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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 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.

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.

Google requires the early adopters who buy its Google Glass headset to purchase it using Google Wallet. What are the implications for Google's payments strategy?

Big banks are taking steps to defend themselves against cyberattacks, but regulators and policymakers want to see more progress.