At a May 19, 2026 Ballard Spahr webinar, “Cutting Out the Middleman: The Surge in FinTech Applications to Charter Banks, Industrial Banks and National Trust Companies,” a distinguished panel of banking, fintech, crypto, and consumer financial services professionals explored one of the most important developments currently reshaping the financial services industry: the growing movement by fintech companies, payments firms, lenders, and crypto-native businesses to obtain their own banking charters rather than relying on traditional bank partnerships.… Continue Reading
Crypto
Today’s podcast episode: Fireside Chat with Simon Taylor and Adam Maarec
In this episode, Adam Maarec sits down with fintech thought leader Simon Taylor for a lively fireside chat focused on the rapidly evolving world of fintech, payments, and banking innovation. Adam, an experienced legal and regulatory advisor in financial services, and Simon, widely recognized for his writing, podcasts, and advisory work with fintechs, banks, VCs, and regulators, delve into some of the most relevant challenges and opportunities shaping the industry today.… Continue Reading
Today’s podcast episode: Significant 2025 Deregulatory Developments in Banking Law
Join host Alan Kaplinsky, founder and former longtime leader of Ballard Spahr’s Consumer Financial Services Group and one of the foremost thought leaders in the industry, as he welcomes two special guests for a timely and insightful conversation about the most significant deregulatory developments in banking law during 2025.
Alan is joined by his Ballard Spahr colleague Scott Coleman, a partner with more than 30 years of experience guiding banks and bank holding companies through mergers, acquisitions, and all facets of regulatory compliance, especially in the community banking sector.… Continue Reading
Today’s podcast episode: The GENIUS Act and the Future of Stablecoins: What Banks and Fintechs Need to Know – Part 2
Today’s podcast features the second part of a repurposed webinar produced on September 3, 2025, which dives into the legal risks, compliance challenges, and emerging constitutional questions stemming from the GENIUS Act. The conversation examines the strict prohibition of deceptive claims regarding federal backing or insurance for stablecoins, highlighting the significant civil liabilities and penalty provisions attached to violations.… Continue Reading
Today’s podcast episode: The GENIUS Act and the Future of Stablecoins: What Banks and Fintechs Need to Know – Part 1
Today’s podcast features the first part of a recent webinar produced on September 3, 2025, which examined the key provisions of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins, or GENIUS, Act (the Act) and its regulatory impact on banks, Fintechs and the future of stablecoins. The discussion covers critical definitions, licensing, oversight and enforcement requirements, and the relationship to state stablecoin laws.… Continue Reading
Today’s podcast episode: New Consumer Financial Services Fintech Business Opportunities Arising from Deregulation at the CFPB during Trump 2.0 – Part 2
Today’s podcast episode is a continuation of a previous repurposed webinar held on August 12th, focusing on emerging opportunities in the consumer financial services sector under the Trump administration. The session aims to provide insights into the evolving regulatory landscape and its implications for businesses and consumers. The first part of the webinar, released last Thursday, September 4, covered the recently passed GENIUS Act (which creates a federal infrastructure for Stablecoin); developments in crypto-backed lending and credit builder loans; the mortgage industry; developments in earned wage access and rent-to-own and lease-to-own financing products; and insights on income share agreements.… Continue Reading
Federal banking regulators issue statement on banks’ crypto-asset activities
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
Recent Developments Raise Significant Questions about the Future of Regulation and Enforcement of Cryptocurrency
Recent developments in the world of crypto have come at a rapid pace to open 2025 not only signaling but, in some instances, explicitly declaring the Trump Administration’s intent to significantly relax or eliminate regulation and enforcement in the crypto markets.
Yet, while the new administration has declared its intent to take a far more hands-off approach to cryptocurrency regulation and enforcement, it is possible all such efforts are not necessarily dead
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Federal Reserve Board issues letters on program to supervise novel banking activities
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
This week’s podcast episode: A deep dive into cryptocurrency and its risks to investors and the banking system, with special guest, Arthur E. Wilmarth, Professor Emeritus, George Washington University Law School
After discussing what fluctuating- value cryptocurrencies and stablecoins are, their differences, and their primary uses and risks, we discuss the factors that led to the crypto boom and crash of 2020-22. We then look at the role of banks in crypto-related activities, the response of federal and state bank regulators, and the role of crypto in recent bank failures. … Continue Reading