Politics

Treasury Under Secretary for Domestic Finance Jonathan McKernan said he is concerned that the traditional bank funding model of taking in low-cost deposits and making more lucrative loans could be set for a shakeup as fintech challengers get more competitive.

The rise of stablecoins is once again raising questions about the purpose of money, should it be regulated as a public good facilitating commerce, or a private claim to a specific asset?

From private credit to stablecoins, firms with scant oversight have been allowed to gobble up business that formerly went to regulated banks. Until balance is restored, the system is overburdened with risk.

ICBA argues Bridge's stablecoin model pushes the trust charter beyond its intended fiduciary scope.

Too often, small fintechs working to bring innovative technology online in the U.S. determine that they would be better off overseas. Regulators should copy existing "sandbox" models to keep them here.

The government shutdown is over, and Congress gets back to its regular business. For banks, the biggest-ticket issues are ongoing deliberations on raising deposit insurance and shaping a crypto market structure bill.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. acting Chair Travis Hill said Thursday morning that the agency's first proposed rules under recently passed stablecoin legislation should be published by the end of the year.

The Treasury secretary highlighted the impacts the bond market has on affordability and previewed regulatory tweaks the administration is eyeing to keep yields stable and credit flowing.

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said Wednesday that the central bank will soon issue a request for information on a nascent proposal to offer "skinny" payment accounts to eligible institutions and is aiming to finalize a rule by the fourth quarter of 2026.

The Department of Justice told a court that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot legally request funding from the Federal Reserve System, arguing that the Fed has not turned a profit since 2022 and thus cannot fund the CFPB.

Two government-sponsored enterprises are looking into expanding mortgage transfers between borrowers, according to the head of their oversight agency.

The Boston-based custody bank has acquired PriceStats, a private economic researcher. The move comes at a time when federal data agencies are weathering budget cuts, political attacks and a government shutdown.

Industry groups and consumer advocates are continuing to push for regulators to interpret the GENIUS Act's prohibition on stablecoin interest as broadly as possible, while crypto firms push for a narrower interpretation, arguing that increased competition would benefit consumers.

Bankers who view the FDIC as their insurance cooperative protecting them rather than a corporation protecting depositors have proposed unwarranted $10 and $20 million FDIC deposit insurance limits. There is a better solution to their concern over big bank competitive advantages.

President Trump and housing regulator Bill Pulte are considering introducing a 50-year fixed rate mortgage that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would purchase.

In its latest financial stability report, the Federal Reserve found that asset valuations continue to be elevated and leverage levels remain high, especially among nonbanks like hedge funds and insurance firms.

Federal Reserve Board Gov. Stephen Miran said the growth of stablecoins and cryptocurrencies will likely impact monetary policy and could lead to lower interest rates.

HoldCo Asset Management drops its pursuit of proxy battles with Columbia Banking System and First Interstate; Cape Cod's Mutual Bancorp prepares to acquire Bluestone Bank; Servbank HoldCo announces plans to acquire IF Bancorp; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said there was a popular "misunderstanding" Thursday regarding who can qualify for a "skinny" master account, noting that only firms with a bank charter would qualify for approval.

Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said Thursday that a proposal to reimagine bank supervisory practices is meant to empower rather than handcuff supervisors by limiting the scope of their examinations.