Law and regulation

To hear some former examiners tell it, companies that are hostile during the exam process may get dinged more often than those that show respect and professionalism. Following are tips to ensure bankers do better on their next exam.

Since the financial crisis, there has been a consensus that bankers need to repair their corporate cultures in order to fix the reputation damage during the housing collapse. But some bankers are saying it needs to be a more coordinated effort.

The more welcoming European regulatory environment for blockchain developers could take the competitive edge away from U.S. banks unless regulators here start championing fintech innovation.

We are reminded frequently that policies with the best intentions often do not reach their intended recipients and at times lead to previously unforeseen issues.

The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions closed the $67.1 million-asset North Milwaukee State Bank on Friday.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac gave $186 million to the National Housing Trust Fund, their first such contributions to a fund designed to provide construction and rehabilitation of rental housing for low-income families.

A left-leaning group is attacking one of the most prominent Democrats in Washington as being insufficiently tough on payday lenders. The ad shows how once-obscure financial issues are commanding a higher profile this election season.

Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry's unexpected announcement this week that his agency may craft new guidelines to deal with de-risking is generating concerns from bankers instead of putting them at ease.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is exploring ways to use $40 million it received as part of a private-label securities settlement to support small-business development and job creation to help future homebuyers.

The international panel issued a consultative document outlining suggested updates to its so-called Pillar III disclosure rules, including simple and comparable metrics for market risk, counterparty credit risk, operational risk and Total Loss Absorbing Capacity.

Ray Grace, North Carolina's banking commissioner, believes federal bank regulators should embrace charters for banks dedicated to innovation. Doing so, he said, would help the banking industry secure its spot as a "laboratory for change."

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

Startups, including one in the virtual currency field, have approached the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency about applying for banking charters, the agency's chief counsel said Thursday.

President Obama put pressure on regulators this week to finish their long-delayed rule governing executive compensation, but by the time it gets implemented, much of the work may have already been done.

It could take months before lawmakers approve a successor for departing NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz, and industry observers believe issues like supplemental capital could be on hold until that replacement takes office.

The Senate Banking Committee approved the nomination of a top Treasury official in charge of stopping terrorism financing and financial crime during an executive session on Thursday.

That is the message from North Carolina's banking commissioner and others who think the odds of preventing the rule are so low, and the amount of preparation needed to comply so great, that bankers should get real.

Foreign banks including HSBC and Deutsche Bank are pushing back against the Federal Reserve's proposals on implementing rules designed to end too-big-to-fail, saying they are burdensome and unfair to the U.S. units of the world's biggest lenders.

Not only are widening credit spreads for both banks and the companies they lend to a red flag, but the financial sector is also feeling a hit from lower energy prices.

A mature governance framework and risk culture that reaches all employees are among the attributes of a high-functioning "risk organization."