Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) released two supervision and regulation letters regarding the agency’s program to supervise “novel” banking activities.

The release of these letters follows a January policy statement indicating the FRB’s interest in leveling the playing field in terms of subjecting uninsured and insured banks to the same limitations on activities, including novel banking activities. … Continue Reading

On August 28, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), SB 103, signed into law by Missouri’s governor, will become the nation’s second statutory framework for earned wage access (EWA) providers.  The Missouri law closely resembles Nevada’s recently enacted law to license and regulate EWA providers.

SB 103 enacts a new RSMo § 361.749(2), which expressly provides that “[n]o person shall engage in the business of earned wage access services in [Missouri] without first registering as an earned wage access services provider” with the Missouri Division of Finance (the “Division”). … Continue Reading

In January 2023, a federal district court in Texas dismissed Michael v. Opportunity Financial, LLC, a putative class action filed in June 2022 claiming that fintech Opportunity Financial, LLC (OppFi), not its out-of-state, state-chartered bank partners, is the “true lender” on loans with interest rates permitted under the laws of the banks’ home states, but higher than allowed in the plaintiffs’ states. … Continue Reading

In its April 2023 Opposition to the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) motion for preliminary injunction, Opportunity Financial, LLC (OppFi) presents a spirited riposte, drilling down into the DFPI’s fact allegations and legal arguments and asserting “The DFPI is wrong on the law and wrong on the facts.”… Continue Reading

As anticipated, on June 5, 2023, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law Colorado HB23-1229, which will exclude consumer loans made in Colorado from the provisions of Section 521 of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980 (DIDA) (codified at 12 U.S.C. 1813d), a federal law enacted to create competitive equality with respect to usury laws between state-chartered banks and national banks.… Continue Reading

The Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC have released final interagency guidance for their respective supervised banking organizations on managing risks associated with third-party relationships, including relationships with financial technology-focused entities such as bank/fintech sponsorship arrangements.  The guidance is intended to provide principles for effective third-party risk management for all  types of third-party relationships, regardless of how they may be structured.  … Continue Reading

A Colorado bill (HB23-1229) that would opt out of Section 521 of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980 (DIDA) (codified at 12 U.S.C. 1813d), a federal law enacted to create competitive equality between state-chartered banks and national banks, was approved by both the Colorado Senate and House of Representatives, and will be sent to the Governor shortly.… Continue Reading

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) received more than 225 public comments to its credit card late fee proposal (the “Proposed Rule”). As we have discussed, the Proposed Rule would make significant changes to the current rules for credit card late fees, including substantially reducing the safe harbor late fee amounts that card issuers can charge and eliminating annual inflation adjustments.… Continue Reading

Auriemma Roundtables, a leading provider of business intelligence solutions to the consumer finance industry, together with First National Bank of Omaha and a group of several other premier consumer financial services firms, has filed a comment (the “Auriemma Roundtables Comment”) on the credit card penalty fees proposal (the “Proposed Rule”) issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). … Continue Reading

The FDIC recently announced that it has entered into a Consent Order with Cross River Bank (CRB or Bank) to resolve FDIC charges that the Bank engaged in unsafe or unsound practices related to its fair lending compliance.  (The Consent Order was issued in March 2023 but not made public until the end of last month.) … Continue Reading