Fintech

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Last week, the Federal Reserve Board published a paper on partnerships between community banks and fintech companies, “Community Bank Access to Innovation through Partnerships.”  The Fed’s publication of the paper is another indication of the increased attention that regulators are paying to bank relationships with fintechs.  It follows the publication at the end of last month of a guide by the Fed, OCC, and FDIC that is intended to assist community banks in conducting due diligence when considering relationships with fintechs.… Continue Reading

The OCC, FDIC, and Federal Reserve Board have issued a guide that is intended to assist community banks in conducting due diligence when considering relationships with financial technology (fintech) companies (Guide).

The issuance of the Guide follows the agencies’ July 2021 release of proposed interagency guidance for banking organizations on managing risks associated with third-party relationships, including relationships with financial technology-focused entities such as bank/fintech sponsorship arrangements. … Continue Reading

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System recently issued and invited public comment on proposed guidelines to be used by Federal Reserve Banks to evaluate requests for master accounts and/or access to Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) financial services, in order to support a more “transparent and consistent” approach to such requests.… Continue Reading

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) in D.C. federal district court seeking to block the OCC from granting a national bank charter to Figure Technologies Inc.  The lawsuit represents CSBS’s third challenge to the OCC’s authority to issue special purpose national bank (SPNB) charters to non-depository fintech companies.  … Continue Reading

On April 15, 2021, the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions will hold a hearing titled, “Banking Innovation or Regulatory Evasion? Exploring Trends in Financial Institution Charters.”  A topic expected to receive attention at the hearing is the OCC’s decision to accept applications for special purpose national bank charters from non-depository fintechs. … Continue Reading

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held oral argument last week in the OCC’s appeal from the district court’s final judgment in the lawsuit filed by the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) seeking to block the OCC’s issuance of special purpose national bank (SPNB) charters to non-depository fintech companies.… Continue Reading

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) has filed a lawsuit in D.C. federal district court to block the OCC from granting a national bank charter to Figure Technologies Inc.  According to the complaint, Figure, through a subsidiary, is currently licensed in 49 states and the District of Columbia as a mortgage lender, consumer lender, and/or debt collector and intends to begin engaging in new money transmission activities in early 2021 through another subsidiary. … Continue Reading

The FDIC has issued a final rule setting forth the conditions it will impose and the commitments it will require to approve a deposit insurance application from an industrial bank or industrial loan company (collectively, ILC) whose parent company is not subject to consolidated supervision by the Federal Reserve Board (FRB). … Continue Reading

The CFPB and the Colorado AG’s Office have announced they will hold joint virtual office hours as part of the American Consumer Financial Innovation Network (ACFIN).  The joint virtual office hours will be held on December 2, 2020.  CFPB Director Kraninger and Colorado AG Weiser will participate in this event.… Continue Reading

On December 9-10, 2020, the Conference on Consumer Finance Law and the Program on Financial Regulation & Technology at George Mason University’s Scalia Law School is sponsoring a webinar that will examine emerging issues in the areas of fintech and consumer finance.

Chris Willis, Deputy Practice Leader of Ballard Spahr’s Consumer Financial Services Group, will participate as a panel member on the afternoon of the first day. … Continue Reading