599)

<sup>7. EXCEPTIONS TO THE POLICY</sup>[9](#_Toc196392600)

<sup>8. RECORD RETENTION</sup>[9](#_Toc196392601)<sup>APPENDIX A – CHANGE HISTORY10</sup><sup>ADDENDUM AA-1</sup><sup>ADDENDUM BB-1</sup><sup>ADDENDUM CC-1</sup>

**A-1**

------

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. PURPOSE

The Company is a public company, the common stock of which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and registered under the Exchange Act. Pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company files periodic reports and proxy statements with the SEC. The Bank is the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary.

The purchase or sale of securities while aware of Material Nonpublic Information, or the disclosure of Material Nonpublic Information to others who then trade in the Company's securities, is prohibited by the federal securities laws. Insider trading violations are pursued vigorously by the SEC and the U.S. Attorneys and are punished severely. While the regulatory authorities concentrate their efforts on the individuals who trade, or who tip and/or provide Material Nonpublic Information to others who trade, the federal securities laws also impose potential liability on companies and other "controlling persons" if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent insider trading by company personnel.

The Board has adopted this Policy both to satisfy the Company's obligation to prevent insider trading and to help the Company's personnel avoid the severe consequences associated with violations of insider trading laws. This Policy is also intended to prevent even the appearance of improper conduct on the part of anyone employed by or associated with the Company (not just so-called insiders).

The consequences of an insider trading violation can be severe:

*Traders and Tippers*. Company personnel who trade on insider information, or who tip information to a person who then trades (even if the Company insider does not trade and does not profit from the tippee's trading), may be subject to the following penalties:

● A civil penalty of the greater of $1,000,000 or three times the profit gained or loss avoided;

● A criminal fine of up to $5,000,000 (regardless of the size of the profit gained or loss avoided); and

● A jail term of up to 20 years.

*"Controlling Persons"*. Based on a Company insider's unlawful trading or tipping, the Company and its supervisory personnel may be subject to the following penalties:

● A civil penalty of the greater of $1,000,000 or three times the profit gained or loss avoided as a result of the Company insider's violation; and

● A criminal penalty of up to $5,000,000 for an individual or $25,000,000 for the Company.

All MCB employees and third-party resources engaged by the Bank must comply with the terms of this Policy to the degree applicable to them.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. SCOPE

It is the policy of the Company that no director, officer or other employee of the Company (references to the Company include the Bank and other subsidiaries of the Company or the Bank)

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who is aware of Material Nonpublic Information relating to the Company may, directly or through family members or other persons or entities, (a) buy or sell securities of the Company (other than pursuant to a pre-approved trading plan that complies with SEC Rule 10b5-1), or engage in any other action to take personal advantage of that information, or (b) pass that information on to others outside the Company, including family and friends. In addition, it is the policy of the Company that no director, officer or other employee of the Company who, in the course of working for the Company, learns of Material Nonpublic Information about a company with which the Company does business, including a customer or supplier of the Company, may trade in that company's securities until the information becomes public or is no longer material.

For the avoidance of doubt, even when a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period is not in place, any person who possesses Material Nonpublic Information regarding the Company is prohibited from entering into transactions involving the Company's stock until such information becomes available to the public.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. GOVERNING REGULATIONS, APPLICABLE POLICIES OR PROCEDURES

This Policy shall be governed and construed in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including but not limited to the Enforcement Act and the Exchange Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Ultimately, the responsibility for adhering to this Policy and avoiding unlawful transactions rests with the individual employee The key roles and responsibilities for the administration of this Policy are summarized below:

*Legal Department.*

● Notify directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees regarding the commencement and termination of Quarterly Blackout Periods and Special Blackout Periods.

● Determine the employees or individuals outside of the Bank's Accounting, Financial Reporting, Treasury and Legal Departments who are Designated Employees in accordance with the provisions of this Policy.

● Undertake such other determinations, evaluations, consultation and coordination as may be prescribed by this Policy.

*Corporate Secretary*.

● Receive pre-notification of transactions in Company securities by directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees and take the appropriate steps in response thereto as outlined in this Policy., including coordinating applicable SEC filings and other notifications.

● Provide guidance to any person who has a question about this Policy or its application to any proposed transaction ([●]).

