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.

Following a series of high-profile data breaches, legislators in the nation's largest state are kicking off a debate that has nationwide implications.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s fourth-quarter report on industry health showed continued challenges to growth, but the second straight increase in net interest margins is a promising sign for the future.

NASB Financial (NASB) in Grandview, Mo., has been released from a consent order issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

New York regulator Benjamin Lawsky raised concern about conflicts of interest in mortgage servicer Ocwen Financial's business relationships, warning that a "tangled web of conflicts could create incentives that harm borrowers and push homeowners unduly into foreclosure."

With media outlets reporting the grisly details, there has never been a better time to educate commercial account holders about the risks associated with online banking, particularly phishing attacks.

Mortgage Network in Danvers, Mass., has opened its first office in neighboring Rhode Island.

A tax plan from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp would further limit the mortgage-interest break and end the deduction for state and local taxes, according to a nonpartisan congressional summary.

The country's biggest bank has called a halt to its branch-expansion strategy of a year ago. Instead, JPMorgan Chase this week said it would start building smaller, cheaper branches with fewer tellers and more technology, as well as more offices for financial planners to meet with its wealthiest clients. American Banker editors discuss JPMorgan's new branch strategy and what it could signal for other banks.

JPMorgan Chase is the first bank to adopt a new disclosure box for its prepaid cards, developed by Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Federal Reserve Board has released Metropolitan Bank Holding in New York from a January 2011 enforcement action.

In the FDIC's fourth quarter earnings report, the agency said loan buybacks fell to their lowest level in 5 years.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM:US) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS:US) were among 18 financial firms that agreed to stop participating in some surveys of analyst sentiment while New York investigates early access to the information.

The mortgage market has failed to shift from refinances to purchases as anticipated, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest weekly report on applications.

The most notable quotes from American Banker stories of the previous week. Readers are encouraged to add their own observations in the Comments fields at the bottom of each slide.