Credit unions' tax exemption looks safe again this year on Capitol Hill, but that didn't stop the American Bankers Association from mounting an intense advertising and lobbying attack that also served as rallying cry for the Credit Union National Association.

Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen said today that the central bank does not have the power to supervise Bitcoin, the most widely-recognized digital currency.

Executives at Webster Financial, Independent Bank and People's United agree that their retail operations have to change -- but the consensus stops there. Some are adding branches, some are cutting them, and they are all using new technologies in different ways.

The Royal Canadian Mint, which casts coins for the Canadian federal government, has started a pilot test of its MintChip digital currency. Through these tests, the Mint must make clear what this new currency is and what it is not.

Debt collection ranks second in the Federal Trade Commission's annual list of consumer complaints, according to the report released Thursday.

Instead of dwelling on tired arguments, industry reps and consumer advocates should focus on, among other things, ending the debt cycle, promoting financial literacy and helping borrowers build credit.

Madison Bancorp (MDSN) in Baltimore, Md., plans to deregister its common stock and stop reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Wells Fargo (WFC), the nation's largest mortgage lender, plans to eliminate 700 more jobs as fewer borrowers are looking to refinance their mortgage loans.

EagleBank in Bethesda, Md., has hired three former Virginia Commerce Bank executives.

First Republic Bank (FRC) in San Francisco has appointed a new chief operating officer and extended the employment contracts for its chief executive and president.

Oconee Federal Financial Corp. (OFED) in Seneca, S.C., has agreed to buy Stephens Federal Bank in Toccoa, Ga.

The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is asking banks to voluntarily provide their customers with credit scores used to make lending decisions.

Freddie Mac will return $10.4 billion in profits to the Treasury Department next month, bringing total payments to about $10 billion above what it got in aid under conservatorship.

The need that drives millions of people to seek out small loans isn’t going away. Lenders can fill the gap by restructuring payment models, focusing on a borrower’s ability to repay and developing a variety of solutions.

For the first time in more than three years, the total balance of new mortgage originations is larger than that of loans in foreclosure, according to Equifax.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) wants federal regulators to ban Bitcoin.

The Dutch startup Eaze introduced a "Nod to Pay" app for Google Glass that uses the headset's camera and ability to sense motion to enable Bitcoin payments.

Serial bank acquirers might stop to catch their breath some times, but many realize that their next deal is always on the horizon. Three of those banks recently discussed their plans to return to M&A at a conference in Boston.

Thirteen Democratic lawmakers are encouraging the Department of Justice not to cave in the face of Republican opposition to a crackdown on online payday lenders.

JPMorgan Chase's warning that it will lose money in the mortgage business this year is a forceful reminder that the housing market has not recovered from the downturn.