Financial institutions

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has gotten the ball rolling for financial technology firms trying to operate a national platform, but the FDIC and Federal Reserve should act to remove other policy roadblocks.

An accusation of sexual discrimination plays out in court for BNP Paribas; Jeffries’ top execs chastise Wall Street men over #MeToo paranoia; blockchain startup loses Blythe Masters; and RBS might make history with a female CEO-CFO duo.

The payments processor was among numerous firms earlier this year to withdraw an ILC charter application over questions about its plan.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell demurs on regulatory relief for largest banks while saying he is “open” to countercyclical buffer.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has gotten the ball rolling for financial technology firms trying to operate a national platform, but the FDIC and Federal Reserve should act to remove other policy roadblocks.

As Congress moves closer to its Dec. 21 deadline to keep the government funded, the outlook for more financial services regulatory relief continues to worsen.

The alternative is waiting for state and federal regulators to take steps that could disrupt the flow of capital and put some firms out of business.

Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., will join the panel as their caucus loses two other committee members who suffered election defeats.

Synovus has given CFO Kevin Blair the additional title of COO. He will oversee three business lines, plus tech, operations and product and treasury management.

Millyard Bank aims to become the state's second post-crisis de novo. Primary Bank opened in 2015.