Ronald K. Vaske

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Federal banking regulators have issued a joint statement in an effort to provide clarity on banks’ engagement in crypto-asset related activities.

The statement does not create any new supervisory requirements but warns financial institutions that they must be particularly diligent in dealing with crypto-asset safekeeping.

“Given the virtual nature of crypto-assets, and the potentially increased operational risks associated with crypto-asset safekeeping, a banking organization’s cybersecurity environment should be a key focus of risk management,” the agencies said.… Continue Reading

The FHFA has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to prepare proposals for consideration of cryptocurrency as an asset for reserves in their single-family risk assessments, without a conversion to dollars.

“Cryptocurrency is an emerging asset class that may offer an opportunity to build wealth outside of the stock and bond markets,” FHFA Director William J.… Continue Reading

President Trump has issued an Executive Order directing banking agencies to adopt policies to ensure that financial institutions do not use reputational risk as a basis for restricting access to banking services—a process known as “debanking.”

“Individuals, their businesses, and their families have been subjected to debanking on the basis of their political affiliations, religious beliefs or lawful business activities, and have suffered frozen payrolls, debt and crushing interest, and other significant harms to their livelihoods, reputations, and financial well-being,” Trump said, in the order.… Continue Reading

On August 5, 2025, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued FIL-39-2025 to state that an FDIC-supervised institution can use pre-populated customer information to satisfy the requirements of the Customer Identification Program Rule, implementing part of the USA PATRIOT Act (CIP rule).

The CIP rule requires financial institutions to collect information (name, address, date of birth, and taxpayer identification number) from persons opening accounts and to verify the person’s identity.… Continue Reading

In a surprise announcement, the CFPB has said it will issue a revised Section 1033 open banking rule rather than simply killing the Biden Administration rule.

“In light of recent events in the marketplace, the Bureau has now decided to initiate a new rulemaking to reconsider the Rule with a view to substantially revising it and providing a robust justification,” the administration said, in requesting a stay of a lawsuit filed by Forcht Bank and banking trade groups in the U.S.… Continue Reading

On June 20, 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced they are seeking public input on questions related to payments fraud. This Request for Information (RFI) asked interested stakeholders to comment on ways that the OCC, the FRB, and the FDIC could take actions collectively or independently to help consumers, businesses, and financial institutions mitigate check, automated clearing house (ACH), wire, and instant payments fraud.… Continue Reading

In its motion for a summary judgment in a lawsuit challenging the regulation, the CFPB stated it has concluded that the Section 1033 Rule (Rule) exceeds the agency’s statutory authority to create an open banking system by—among other things—requiring that consumer data be shared with third parties.

The motion states that “the limited legislative history confirms what the statute’s text and structure make clear: the statute was intended simply to ensure that consumers would have access to their own information.”… Continue Reading

The CFPB is planning to repeal its Section 1033 Open Banking Rule, according to a filing in a federal lawsuit challenging the rule. On the same day the Final Rule was issued, the Banking Policy Institute (BPI) and Kentucky Bankers Association filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky seeking injunctive relief, alleging that the CFPB exceeded its statutory authority.… Continue Reading

Using the Congressional Review Act, the Senate has voted to nullify a CFPB final rule that would subject large cash apps to the bureau’s supervision.

The Senate voted 51-47 to adopt S.J. Res 28, a resolution that under the CRA, was not subject to a filibuster. The House has not yet considered a companion resolution.… Continue Reading