A group of big financial institutions wants to use the blockchain to make it easier and less costly to track home mortgages packaged into securities.

America's biggest banks just spent a week regaling shareholders about brighter days ahead, when tax cuts add billions of dollars to the firms' annual profits. About 8,000 people are getting left behind.

The San Francisco bank said that Michael Loughlin's departure is unrelated to the sales scandal that has dogged the company for the last 16 months.

The P-to-P payments service promises to clear transactions in near-real time, but many consumers have complained that they have been unable access their money or even open accounts. Zelle has acknowledged the delays and says they are a result of its rigorous enrollment process.

Tax reform and other regulatory factors could allow Citigroup — and other banks — to maintain high capital levels and strong rewards for shareholders.

Though business owners are more optimistic about the direction of the economy since the tax law was passed, it's doubtful their borrowing will increase meaningfully until they see more signs of more robust growth, bankers say.

The two banks' tax reform expectations differ as they move in opposite directions; bank bows to pressure to report pay discrepancies.

Weak loan growth, a $3.25 billion litigation accrual and other costs tied to the phony-accounts saga all added up to a messy fourth quarter for the San Francisco bank.

The JPMorgan Chase CEO is rejecting arguments that banks are poised to loosen underwriting standards to win more mortgage business. He said what's needed to encourage banks to make more loans to borrowers with spotty credit files are changes to FHA rules and other policy fixes.

Cryptocurrencies continue to dominate much of the news, with a warning on bitcoin taking the top spot and a story about Ripple's partnership with MoneyGram doing well. Housing finance reform, Wells Fargo and the CFPB also featured.

Executives of large banks told investors and analysts what they wanted to hear Friday when they said they plan to increase returns to shareholders.

Wells Fargo had another surprise for investors in the form of its biggest legal charge yet, showing the lender is not yet past its consumer banking scandals.

JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo are the first to report; payments company will run pilot to see if digital currency speeds transactions and lowers costs.

The disclosure of a key part of Wells Fargo's exam rating is fueling speculation that further regulatory action may soon be taken against the megabank and raising renewed questions about its regulator's oversight.

There are dangers for companies that portray themselves as virtuous, particularly if their corporate cultures do not match the public stories they have been telling about themselves.

A key part of Well Fargo's Camels score was reduced, reflecting concerns about its management; Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank join the list of banks taking writedowns for deferred-tax assets.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaints dropped last year for most of the big banks, including Wells Fargo, though they rose sharply at Capital One.

Banks have been in full cost-cutting mode in recent years, but with profits expected to increase substantially as a result of tax reform, all analysts and investors want to know is how they plan to spend their tax savings.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau featured in three of our most read articles of last year, while two others were about the disruptor Ripple. Other highlights included our annual Women in Banking package, the aftermath of the Equifax data breach and news of Amazon's possible banking plans.

Increases in charitable donations will be more important than ever for bank reputations, as tax breaks and a lighter touch from financial regulators rekindle public anger about the financial crisis.