Consumer lending

Bowing to industry pressure, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is warning consumers with notices on its complaint portal not to file disputes about inaccurate information on credit reports, among other changes.

A one-time accounting change will boost the bank's ability to spend on marketing. Traders flinched at the change; analysts called it a buying opportunity.

The auto lender's earnings mostly surpassed expectations in the fourth quarter, but its financial outlook was dampened by its projection of a weaker labor market in 2026.

Shares of the California lender surged 25% on news of the leadership change and preliminary fourth-quarter earnings.

The crypto lender issued over 5,000 loans to residents without a license and failed to assess repayment ability, the DFPI said.

The San Francisco-based banking giant reported solid gains in credit card and auto lending as credit remained in check and quarterly operating costs declined from a year ago.

Credit unions hit new highs in membership, deposits and loans in 2025. But it was also a chaotic year for the industry's governing body, and the sector faced renewed attacks by banks.

The fintech IPO drought ended this year with several large public exits by firms such as Chime, Klarna and Circle.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will face an existential crisis in 2026 between the Trump administration's efforts to shut down the agency and the employee union and consumer advocates who want to stop them.

Nine banks and lenders were impacted by the yearslong, $923 million fraud enterprise, according to an indictment of top Tricolor executives. The banks were not publicly named, but JPMorganChase, Fifth Third, Barclays, Louisiana-based Origin Bancorp and Texas-based Triumph Financial have said they would take write-downs.

A breach at an auto lending compliance provider highlights third-party vendor risks and has triggered class action lawsuits against the firm.

Enova International, a nonbank lender in Chicago, plans to gain scale by taking over Grasshopper Bank's national bank charter. The deal already faces skepticism from critics of Enova's high-cost lending model.

Charlie Scharf has a mostly optimistic take on Wells' consumer banking prospects entering 2026. But he's more downbeat about the company's once-dominant residential mortgage business.

The student lending giant offered forecasts of future earnings that were far below Wall Street's expectations. In recent months, Sallie Mae has been upbeat about the new opportunities it sees under the Trump administration.

A survey compiled by the American Financial Services Association showed deteriorating business conditions during the third quarter of this year. The outlook for subprime borrowers was particularly grim.

The Toronto-based loan fintech received an IFE license from Puerto Rico to launch Propel Bank.

As federal watchdogs step back from regulating "Buy Now, Pay Later" loans, state authorities are stepping in. This week, the attorneys general from California and several other blue states joined the fight.

The Wisconsin-based regional bank plans to acquire American National Corp. in an all-stock transaction valued at $604 million. It is Associated's first acquisition announcement since Andy Harmening became CEO in 2021.

An appeals court's decision will make it harder for consumer-lending-focused fintechs to operate in Colorado. But the impact could eventually be felt more widely, according to both industry groups and consumer advocates.

As opportunities grow for private student lending, Sallie Mae has entered a multiyear "strategic partnership" with the world's largest private equity firm.