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. KEY DEFINITIONS

Capitalized terms throughout this Policy shall have the following meanings as used in this Policy:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.** **Bank :** Metropolitan Commercial Bank.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.** **Board :** Board of Directors of the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.** **Business Partners :** other companies or entities with whom the Company and/or the Bank conduct business, including but not limited to customers, vendors, suppliers or acquisition candidates.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.** **Company :** Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**E.** **Designated Employees :** all employees that work in the Bank's Accounting, Financial Reporting, Treasury, and Legal Departments, and any other employee or individual contracted by the Company or the Bank designated by the Legal Department from time to time as a Designated Employee owing to his or her access and proximity to Material Nonpublic Information about the Company or the Bank by virtue of his or her role, job duties or position with the Company or the Bank, as may be the case.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**F.** **Enforcement Act :** the Insider Trading and Securities Enforcement Act of 1988.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**G.** **Exchange Act :** the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**H.** **Material Information :** any information that a reasonable investor would consider important in making a decision to buy, hold, or sell securities, or if the disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to alter significantly the total mix of information in the marketplace about the Company. Examples of information that ordinarily could be regarded as material include, but are not limited to, the following:

● Projections of future earnings or losses, or other earnings guidance;

● Earnings that are inconsistent with the consensus expectations of the investment community;

● Financial or accounting problems;

● Significant non-recurring gains or losses;

● Events that could result in restating financial information;

● A pending or proposed merger, acquisition or tender offer;

● A pending or proposed acquisition or disposition of a significant asset;

● Events relating to the Company's securities (e.g., a change in dividend policy, the declaration of a stock split, an offering of additional securities, a stock repurchase program, a stock or debt offering, defaults on senior securities, calls of securities for redemption, or changes to the rights of security holders);

● Any event requiring the filing or furnishing of a Form 8-K;

● Significant litigation or regulatory events;

● A change in auditors or auditor notification that the Company may no longer rely on an auditor's audit report;

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● New products or discoveries, or developments regarding customers or suppliers;

● Bankruptcies or receiverships; and

● Changes in management.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**I.** **Material Nonpublic Information :** Material Information that has not been disclosed to the public. For information to be considered public, there should be some evidence that it has been widely disseminated and that the investing public has had time to absorb the information.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**J.** **Policy :** this Insider Trading Policy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**K.** **Quarterly Blackout Period :** each period commencing with the 20 <sup>th</sup> day of the third month of each calendar quarter (March 20, June 20, September 20 and December 20) and ending at the opening of the market on the second business day following the public release of the Company's financial information for that quarter.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**L.** **SEC :** the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**M.** **Senior Officers :** all employees holding the title Senior Vice President or above.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**N.** **Special Blackout Period :** a period of time during which it has been determined, based upon consultation with outside counsel, that directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees should be and are prohibited from engaging in any transaction involving the Company's securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. POLICY CONTENT

*Policy Regarding the Confidentiality of Company Information and the Disclosure of Information to Others*. Personnel of the Company should not discuss internal matters or developments with anyone outside of the Company, except as required in the performance of regular corporate duties. Personnel of the Company with knowledge of Material Nonpublic Information should only disclose such information to other such personnel on a need-to-know basis. The Company is required under Regulation FD of the SEC to avoid the selective disclosure of Material Nonpublic Information. The Company maintains a Fair Disclosure Policy and has established procedures for releasing Material Nonpublic Information in a manner designed to achieve broad public dissemination of the information immediately upon its release. Personnel may not, therefore, disclose information to anyone outside the Company, this includes on social media pages, in an internet "chat room" or similar internet-based forum, even if access is limited.

*Twenty-Twenty Hindsight*. Remember, anyone scrutinizing your transactions will be doing so after the fact, with the benefit of hindsight. As a practical matter, before engaging in any transaction, you should carefully consider how enforcement authorities and others might view the transaction in hindsight.

*When Information is "Public"*. If you are aware of Material Nonpublic Information, you may not trade until the information has been disclosed broadly to the marketplace (such as by press release or an SEC filing) and the investing public has had time to absorb the information fully. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, as a general rule, information should not be considered fully absorbed by the marketplace until the opening of the market on the second business day after

**5 Insider Trading Policy**

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the information is released. If, for example, the Company were to make an announcement on a Monday, you should not trade in the Company's securities until Wednesday. If an announcement were made on a Friday (or before the market opens on Monday), Tuesday generally would be the first eligible trading day.

*Transactions by Family Members*. This Policy also applies to your family members who reside with you, anyone else who lives in your household, and any family members who do not live in your household but whose transactions in Company securities are directed by you or are subject to your influence or control (such as parents or children who consult with you before they trade in Company securities). You are responsible for the transactions of these and other persons, and therefore should make them aware of the need to confer with you before they trade in the Company's securities.

*Applicability of Policy to Inside Information Regarding Other Companies*. This Policy and the guidelines described herein also apply to Material Nonpublic Information relating to other companies and entities, including the Company's Business Partners when that information is obtained in the course of employment with, or other services performed on behalf of, the Company. Civil and criminal penalties and termination of employment may result from trading on Material Nonpublic Information regarding other companies and entities, including the Company's Business Partners, when that information is obtained in the course of employment with, or other services performed on behalf of, the Company. All employees should treat Material Nonpublic Information of other companies or entities, and particularly the Company's Business Partners, so acquired with the same care required with respect to information related directly to the Company.

