PayThink

Mobile devices are ubiquitous, with more than 225 million wireless subscribers in the U.S. They have empowered consumers with immediate access to information that's changing how we shop and buy-and how we interact with the payments value chain.

Despite new standards, firms must be aware of how much often-subjective judgment goes into mark-to-market accounting, particularly for non-standard financial products.

After the undermining of President Obama's recess appointment of Richard Cordray as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's director and talk swirling that Democrats may seek to cut a deal with Republicans, many of whom seek to scale back the agency, Sen. Elizabeth Warren may be the one who can save the CFPB.

Safety and soundness in banking will be found more in changes in oversight than regulation.

Young hipsters aren't the only ones who want to conduct business with mobile phones. The underserved are also heavy smartphone adopters, and likely to use them for banking and payments.

White's determination to succeed and legal competence will make her the most formidable chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission yet.

Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry believes regulatory cooperation between examiners is key to navigating the division of responsibilities that the Dodd-Frank Act made to bank regulation.

The nomination of attorney Mary Jo White as SEC chairman and renomination of Richard Cordray as CFPB director indicate the White House's stance on key banking issues will create new challenges for financial institutions.

The biggest expansion of the banking rulebook is still on the horizon. The changes could lead to an overhaul of banking business models.

Confining banks to "narrow" or "traditional" activities, as some policymakers and pundits advocate, would drive even more customers to the shadow sector. Do we really want shadow banks to own the financial future?