Last week, the CFPB, together with the Federal Reserve Board (Board), FDIC, OCC, and NCUA, issued a “Joint Statement on Completing the LIBOR Transition.” The agencies issued the statement to remind supervised institutions that LIBOR will be discontinued on June 30, 2023 and to reiterate their expectations that institutions with LIBOR exposure should complete their transition of remaining LIBOR contracts as soon as possible. … Continue Reading
OCC
OCC and FDIC address overdraft and NSF fee practices
The OCC has issued a new bulletin and the FDIC has issued new supervisory guidance directed to their supervised institutions to address “authorize positive, settle negative” (APSN) overdraft fee practices. The OCC bulletin also addresses non-sufficient funds (NSF) fee practices. Based on the bulletin and guidance, it would appear that the OCC and FDIC share the CFPB’s apparent view that APSN fees are unfair regardless of how clearly and conspicuously they are disclosed to consumers. … Continue Reading
Federal banking agencies issue joint statement on crypto-asset risks
The Federal Reserve Board, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency have issued a joint statement on crypto-asset risks to banking organizations. The term “crypto-asset” refers to any digital asset implemented using cryptographic techniques.
The statement begins with the agencies’ observations that “[t]he events of the past year have been marked by significant volatility and the exposure of vulnerabilities in the crypto-asset sector” and that “[t]hese events highlight a number of key risks associated with crypto-assets and crypto-asset sector participants that banking organizations should be aware of.”… Continue Reading
OCC official highlights agency’s fair lending focus
In recent remarks at the CRA & Fair Lending Colloquium, Grovetta Gardineer, Senior Deputy Comptroller for Bank Supervision Policy at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, discussed the OCC’s current fair lending initiatives. Her remarks were intended to convey the message that the OCC is “laser focused on fair lending” and considers fair lending compliance to be an important component of safety and soundness.… Continue Reading
OCC revises civil money penalty manual
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has revised its civil money penalty (CMP) manual and will begin using the revised manual on January 1, 2023. The manual establishes general policies and procedures for the OCC’s assessment of CMPs.
The OCC’s general CMP authority is provided by 12 U.S.C.… Continue Reading
OCC’s New Office of Financial Technology Portends Increased Supervisory Activity
The OCC’s announcement that it will establish an Office of Financial Technology to “bolster the agency’s expertise and ability to adapt to a rapidly changing banking landscape” should come as no surprise to those who have been following recent pronouncements of Acting Comptroller Michael J. Hsu.
Over the past few months, Mr.… Continue Reading
CFPB/Fed/OCC increase exemption thresholds for appraisal requirement, Regs Z and M
The CFPB, Fed, and OCC have announced that they are increasing three exemption thresholds that are subject to annual inflation adjustments. Effective January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, these exemption thresholds are increased as follows:
- Smaller loans exempt from the appraisal requirement for “higher-priced mortgage loans” are increased from $28,500 to $31,000.
Republican lawmakers send questions to OCC on bank-fintech partnerships
In a letter dated October 11, 2022 to Acting Comptroller Michael J. Hsu, Patrick McHenry, the ranking member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, and four other Republican representatives, asked Mr. Hsu to respond to pointed questions about the OCC’s planned role in support of bank-fintech partnerships. … Continue Reading
Acting Comptroller discusses crypto risks, including use of bank-like terminology
In remarks at the DC Fintech Week conference on October 11, 2022 and in a keynote address later the same day at a roundtable conducted by the Harvard Law School Program on International Financial Systems, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu expressed concerns about risks to consumers and the financial system posed by crypto industry participants.… Continue Reading
OCC keeps focus on bank/fintech partnerships
Since the beginning of Michael Hsu’s tenure as Acting Comptroller of the Currency, bank/fintech partnerships have been a focus of OCC concern. Although bank lending partnerships with fintechs continue to receive OCC attention, recent remarks by OCC officials indicate that OCC scrutiny is now also directed at partnerships outside of the lending arena.… Continue Reading