*Quarterly Blackout Periods Relating to Earnings Releases; Notice to the Corporate Secretary.* As a precaution, the Company specifically prohibits directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees from engaging in any transaction involving a purchase or sale of the Company's securities during any Quarterly Blackout Period. Further information regarding this portion of the Policy is set forth in <u>Addendum A</u> to this Policy, which is incorporated herein and made a part of this Policy. <u>Addendum A</u> also contains a requirement for directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees to notify in writing the Corporate Secretary prior to engaging in the trading of the Company's common stock. The timing of the notification should provide sufficient opportunity for the Company to assess the circumstances and assure compliance with the prohibition on trading during Quarterly and Special Blackout Periods or while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information (e.g., pre-market on the day that the directors, Senior Officers or Designated Employee intends to trade). An email, substantially in the form set forth in <u>Addendum B</u> to this Policy, will be sent to each director, Senior Officer and Designated Employee confirming the commencement of the Quarterly Blackout Period.

*Special Blackout Periods*. Events may occur or circumstances may exist outside of Quarterly Blackout Periods during which the Company determines, at the direction of the Company's General Counsel and based upon consultation with outside counsel, that directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees should not engage in any transaction involving a purchase or sale of the Company's securities. In such cases, an email substantially in the form set forth in <u>Addendum C</u> to this Policy will be sent to each director, Senior Officer and Designated Employee notifying them of the commencement of a Special Blackout Period. The Company may keep a Special Blackout Period in place for a reasonable period time after the information becomes public to allow market participants sufficient opportunity to absorb the Material Information that prompted such Special

**6 Insider Trading Policy**

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Blackout Period. A Special Blackout Period will remain in effect until the Company's Legal Department announces that it has been lifted.

**Transactions Under Company Plans**

*Stock Option Exercises*. This Policy does not apply to the exercise of an employee stock option, or to the exercise of a tax withholding right pursuant to which you elect to have the Company withhold shares subject to an option to satisfy tax withholding requirements. This Policy does apply, however, to any sale of stock following exercise or as part of a broker-assisted cashless exercise of an option, or any other market sale for the purpose of generating the cash needed to pay the exercise price of an option.

*Restricted Stock Awards*. This Policy does not apply to the vesting of restricted stock, or the exercise of a tax withholding right pursuant to which you elect to have the Company withhold shares of stock to satisfy tax withholding requirements upon the vesting of any restricted stock. This Policy does apply, however, to any market sale of vested restricted stock.

*401(k) Plan.* You may not (i) initiate a transfer of funds into or out of the Company stock fund or (ii) elect to invest, change an investment election in or change the amount invested in Company stock through the Bank's 401(k) plan while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information regardless of whether or not a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period is in effect. In addition, directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees may not (i) initiate a transfer of funds into or out of the Company stock fund or (ii) elect to invest, change an investment election in or change the amount invested in Company stock through the Bank's 401(k) plan while a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period is in effect. However, this Policy does not apply to purchases of Company stock in the Company stock fund in the 401(k) Plan made on your behalf via automatic payroll deductions pursuant to a prior election.

*Dividend Reinvestment Plan.* This Policy does not apply to purchases of Company stock under the Company's dividend reinvestment plan resulting from the automatic reinvestment of dividends paid on Company stock. You may not, however, (i) make voluntary purchases of Company stock resulting from additional contributions you choose to make to the dividend reinvestment plan or (ii) elect to participate in the plan or increase your level of participation in the plan while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information regardless of whether or not a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period is in effect. In addition, directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees may not (i) make voluntary purchases of Company stock resulting from additional contributions made to plan or (ii) elect to participate, change an election in or change the amount contributed to Company stock through the plan while a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period is in effect. This Policy also applies to your sale of any Company stock purchased pursuant to the plan.

*Company Stock Repurchases*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. From time to time, the Company may engage in transactions in its own securities. The provisions of this Policy apply generally to the Company and its transactions in its own securities, including that the Company will not engage in transactions in the Company's securities while aware of Material Nonpublic Information relating to the Company or the Company's securities. Moreover, the considerations regarding when information is "public" as described in this Policy apply generally to the Company and any transactions in its own securities.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;B. Consistent with the provisions of this Policy described below related to 10b5-1 plans, the Company may purchase the Company's securities pursuant to a Board-approved and then-currently effective stock repurchase program during a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period in accordance with a Rule 10b5-1 plan, provided that the Company must first determine that (i) the Company is not in possession of Material Nonpublic Information that prohibits the entry into a Rule 10b5-1 plan, and is not already in a Quarterly or Special Blackout Period; (ii) the Company is not currently in the process of conducting a transaction or series of related transactions that have not been publicly disclosed and which, if consummated, would likely have a material impact on the financial condition, results of operations of the Company or otherwise be material to the Company; and (iii) the Company has sought the advice of any advisors as it shall deem appropriate.

