Fintech regulations

Brian Brooks may be remembered as one of the most controversial interim regulatory chiefs in recent memory, taking positions on the pandemic response, fintechs’ banking ambitions and other issues that won him supporters and critics alike.

A co-founder of Anchorage Trust Co. said its digital bank, which will not take insured deposits, will enable the company to strengthen partnerships with financial institutions that offer custody services for clients’ cryptocurrency assets.

Several financial tech companies that applied to become national banks are seeking exemptions from many provisions of the Community Reinvestment Act. A consumer advocacy group and the American Bankers Association say the OCC mustn't allow this.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency appears intent on being the federal chartering agency for tech firms with banking ambitions. But some experts say the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is better suited for the job.

New guidance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shows how companies that offer workers early access to their wages can avoid being regulated as lenders. But the incoming Biden administration could add new complications.

A panel appointed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Congress should consider authorizing the bureau — and not the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency — to issue federal charters to fintech companies.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors filed a complaint arguing that the unique bid by the San Francisco fintech is "merely a thinly veiled effort" to evade legal challenges to the federal regulator's chartering of nonbanks.

The revamp of the brokered deposits framework offers relief to banks and their partners that saw the prior rule as outdated. Meanwhile, new standards for industrial loan company parents aim to clarify the bank chartering process for fintechs and other nontraditional firms.

Figure Technologies would only accept uninsured deposits, so it would not be subject to Fed or FDIC oversight. A major concern for banks is that the effort could open the door to incursions by bigger tech companies.

Many countries are positioning themselves as a destination for fintechs seeking EU-wide licenses as the U.K. leaves the EU. Following Brexit, U.K. electronic money and payments institution licenses across the EU won’t be passportable across the EU.

In an open letter, industry veteran Thomas Vartanian outlines the steps the administration can take to encourage innovation, better detect cyber threats and modernize regulation.

President-elect Joe Biden’s victory has cleared uncertainty over White House policies that impact fintechs and payment firms, revealing clues as to how the regulatory environment will be different in 2021.

As it attempts to craft policy on access to consumers’ financial account information, the agency is wading into a battle between those who want data to flow more freely and those who prioritize security.

Control of Congress was still in play late Tuesday, as the Democrats retained control of the House of Representatives while neither party gained the necessary seats to control the Senate.

U.K. fintech Currensea has launched its first open banking-based debit card for British small businesses trading internationally. The card, which links to users’ existing high street bank accounts, builds on the pre-open banking concept of a decoupled debit card.

Ludwig, an ex-banking regulator and CEO of Promontory Financial Group, describes how economic conditions for middle- and low-income Americans have declined and advocates a living wage, investment in infrastructure, smart regulation and other solutions.

The Paycheck Protection Program and encouraging digital innovation are top priorities for James Edwards, CEO of United Bank in Georgia. He also expects the American Bankers Association to promote diversity and regulatory reform in the next year.

The 2020 election could draw the most voters in history, along with a record haul for campaign contributions, with fundraising thus far favoring Democratic candidates both generally and in the finance and technology industries, which cover most financial institutions and payment firms.

The rulemaking is expected to draw enormous interest from both banks and third-party fintech providers.

House Democrats’ antitrust reform plan intended to rein in companies like Amazon and Google could help level the regulatory playing field between the banking industry and its digital competitors. It could also revive calls to break up financial behemoths.