On January 12, 2026, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend its national bank chartering regulation, 12 C.F.R. § 5.20, to clarify a point the agency views as well settled: national banks chartered as trust companies may engage in certain non-fiduciary activities in addition to fiduciary activities.… Continue Reading
Beau Hurtig
FDIC proposing rescinding merger policy adopted in September
The FDIC has proposed rescinding the agency’s 2024 Statement of Policy on Bank Merger Transactions. FDIC officials said at the time of issuance that the Statement of Policy addresses the scope of transactions that will be reviewed, the process for that review and whether a proposed deal follows the standards established in the Bank Merger Act. … Continue Reading
FDIC, OCC and Justice Department update bank merger guidelines
The FDIC, the OCC and the Justice Department earlier this month issued updated standards for bank mergers. The three agencies acted separately, although officials noted that they had worked with the other agencies involved.
“Continued engagement with our fellow regulators is vitally important, especially as it relates to evaluating the competitive effects of mergers,” FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg said.… Continue Reading