**Additional Prohibited Transactions**

The Company considers it improper and inappropriate for any director, officer or other employee of the Company to engage in short-term or speculative transactions in the Company's securities. It is, therefore, the Company's policy that directors, officers and other employees may not engage in any of the following transactions:

*Short-term Trading*. An employee's short-term trading of the Company's securities may be distracting to the employee and may unduly focus the employee on the Company's short-term stock market performance instead of the Company's long-term business objectives. For these reasons and to comply with Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act prohibiting short-swing profit transactions, any director, Senior Officer or Designated Employee of the Company who purchases Company securities in the open market may not sell any company securities of the same class during the six months following the purchase or purchase any company securities of the same class during the six months following the sale.

*Short Sales*. Short sales of the Company's securities evidence an expectation on the part of the seller that the securities will decline in value, and therefore signal to the market that the seller has no confidence in the Company or its short-term prospects. In addition, short sales may reduce the seller's incentive to improve the Company's performance. For these reasons, short sales of the Company's securities are prohibited by this Policy. In addition, Section 16(c) of the Exchange Act prohibits Senior Officers and directors from engaging in short sales.

*Margin Accounts and Pledges*. Securities held in a margin account may be sold by the broker without the customer's consent if the customer fails to meet a margin call. Similarly, securities held in an account that may be borrowed against or are otherwise pledged (or hypothecated) as collateral for a loan may be sold in foreclosure if the borrower defaults on the loan. A margin sale or foreclosure sale may occur at a time when the pledgor is aware of Material Nonpublic Information or otherwise is not permitted to trade in Company securities and, as a result, the pledgor may be subject to liability under insider trading laws. Therefore, directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees are prohibited from holding Company securities in a margin account or pledging Company securities as collateral for a loan. An exception to this prohibition may be granted by approval of the Board.

*Hedging and Other Derivative Transactions*. Directors, officers, and employees are also prohibited from engaging in or effecting any transaction designed to hedge or offset the economic risk of owning shares of Company common stock or engaging in speculative transactions in derivatives

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of the Company's securities, such as puts, calls, options (other than those granted under the Company's benefit plans) or other derivatives.

*Post-Termination Transactions*. This Policy continues to apply to your transactions in Company securities even after you have terminated employment or directorship. If you are in possession of Material Nonpublic Information when your employment or directorship terminates, you may not trade in Company securities until that information has become public or is no longer material.

*Pre-Clearance for Rule 10b5-1 Plans.* Directors and Senior Officers may not implement a trading plan which meets the requirements of SEC Rule 10b5-1 (including satisfaction of a cooling-off period and inclusion in the plan of certain certifications) at any time without prior notification to the Corporate Secretary. Directors and Senior Officers may only enter into a trading plan (or cancel, amend or change an existing trading plan) when they are not in possession of Material Nonpublic Information. In addition, directors and Senior Officers may not enter into a trading plan (or cancel, amend or change and existing trading plan) during a Quarterly Blackout Period or a Special Blackout Period. Once notification of a trading plan has been provided (and provided that the Company had sufficient time to evaluate the plan and the circumstances), and assuming the plan complies with SEC Rule 10b5-1, including that the plan specifies the dates, prices and amounts of the contemplated trades or establishes a formula for determining dates, prices and amounts, trades made pursuant to the plan will not require further approval. For the purposes of this Policy, a change or amendment to an existing trading plan is deemed to constitute the entry into a new trading plan, and requires advance notification. Transactions conducted under a trading plan must be promptly reported to the Corporate Secretary who will prepare or cause to be prepared, the necessary Form 4. Further, certain information regarding the trading plan will be required to be disclosed in the Company's SEC filings, including a description of the material terms of such trading plan.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. EXCEPTIONS TO THE POLICY

There are no exceptions to complying with this Policy. The Company expects the strictest compliance with this Policy by all personnel at every level. Failure to comply with this Policy may result in severe legal difficulties for you, as well as for the Company. Transactions that may be necessary or justifiable for independent reasons (such as the need to raise money for an emergency expenditure) are not excepted from this Policy. The securities laws do not recognize such mitigating circumstances, and, in any event, even the appearance of an improper transaction must be avoided to preserve the Company's reputation for adhering to the highest standard of conduct.

A failure to follow both the letter and the spirit of this Policy shall be considered a matter of extreme seriousness and may be grounds for termination of employment or other disciplinary action, whether or not the failure to comply results in a violation of law. Needless to say, a violation of law, or even an SEC investigation that does not result in prosecution, can tarnish the Company's and an individual's reputation and irreparably damage a career.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. RECORD RETENTION

Any records created as a result of this Policy should be held pursuant to the Bank's Record Retention and Disposal Policy.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;**Exhibit 19.1**<br>

ADDENDUM A

The Company is a public company, the common stock of which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and registered under the Exchange Act. Pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company files periodic reports and proxy statements with the SEC. The Bank is the Company's wholly owned subsidiary.

