Retail & Commercial

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau weighed into the debate about the future of digital currencies like Bitcoin, issuing a warning Aug. 11 that they pose significant risks to consumers.

Scammers in Ohio are posing as government and law enforcement officials demanding that consumers pay money immediately, according to state regulators.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last week sent letters to 10 of the country’s largest universities urging them to publish the terms of prepaid cards, debit cards and checking accounts that banks are promoting on their campuses.

Misys, the British financial industry software provider, has acquired Custom Credit Systems in Richardson, Texas, which specializes in commercial lending technology, for an undisclosed price.

The banking industry had its second most profitable quarter in 23 years in the April-June period, according to SNL Financial.

Financial products are more available than ever, opening up vast markets here and abroad, including billions of unbanked consumers looking for new options from clever startup firms, says former Citigroup Chief Executive Vikram Pandit.

New charters were once an integral piece of the bank M&A food chain, allowing bankers to start anew after selling their institutions. Do novo banking has all but dried up, and the dearth of startups has made executives hesitant to sell their banks.

Paula Johannsen was the most-active financial adviser at midyear with six mergers under her belt. In a wide-ranging interview, she discusses Florida M&A, compliance delays and the reasoning behind mergers of equals.

Frederick J. Hanna & Associates, P.C., an Atlanta-based creditors’ rights and collection law firm, has expanded its legal collection footprint by opening an office in Greenville, S.C., that will service the entire state.

Local officials in Daly City, Calif. will review Monday whether to approve legislation that will prohibit new payday lending businesses from opening within 2,000 feet of existing payday lenders.