BankThink

Recent steps that would help nonbank lenders enter the traditional banking system, like a proposal clarifying the industrial loan company charter, are needed but face strong opposition.

New York State regulators may bring an enforcement action against the German bank as early as this month; Wells Fargo’s decision to stop making loans to the dealers has more to do with credit quality than asset limits.

Automation and technology allow lenders to handle an evolving situation that changes by the day: adjustments are easily made to terms, timing and required data for loan forgiveness, says PayNet’s William Phelan.

Avivah Litan, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, explains the evolving role blockchain has taken during the coronavirus pandemic. Blockchain, originally developed for use with bitcoin, provides a way to bring trust and order to the chaos of the current crisis, but it's no silver bullet.

An interagency notice meant to encourage lenders to offer small consumer loans also provides federal agencies too much say on what constitutes “reasonable” pricing.

New technologies can provide recommendations and proactively engage with customers and members to help them pay their bills or pay friends and proactively manage their financial well-being, says Payrailz's Mickey Goldwasser.

Brian Brooks says coronavirus mandates, such as masks, could potentially harm banks; some recipients of the Treasury prepaid cards don’t believe they are for real.

While open banking is a fascinating movement poised to benefit consumers and spark significant innovation in financial services, the world must weigh convenience vs. risk and approach the inherent privacy and security concerns with caution, says Imperva's Terry Ray.

Competition over virtual currency could alter politics and global power structures, potentially to the detriment of the U.S., the author of "The Currency Cold War" argues.

Periods of significant loan defaults are tough on banks and force unpleasant choices. Here are steps to evaluate collateral in such uncertain times.