CFPB, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and Attorneys General
The New York Department of Financial Services has published proposed rules governing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) financing plans operating in the state.
The proposal, among other things, would require BNPL providers to register with the state. The regulations implement a law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul as part of her FY26 budget plan.… Continue Reading
Accusing the Trump Administration of “dismantling” the CFPB, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is calling on city and state officials to fill the void by strengthening consumer protection laws and rules in the city and state.
“The Trump Administration’s dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—including the elimination of 90 percent of its staff—will leave millions of Americans more vulnerable to unfair, deceptive, and abusive business practices from lenders and financial institutions of all types,” the comptroller’s office said in releasing a new report.… Continue Reading
As the Trump Administration attempts to drastically cut CFPB funding and staffing, New York regulators and legislators are attempting to fill what could be a void in consumer protection efforts.
“We’re hiring,” Adrienne A. Harris, the state’s Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, said during a presentation on March 12 at the Brookings Institution.… Continue Reading
The New York State Department of Financial Services has released a proposed rule that would regulate overdraft, non-sufficient funds (NSF), and return deposit item fees charged by banks, trust companies, savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions and investment companies.
Under the proposal, announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul, state-chartered banking institutions would be prohibited from charging:
On December 21, 2023, the New York Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) published guidance (the Guidance) to assist regulated institutions in assessing and managing their climate-related financial and operational risks.
This is a follow up to DFS’s previous letter published in October 2020, which highlighted the impact of risks from climate change on its regulated institutions.… Continue Reading
NYDFS recently issued Proposed Guidance “to New York State-regulated banking organizations and regulated non-depository financial institutions to notify them of the Department’s expectation that they update their framework for the review and assessment of the character and fitness of their directors, senior officers, and managers, both upon onboarding and on an ongoing basis.”… Continue Reading
On April 17, the NYDFS announced the adoption of final regulations intended to shift the cost of supervision and examination of BitLicensees from the NYDFS via the implementation of direct assessments to licensees. The new regulations will primarily only apply to those entities who hold a BitLicense, as entities engaging in virtual currency business activities as a limited purpose trust company or a banking organization will continue to be assessed under 23 NYCRR Part 101.… Continue Reading
The New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued final regulations implementing the state’s Commercial Finance Disclosure Law (CFDL) which requires consumer-like disclosures for “commercial financing” transactions of $2.5 million or less. The regulations became effective on February 1, 2023, the date a Notice of Adoption was published in the New York State Register. … Continue Reading
After reviewing the licensing/chartering/approval structures that DFS uses for entities seeking to engage in virtual currency activities, we discuss the role of guidance in DFS’s regulation and oversight of virtual currency, particularly new DFS guidance on digital asset custody practices and DFS expectations for how entities acting as digital asset custodians can better protect customers in the event of an insolvency or similar proceeding. … Continue Reading
On January 23, 2023, the New York Department of Financial Services released guidance with the stated goal of helping to protect customers of virtual currency businesses in the event of an insolvency or similar proceeding by imposing new custody and disclosure requirements on virtual currency entities that act as custodians. Specifically, the guidance focuses on four areas for virtual currency entities acting as custodians (or “VCE Custodians”):
