Coronavirus

Weak demand for oil and gas, brought on by the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, has raised concerns of energy firms missing loan payments or even going bankrupt. Here’s how banks and regulators are trying to get ahead of potential problems.

With branches closed and fewer opportunities for credit unions to have in-person interactions with members, the pandemic has reiterated the need for digital transformation in the industry.

The world’s largest payment companies are fighting for their own piece of the U.S. coronavirus stimulus: an assignment to help distribute some of the relief money that will be sent to millions of Americans in the coming weeks.

The ICBA chief’s plea for a six-month halt to regulations not related to the pandemic followed similar calls by community groups and a key Senate Democrat.

The regulation established standards for investors who own less than a quarter of an institution. Banks are getting more time for implementation as they focus on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trend toward cashless is inevitable, and could be accelerated by current events. But a gradual transition is key to avoid alienating those people who depend on cash as their primary payment method.

With coronavirus driving more merchants to promote electronic payments over cash — and contactless payments over cards — many are still asking their customers to share a potentially virus-laden pen to sign a receipt or screen at the point of sale.

The 2008 package proved some banks were too big to fail. But the rushed $2.2 billion stimulus shows now any company can be bailed out.

The industry still grapples with stopping corrupt employees — the failure of CBS Employee FCU last year highlights that — and now that could become even harder with the pandemic.

U.K. supermarkets which have been experimenting with mobile scan-pay-go may see more consumers adopting the technology due to social distancing requirements in stores.

Grainne McNamara, financial services principal at Ernst & Young, explains that bank regulators have already been examining banks' cultures, and that's likely to continue. But banks can still fix culture problems during a pandemic.

The agency has relaxed some reporting requirements and joined other regulators in encouraging banks to help borrowers, but pressure is building on the bureau to do more to aid consumers suffering financial hardship.

The company once again lowered its outlook for quarterly revenue growth, saying the coronavirus pandemic has led to a sharp decline in cardholders’ overseas spending.

Motivated by the entrepreneur and TV celebrity, Citizens Bank of Edmond is offering an overdraft line to give customers quick access to cash they will eventually receive from the federal government.

A host of industry events have been rescheduled due to the outbreak, with postponements now stretching into mid-May.

Commercial real estate lenders have to consider not only how they’ll weather the COVID-19 downturn, but whether worker and consumer habits have changed for good.

U.K. consumers scaled back their unsecured borrowing in February as the country battled flooding and the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

The credit union regulator will hold off in-person examinations until at least May and has already pushed back at least one comment deadline as the pandemic worsens.

In our first episode of PayDirt: A PaymentsSource Podcast, we talk with Melissa Smith, the CEO of WEX, and her colleague Jay Dearborn about the biggest changes in store for transit, health and corporate payments.

The gig economy flourished in part for its ability to get timely payments to workers. Uber and Lyft, for example, offer express payments to drivers who need to use those funds to refill their gas tanks before picking up the next rider. But these payment innovations mean very little when there isn't sufficient money flowing into the system.