Fintech regulations

Federal and state regulators are at odds over the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s new licensing program, but there are ways to improve current law to appease both sides.

Banks need dedicated teams to shore up digital compliance efforts, officials at SourceMedia’s RegTech 2018 conference said.

The banking agencies should expand the use of regulatory sandboxes to keep pace with international counterparts.

The groups argue the proposal, which would provide certain legal safe harbors to participating companies, exceeds the CFPB’s statutory authority and would put consumers at greater risk.

Craig Phillips, a counselor to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, said the department is not trying to undermine the role of state regulation of fintechs.

Fintechs can get what they need from a traditional bank charter with the FDIC, as long as the agency is willing to play ball and step up its approach to innovation.

Analysts are split on whether cyber threats have evolved enough for lawmakers to finally grant the National Credit Union Administration third-party vendor oversight.

Speaking at an industry conference Thursday, two tech executives and a community banker said that community banks should be allowed to experiment with new products without worrying about running afoul of regulators.

Applications this year are more than double the 2017 mark and the most since 2009. But with some fintechs withdrawing their bids, observers are urging caution.

National Credit Union Administration Chairman Mark McWatters called on lawmakers to further expand field-of-membership options for CUs and to permit the regulator to oversee third-party vendors, including fintech partners.