As a public company, the directors, officers and employees of the Company have a responsibility not to participate in the market for the Company's common stock while in possession of "Material Nonpublic Information" about the Company. Under the Enforcement Act, the Company can be held liable for employee violations of the insider trading laws, unless it has adopted policies and procedures to prevent insider trading. Efforts by the SEC to police insider trading laws have highlighted the need for awareness of the responsibilities and potential liability in this area. Executive officers and directors of the Company are also subject to various reporting obligations regarding their ownership, and changes in their ownership, of Company common stock.

The Company has adopted policies and procedures regarding insider trading and the confidentiality of information that are applicable to all employees, officers and directors. This addendum addresses additional restrictions that are applicable only to Directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees of the Company.

<u>Additional Restrictions on Purchases and Sales during Certain "Blackout" Periods</u>

The following additional procedures with respect to the participation in the market for the Company's common stock by the directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees of the Company have been adopted by the Board of Directors in order to assure compliance with the federal securities laws. It should be emphasized that these procedures are designed to: (i) avoid even the appearance of trading on insider information, (ii) as a cautionary matter, eliminate the ongoing question of when knowledge of unreported quarterly and year-end financial information may be considered "material" under the insider trading laws, and (iii) enable the Company to assure that the insider trading reporting requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act are being complied with. *This is in addition to the general prohibition on participation in the market for the common stock while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information, regardless of the time period.*

The following procedures must be followed by directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. **Quarterly Blackout Periods.** During the period commencing on the 20th day of the third month of each calendar quarter (March 20, June 20, September 20 and December 20) and ending at the opening of the market on the second business day following the public release of the Company's financial results for the quarter or year-end, directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees must refrain from participating, directly or indirectly, in the market for the Company's common stock. The prohibition on trading during a Quarterly Blackout Period is in addition to the general prohibition, which could apply at any time during the year, on trading while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information regarding the Company.

**A-1**

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;B. **Special Blackout Periods.** All directors, Senior Officers and Designated Employees must also refrain from participating, directly or indirectly, in the market for the Company's common stock when a Special Blackout Period has been declared. The prohibition on trading during a Special Blackout Period is in addition to the general prohibition, which could apply at any time during the year, on trading while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information regarding the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;C. **Pre-Clearance of all Trades.** Prior to the execution, or the placing, of any order with respect to, or any trades in, the Company's common stock, the Corporate Secretary must be notified in writing. The timing of the notification should provide sufficient opportunity for the Company to assess the circumstances and assure compliance with the prohibition on trading during Quarterly and Special Blackout Periods or while in possession of Material Nonpublic Information (e.g., pre-market on the day that the directors, Senior Officers or Designated Employee intends to trade), as well as the reporting obligations (e.g., Forms 4 and 5 under Section 16(a) of the federal securities laws) relating to changes in the stock ownership by executive officers and directors.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;**Exhibit 19.1**<br>

ADDENDUM B

**Sample Email Regarding Quarterly Blackout Period**

Subject: Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. Quarterly Blackout Period

**This email is to inform you that the quarterly blackout period for the current quarter is now in effect and you are restricted from trading in Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. common stock or initiating any other prohibited transaction in accordance with the Company's Insider Trading Policy. If you currently have an outstanding standing order, you must immediately terminate such order. This restriction will last at least until the opening of the market on the second business day following the public release of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.'s [first/second/third/fourth] quarter [year] earnings. You will be informed of the exact date on which this Quarterly Blackout Period will end.**

<u>Blackout Periods</u>

As a Senior Officer, director or Designated Employee of Metropolitan Commercial Bank and/or Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the "Company"), you are restricted from trading Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. common stock or **initiating any other prohibited transaction** during certain times of the year in accordance with the Company's Insider Trading Policy. The purpose of these restrictions is to avoid insider trading based on information that is not available to the general public in violation of the securities laws, or the appearance thereof. Periods during which trading is restricted are referred to as "blackout periods."

The Company will enforce a Quarterly Blackout Period in conjunction with fiscal quarter and fiscal year earnings reporting, or a Special Blackout Period when a developing material event or potential material event has not been made public.

<u>Code of Conduct and Insider Trading Policy</u>

Please refer to the Company's Code of Conduct and Insider Trading Policy for further information and remember that you are prohibited from using or sharing Material Nonpublic Information for stock trading purposes or for any other purpose except to conduct the Company's business. Once this Quarterly Blackout Period ends, you are still subject to the normal rules requiring pre-clearance of transactions in the Company's securities.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are at all times in compliance with the Company's Code of Conduct and Insider Trading Policy. For definitions of the capitalized terms used but not defined herein, please refer to the Company's Insider Trading Policy.

