Law and regulation

OpenCoin, Chris Larsen's virtual-currency venture, announced today it has closed funding from several investors, including Bitcoin Opportunity Fund.

Credit card companies, investment advisors and other financial firms will be required to set up programs to flag and deter identity theft, U.S. regulators said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is asking lawmakers to expand its authority to take enforcement actions against independent contractors that it requires banks to hire.

President Obama unveiled his long awaited budget plan on Wednesday, offering a more detailed look at the financial health of the Federal Housing Administration and introducing several key banking proposals.

The lead Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters, is considering certain changes to the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a 45-page compliance guide for small banks and mortgage lenders to better understand how to comply with the "qualified mortgage" rule that requires lenders to ensure borrowers have the ability to repay a loan.

Constraints on fees for arranging loans will encourage car dealers to charge more for other products and services to make up lost revenue.

The only way to put an end to "too big to fail" is to safely unwind banks without a government rescue according to Jeffrey Lacker, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday published a compliance guide for small banks and mortgage lenders to better understand and comply with a rule that requires lenders to ensure borrowers have the ability to repay a loan as well as creates a separate class of loans known as "qualified mortgages."

The top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee said she would consider "discussing areas that require clarification" in the Dodd-Frank Act.

Steve Kandarian, the chairman, president and chief executive of MetLife Inc., had one clear message for regulators on Wednesday: Leave us alone.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM), which is under regulatory orders to tighten internal controls following a record trading last year, will face more sanctions in the coming months, CEO Jamie Dimon said.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is estimating that the Federal Housing Administration will likely require almost $1 billion in additional funding from the Treasury Department to shore up its capital reserves later this year.

A judge has ruled that Bank of America (BAC) does not have to defend itself against a lawsuit filed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on behalf of a failed bank.

Young families looking to put down roots in a community must be served if we are going to grow our economy and sustain the housing recovery.

WICHITA, Kan. — A federal judge here yesterday dismissed the majority of $590 million of securities claims brought by NCUA against Credit Suisse Securities in the 2009 collapses of U.S. Central FCU and WesCorp, dealing the credit union regulator another defeat in its efforts to recoup losses for the biggest credit union failures ever.

EMV smart-card migration preparations in the U.S. will take on a more serious tone when the responsibility of covering fraud losses begins to shift.

More than half of the 4 million borrowers affected by the settlement will receive just $300, while three-quarters will receive less than $1,000, regulators said Tuesday.

Bank of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase all received failing grades on Fannie Mae's test of mortgage servicers based on overall performance, customer service and foreclosure prevention efforts.

Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., David Vitter, R-La., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, are urging regulators to end "too big to fail" and delay Basel III requirements for small institutions.