[saalweachter]

I'm actually curious if SVB failed because it had so many highly connected "big" customers.

A panic moves a lot faster if each person is pulling 8+ figures from the bank, and you have a lot more incentive to panic if you have more than the 6 figures of FDIC insured balance in the bank. There's also a measurable difference in hearing crazy Jim down at the pub pulled his $400 out of the local credit union because he heard the fed was raising rates and hearing from the VC on your startup's board that three guys -- guys you know and think are cooler than you -- have pulled their next year of runway from SVB because they're worried for vague handwaving macroeconomics reasons that sound plausibly impressive to you.