The bank-control exodus from SC continues.

It leaves Lexington-based 1st Community Bank among the few remaining locallyowned banks.

United Bank of West Virginia officially took ownership of CresCom Bank last month.

That moves the 2nd largest locally-owned bank out of state.

Now investors in South State Bank, the largest, approved a merger to move the 86-year-old bank headquarters to central Florida.

The pending marriage is between South State and CenterState Bank of Winter Haven, Fla.

At the time, the stock swap was valued at $2.97 billion, according to the Charleston Post and Courier.

The covid-related market turmoil slashed that 40% to about $1.77 billion.

This will create a Top 10 Southeast bank, with $34 billion in projected assets, deposits of $26 billion, 300-plus branches and more than a million customers in 6 states.