BankThink

The smallness of in-store branches used to be a liability, but with the industry's changing landscape, strategically placed "alternative branches" make more sense today.

Some regulatory agencies appear ripe for criticism or curbs to their authority in the incoming Trump administration, but the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is in position to have its authority expanded.

Receiving Wide Coverage ...Mnuchin speaks: Steven Mnuchin discussed his views on regulatory and tax policies Wednesday after being named President-elect Trump's designated Treasury secretary. Speaking on CNBC, Mnuchin said he would focus on rolling back parts of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. "The number one problem with Dodd-Frank is that it's way too complicated and cuts back lending," he said, adding, stripping back part of the law "will be the number one priority on the regulatory side." He used similar words to describe the Volcker rule (see below).

Banks tend to respond to ATM and payment breach risks after an incident. They need to get more proactive.

Consumers' providing bank credentials to third-party services is akin to handing over their house keys. To mitigate screen-scraping risks, banks and fintech companies must first address issues related to security, transparency and control.

Post-crisis regulations were not only costly but may have undermined executive accountability by turning CEOs into compliance managers instead of drivers of business decisions.

Receiving Wide Coverage ...Wall Street ties: Steven Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive, is expected to be named Treasury secretary by President-elect Donald Trump. "Mr. Mnuchin's Wall Street pedigree presents a contrast with the populist themes Mr. Trump struck in his campaign, railing against big banks and vowing to close tax loopholes that benefit hedge funds," the Wall Street Journal commented. "Mr. Trump also repeatedly attacked his rivals in the primary and general elections for their Wall Street ties, especially those connected to Goldman Sachs." Mnuchin, who also made millions as a Hollywood movie producer, was Trump's campaign finance chairman. Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times, Washington Post, American Banker

With access to financial transaction data under threat by hurdles imposed by certain financial institutions, it should be up to consumers to decide how their data is used to improve their financial well-being,

Americans could have significantly more money saved for their retirement, if not for all the fees that the asset management industry charges. What's worse is most savers are unclear how much they are paying, to whom, and for what. The authors of "What They Do With Your Money: How the Financial System Fails Us and How to Fix It" propose some changes that they say would not only help the economy grow faster but improve corporate America overall.

Signs point to international regulatory reform having passed its peak, with European regulators delaying policies and agitating against further Basel III rules.