**B-1**

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&nbsp;&nbsp;**Exhibit 19.1**<br>

ADDENDUM C

**Sample Email Regarding Quarterly Blackout Period**

Subject: Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. Special Blackout Period

**This email is to inform you that, based on consultation with counsel, a Special Blackout Period is now in effect and you are restricted from trading in Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. common stock or initiating any other prohibited transaction in accordance with the Company's Insider Trading Policy. If you currently have an outstanding standing order, you must immediately terminate such order. You will be informed of the exact date on which this Special Blackout Period will end.**

<u>Blackout Periods</u>

As a Senior Officer, director or Designated Employee of Metropolitan Commercial Bank and/or Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the "Company"), you are restricted from trading Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. common stock or **initiating any other prohibited transaction** during certain times of the year in accordance with the Company's Insider Trading Policy. The purpose of these restrictions is to avoid insider trading based on information that is not available to the general public in violation of the securities laws, or the appearance thereof. Periods during which trading is restricted are referred to as "blackout periods."

The Company will enforce a Quarterly Blackout Period in conjunction with fiscal quarter and fiscal year earnings reporting, or a Special Blackout Period when a developing material event or potential material event has not been made public.

<u>Code of Conduct and Insider Trading Policy</u>

Please refer to the Company's Code of Conduct and Insider Trading Policy for further information and remember that you are prohibited from using or sharing Material Nonpublic Information for stock trading purposes or for any other purpose except to conduct the Company's business. Once this Special Blackout Period ends, you are still subject to the normal rules requiring pre-clearance of transactions in the Company's securities.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are at all times in compliance with the Company's Code of Conduct and Insider Trading Policy. For definitions of the capitalized terms used but not defined herein, please refer to the Company's Insider Trading Policy.

**C-1**

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## Exhibit 23.1

**Exhibit 23.1**

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement Nos. 333-221644, 333-233465 and 333-265345 on Form S-8, and Registration Statement No. 333-260532 on Form S-3, No. 333-279798 on Form S-8, No. 333-283534 on Form S-3 and No. 333-287687 on Form S-8, of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. of our report dated February 20, 2026, relating to the consolidated financial statements and effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting, appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

<u>/s/ Crowe LLP</u> 

New York, New York

February 20, 2026

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## Exhibit 31.1

**Exhibit 31.1**

**CERTIFICATION**

I, Mark R. DeFazio, certify that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15)(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a) All significant deficiencies and material weakness in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: February 20, 2026<u>/s/ Mark R. DeFazio</u> 

Mark R. DeFazio

President and Chief Executive Officer

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## Exhibit 31.2

**Exhibit 31.2**

**CERTIFICATION**

I, Daniel F. Dougherty, certify that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15)(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a) All significant deficiencies and material weakness in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: February 20, 2026<u>/s/ Daniel F. Dougherty</u> 

Daniel F. Dougherty

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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## Exhibit 32.1

**Exhibit 32.1**

**CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO**

**18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350, AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO**

**SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002**

Mark R. DeFazio, President and Chief Executive Officer and Daniel F. Dougherty, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the "Company") each certify in their capacity as an officer of the Company that they have reviewed the annual report of the Company on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and that to the best of their knowledge:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) the report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) the information contained in the report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

The purpose of this statement is solely to comply with Title 18, Chapter 63, Section 1350 of the United States Code, as amended by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Date: February 20, 2026 <u>/s/ Mark R. DeFazio</u> 

Mark R. DeFazioPresident and Chief Executive Officer

Date: February 20, 2026 <u>/s/ Daniel F. Dougherty</u> 

Daniel F. DoughertyExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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## Exhibit 97.1

**Exhibit 97.1**

**METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP.**

**AMENDED AND RESTATED INCENTIVE COMPENSATION RECOUPMENT POLICY**

**1. Introduction.** The Board of Directors (the "**Board**") of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the "**Company**") believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to create and maintain a culture that emphasizes integrity and accountability and that reinforces the Company's pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. The Board has therefore adopted this amended and restated policy which provides for the recoupment of Incentive-Based Compensation in the event the Company is required to prepare a Restatement resulting from noncompliance with financial reporting requirements under the federal securities laws or in the event a Covered Person engages in Covered Conduct (this "**Policy**"). This Policy is designed to comply with Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "**Exchange Act**"), and the corresponding listing standards adopted by The New York Stock Exchange ("**NYSE Requirements**"). This Policy amends and restates the Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy adopted by the Board on September 26, 2023 (the "**Prior Policy**"). Capitalized terms used in this Policy and not otherwise defined have the meanings given to them in <u>Section 9</u> of this Policy.

