Restoring consumer confidence in financial services won't be easy after the latest banking brouhaha, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help by proactively holding all mortgage loan officers to the same federal licensing standard.

Strategies include developing formal agreements with partners defining the anti-money-laundering requirements and responsibilities that are expected of them.

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Run on Deutsche?: Deutsche Bank shares were under pressure again Friday morning as several large, influential hedge funds moved to pull their money out of the bank, creating what some fear is a Lehman Brothers-type run. But CEO John Cryan told staff the bank has "strong foundations" and urged them not to be distracted by "distorted perception from outside." He said there are "currently some forces at play in the market that…

The rankings of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance include some familiar faces but also plenty of newcomers. We also look at the courage women demonstrate balancing work with their personal lives and a call to action from SEC chair Mary Jo White.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposal not only requires lenders to determine a borrower's ability to repay, but also forces creditors to follow the bureau's approach to making that determination.

As the Wells Fargo story has played out, pundits have been quick to blame "sales culture" for improper behavior, but that's like blaming automobiles for reckless drivers.

It's time that financial institutions in America recognize the value that women can bring to the executive suite and boardroom.

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Call in the SEC: Three Democratic senators, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Wells Fargo "violated laws by misleading investors and firing whistleblowers while the bank oversaw the creation of millions of unauthorized, fraudulent accounts," according to the Wall Street Journal. The situation at Wells does "justify an investigation into at least three types of securities law violations," according to the letter the…

If stories like the Wells Fargo scandal are repeated at other institutions, U.S. banks could soon experience the same reputational and regulatory fate of their cousins in the United Kingdom.

A new wave of exciting innovation is presenting businesses with opportunities to improve processes and the consumer experience.

Breaking News This Morning ... Deutsche sells insurer: Deutsche Bank, which is under heavy pressure to raise capital, said Wednesday it sold its Abbey Life insurance unit to Phoenix Group Holdings for $1.22 billion. The bank's stock, which hit a 33-year low earlier this week, as it faces a potential $14 billion penalty in the U.S. for allegedly selling toxic mortgage-backed securities, in addition to other problems, including a failed stress test and weak quarterly earnings.…

Concerns about cross-selling run deeper than the risk of misbehavior. The practice also has a questionable economic rationale.

The bad-news stories about the largest institutions are worrisome in light of housing finance proposals that could benefit the big banks even more.

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Good news, bad news: Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo had some good news and some bad news for U.S. commercial banks on Monday. First, he said the Fed is proposing easing stress-test requirements for banks with less than $250 billion in assets that don't engage in significant nonbank or international activity. But the central bank is also considering a separate proposal, to be issued sometime next year, that would have the effect…

Up until now, no fintech company has succeeded on a mass scale to offer solutions beyond its core product. But disruptors are trying to go in that direction, and banks should watch their efforts closely.