The changing of the guard at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and hope among bankers for mergers and acquisitions activity are popular items this month.

Lawmakers and regulators are cracking down on banks closing consumer accounts, but neither banks nor regulators have hard numbers on how big of a problem debanking really is — or why accounts are closed.

Federal agencies have a little more than two weeks to devise plans for achieving significant staff reductions and cost savings.

Changes are needed to shore up the agency's finances and guarantee the integrity of its flagship 7(a) lending program, according to a leading trade group.

The Independent Community Bankers of America issued a statement supporting agency independence and called for "careful study" before the administration pursues merging bank regulatory agencies.

House Financial Services Committee ranking member Maxine Waters, D-Calif., asked trade groups representing large banks to detail how their members' compliance regimes have changed since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was effectively shuttered.

Rising populist sentiment in the Republican Party means that banks will have to work harder to get the same kinds of wins they did in 2017.

While the March 3 submission deadline holds firm, compliance experts suggested guidance inquiries for Home Mortgage Disclosure Act filers could be lacking.

The Justice Department said in a legal brief that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will continue to exist, but said instead that the agency will have fewer employees and a reduced budget under the Trump administration.

During his final week as the Federal Reserve's top regulator, Michael Barr outlined several proposals that he believes would bolster the financial system against emerging risks.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said while bank earnings rose in Q4 2024, smaller banks weren't as fortunate amid realized losses on securities sales.

Brian Moynihan argued Tuesday that the president's allegations of politically motivated debanking stem from the problem of overregulation.

Much of the conversation about artificial intelligence in banking focuses on compliance. But we should seriously consider the potential AI-powered regulation could have to deliver more adaptive and responsive oversight.

The state legislature has passed a bill that would remove exceptions to a 12% interest rate cap that would make many alternative forms of lending infeasible. It sits on the governor's desk, awaiting signature.

The FDIC withdrew its amicus brief supporting Colorado's opt-out law on interest rate exportation, highlighting the agency's more fintech-friendly regulatory approach under acting Chair Travis Hill.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees — most of whom are on administrative leave — were asked in an email to list what they accomplished last week. National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 335 said workers should list all the tasks they were told not to perform.

The agency's attempt to impose its oversight on asset managers who passively invest in banks is duplicative of efforts by the Federal Reserve. It will result in higher costs for banks and lower returns for investors.

President Trump's deregulatory promises have drawn praise from bank leaders, but leave experts worried of the potential for slipshod enforcement going forward.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is the latest federal banking agency to let go of probationary employees.

President Donald Trump's concerted effort to bring the entirety of the executive branch under his direct control defies tradition, and in some cases, likely the law. Banks have thus far voiced little objection, but they should know how critical the rule of law is to their bottom line.