**2. Recoupment.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) If the Company is required to prepare a Restatement, the Board shall, unless the Board's Compensation Committee (the "**Compensation Committee**") or, in the absence of the Compensation Committee, a majority of the independent directors serving on the Board, determines it to be Impracticable, take Reasonably Prompt Action to recoup all Restatement Recoverable Compensation from any Covered Person. Subject to applicable law, the Board may seek to recoup Restatement Recoverable Compensation by requiring a Covered Person to repay such amount to the Company; by adding "holdback" or deferral policies to incentive compensation; by adding post-vesting "holding" or "no transfer" policies to equity awards; by set-off of a Covered Person's other compensation; by reducing future compensation; or by such other means or combination of means as the Board, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate. This Policy is in addition to (and not in lieu of) any right of repayment, forfeiture, or off-set against any Covered Person that may be available under applicable law or otherwise (whether implemented prior to or after adoption of this Policy). The Board may, in its sole discretion and in the exercise of its business judgment, determine whether and to what extent additional action is appropriate to address the circumstances surrounding any Restatement to minimize the likelihood of any recurrence and to impose such other discipline as it deems appropriate.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) In the event that the Compensation Committee determines that any Covered Person has engaged in any Covered Conduct, the Compensation Committee may seek

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recovery of all or a portion of any Covered Conduct Recoverable Compensation (on a post- or pre-tax basis) as determined by the Compensation Committee. In this regard, the Compensation Committee may provide that any unpaid or unvested Incentive-Based Compensation awarded to a Covered Person is forfeited in connection with the Covered Person's Covered Conduct. The Compensation Committee may seek recovery of Covered Conduct Recoverable Compensation for Covered Conduct even if a person's Covered Conduct did not result in an award or payment greater than would have been awarded absent the Covered Conduct.

**3. Administration of Policy.** The Board shall have full authority to administer, amend, or terminate this Policy and intends that this Policy will be applied to the fullest extent of the law. The Board shall, subject to the provisions of this Policy, make such determinations and interpretations and take such actions in connection with this Policy as it deems necessary, appropriate or advisable. All determinations and interpretations made by the Board shall be final, binding and conclusive. The Board may delegate any of its powers under this Policy to the Compensation Committee of the Board or, subject to the NYSE Requirements and the provisions of this Policy, any subcommittee or delegate thereof. This Policy and all controversies arising from or relating to this Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to its conflicts of law principles. It is intended that this Policy be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any applicable rules or standards adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "**SEC**") and any applicable NYSE Requirement. For the avoidance of doubt, the enforcement of this Policy is not dependent on if or when any applicable restated financial statements are filed with the SEC.

**4. Acknowledgement by Executive Officers.** The Board shall provide notice to and seek written acknowledgement of, and agreement to be bound by, this Policy from each Executive Officer in the form of <u>Appendix A</u> ("**Acknowledgement**"); *provided* that the failure to provide such notice or obtain such Acknowledgement shall have no impact on the applicability or enforceability of this Policy.

**5. No Indemnification.** Notwithstanding the terms of any of the Company's organizational documents, any corporate policy or any contract, no Covered Person shall be indemnified by the Company against the loss of any Recoverable Compensation recoverable by the Company pursuant to <u>Section 2(a)</u> or <u>Section 2(b)</u>. Further, the Company shall not enter into any agreement that exempts any Incentive-Based Compensation that is granted, paid or awarded to a Covered Person from the application of this Policy or that waives the Company's right to recovery of any Recoverable Compensation, and this Policy shall supersede any such agreement (whether entered into before, on or after the Effective Date of this Policy).

**6. Disclosures.** The Company shall make all disclosures and filings with respect to this Policy and maintain all documents and records that are required by the applicable rules and forms of the SEC (including, without limitation, Rule 10D-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act) and any NYSE Requirement.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

**7. Effective Date.** This Policy shall be effective as of the date it is adopted by the Board or a designated committee thereof (the "**Effective Date**") and shall apply to Incentive-Based Compensation that is Received on or after the Effective Date. As and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Prior Policy applies to Incentive-Based Compensation that was Received on or after the initial date of adoption of the Prior Policy but prior to the Effective Date.

**8. Amendment.** The Board may amend this Policy from time to time in its discretion and shall amend this Policy as it deems necessary to reflect any amendments or other changes to Section 10D of the Exchange Act or any NYSE Requirement.

