Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

Barclays is in an awkward situation that will ring familiar to bankers in the U.S. The U.K. bank has been terminating relationships with money transmitters, including several that wire funds to Somalia, a ravaged country that relies heavily on remittances from immigrants in the West. The bank says it's uncomfortable with the risk and expense of serving these businesses in light of recent fines levied against big financial institutions for anti-money laundering lapses. But now it's being accused of starting a humanitarian crisis.

The Senate's confirmation of Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ends a long period of uncertainty for the new agency – and for the banks that it regulates. It also effectively ends efforts by Republicans and the industry to change the structure of the CFPB.

The Senate's proposal to reinstate Glass-Steagall is giving new fuel to the debate over breaking up big banks, and illuminating how much companies like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup have to lose from the mounting pressure to become smaller and to separate their commercial and investment banking activities.

The editors of American Banker's BankThink blog discuss an ongoing series, "The Future Model of Banking," in which contributors envision products and services tomorrow's banks can offer that add value and that customers will happily pay for.

Bank buyers are starting to pay more for assets; valuations soared this month in Prosperity’s deal for FVNB and MB Financial’s deal for Taylor Capital, which could be the sign of increased prices for future bank M&A.

The relationship between traditional financial institutions and startups is a recurring theme in BankThink's series, "The Future Model of Banking." While young companies are nimbler and more innovative, banks have the advantages of regulatory protections and incumbency. So while the disruptive newcomers could make banks obsolete, these entrepreneurs may be able to accomplish more by working with banks than they might on their own.

With the House Financial Services Committee imminently voting on a bill to wind down and replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, you might think Washington is finally moving on GSE reform. Not so fast.

Miranda Hill, vice president and manager for Digital Innovation Capabilities at Wells Fargo Labs, tells Mary Wisniewski about some of the emerging technologies with which the bank is experimenting.