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Universal Commerce Protocol is an open standard that establishes a common language for AI agents and systems to work together, and will allow consumers to purchase products from retailers directly through Google's AI Mode in the browser or the Gemini app.

Acting CFPB Director Russell Vought agreed to request $145 million in funding from the Federal Reserve, yielding to a court order to avoid a contempt citation.

Jelena McWilliams, former chair of the FDIC, is joining data sharing fintech Plaid as its new president of corporate and external affairs.

Prosperity Bancshares is fast-tracking bank acquisitions; PNC closed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company; BrightBridge Credit Union finalized its merger with Arrha Credit Union; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

The Senate allowed the nomination of a permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to lapse, giving acting Director Russell Vought more time to lead the agency on a temporary basis.

A recent fraud case shines a spotlight on the many communication disconnects caused by disjointed software systems common at larger banks. Here's what happened to one American Banker editor. 

Significant regulatory, legislative and business developments could shape the industry this year, putting pressure on banks to respond.

Several large U.S. banks reported an uptick in overdraft-related income for the first three quarters of 2025. Economic pressure on consumers may be to blame, some banks and industry observers say.

As the Federal Reserve's quantitative tightening efforts fade into history, the major engine of economic growth in the U.S. will be bank lending. Regulators should keep a close eye on where those dollars are going.

Employers added 50,000 jobs in December, with gains in service industries while broader sectors remained mostly flat, supporting the Fed's cautious stance on further rate cuts.