**9. Definitions.** In addition to terms otherwise defined in this Policy, the following terms, when used in this Policy, shall have the following meanings:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) "**Applicable Period**" means the three completed fiscal years, including any Transition Period, immediately preceding the earlier of: (i) the date that the Board, a committee of the Board, or the officer or officers of the Company authorized to take such action if Board action is not required, concludes, or reasonably should have concluded, that the Company is required to prepare a Restatement or (ii) the date a court, regulator or other legally authorized body directs the Company to prepare a Restatement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) "**Covered Conduct**" means (i) a willful, knowing or intentional material breach of (1) the Company's Code of Ethics, (2) the requirements for officers of public companies under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that, in the reasonable opinion of the Board, will likely cause substantial financial harm or substantial injury to the reputation of the Company or its subsidiaries, (3) any employee handbook of the Company that is applicable to the Covered Person, or (4) any other applicable legal or regulatory requirements in the course of the Covered Person's service to the Company or its subsidiaries (including at a Company-related event or involving Company personnel); (ii) actions or omissions resulting, in the reasonable opinion of the Board, in material reputational or financial harm to the Company or its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, where the Covered Person failed to supervise other employees under his or her direct control who engaged in such harmful behavior; (iii) a breach of fiduciary duty to the Company; or (iv) willful misconduct, material dishonesty or fraud in the commission of a Covered Person's service to the Company or its subsidiaries.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) "**Covered Conduct Recoverable Compensation**" means all Incentive-Based Compensation Received on or after the Effective Date by a Covered Person during the three completed fiscal years prior to the determination that such Covered <br> Person engaged in Covered Conduct.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) "**Covered Person**" means any person who receives Recoverable Compensation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) "**Executive Officer**" means individuals identified by the Company as Rule 16a-1(f) officers of the Company.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) "**Financial Reporting Measure**" means a measure that is determined and presented in accordance with the accounting principles used in preparing the Company's financial statements, and any measure that is derived wholly or in part from such measure. Stock price and total shareholder return ()"**TSR**") are also considered Financial Reporting Measures. A Financial Reporting Measure need not be presented within the financial statements or included in a filing with the SEC.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) "**Impracticable**" means, after exercising a normal due process review of all the relevant facts and circumstances and taking all steps required by Exchange Act Rule 10D-1 and any applicable NYSE Requirement, the Compensation Committee or, in the absence of the Compensation Committee, a majority of the independent directors serving on the Board, determines that recovery of the Incentive-Based Compensation is impracticable because: (i) it has determined, after making a reasonable attempt to recover such Incentive-Based Compensation, documented such reasonable attempt to recover and provided that documentation to The New York Stock Exchange, that the direct expense that the Company would pay to a third party to assist in recovering the Incentive-Based Compensation would exceed the amount to be recovered; (ii) it has concluded that the recovery of the Incentive-Based Compensation would violate home country law adopted prior to November 28, 2022 and has received a legal opinion from home country counsel stating that the recovery would result in such a violation; or (iii) it has determined that the recovery of Incentive-Based Compensation would likely cause an otherwise tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to the Company's employees, to fail to meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(13) or 26 U.S.C. 411(a) and regulations thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) "**Incentive-Based Compensation**" means any compensation that is granted, earned or vested based wholly or in part upon the attainment of a Financial Reporting Measure.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "**Reasonably Prompt Action**" means that each of the Company, its directors and its officers act in a manner that is consistent with the exercise of their applicable fiduciary duties to safeguard the assets of the Company, including the time value of any potential Recoverable Compensation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) "**Received**" means Incentive-Based Compensation received in the Company's fiscal period during which the Financial Reporting Measure specified in the Incentive-Based Compensation award is attained, even if the payment or grant of the Incentive-Based Compensation occurs after the end of that period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) "**Recoverable Compensation**" means Covered Conduct Recoverable Compensation and/or Restatement Recoverable Compensation, as applicable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) "**Restatement Recoverable Compensation**" means all Incentive-Based Compensation (calculated on a pre-tax basis) Received on or after the Effective

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Date by a person: (i) after beginning service as an Executive Officer; (ii) who served as an Executive Officer at any time during the performance period for that Incentive-Based Compensation (whether or not such Executive Officer is serving at the time the Restatement Recoverable Compensation is required to be repaid to the Company); (iii) while the Company had a class of securities listed on a national securities exchange or national securities association; and (iv) during the Applicable Period, that exceeded the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation that otherwise would have been Received had the amount been determined based on the Financial Reporting Measures, as reflected in the Restatement. With respect to Incentive-Based Compensation based on stock price or TSR, when the amount of erroneously awarded compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in an accounting restatement, the amount must be based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the Restatement on the stock price or TSR upon which the Incentive-Based Compensation was received.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) "**Restatement**" means an accounting restatement of any of the Company's financial statements due to the Company's material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under U.S. securities laws, including any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements, or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) "**Transition Period**" means any transition period in the Company's financial statements that is the result of a change in the Company's fiscal year within or immediately following the relevant three completed fiscal year period; *provided*, *however*, a transition period between the last day of the Company's previous fiscal year and the first day of its new fiscal year that comprises a period of nine (9) to twelve (12) months shall be deemed to be a completed fiscal year for purposes of this Policy.

Adopted by the Compensation Committee on February 19, 2026.

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