Banks’ lower deposit costs are a sign of sluggish loan growth
The industry should save on interest expenses this year as it follows the Fed’s lead in cutting rates. The downside is that the lower deposit rates signal fewer opportunities to make loans.
CFPB to finalize rule removing medical debt from credit reports
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that will remove medical bills from credit reports to end what the bureau called “coercive debt collection practices.”
How Stripe ‘teaches’ tech to beat the payments fraud exam
The payment company says machine learning is making progress in fighting card testing, which crooks use to determine how ripe a payment account is for theft.
The so-called Synapse rule and other BaaS challenges of 2025
As banks navigate a landscape scarred by the Synapse bankruptcy, they need to build or buy the technical ability to reconcile accounts daily and vet any new fintech partners more thoroughly.
CFPB sues Berkshire Hathaway company Vanderbilt Mortgage
The manufactured home loan lender, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary Clayton Homes, was accused of ignoring red flags that sent many borrowers into bankruptcy, default and ultimately out of their homes.
Scotiabank to take $980 million charge on Colombia unit transfer
As part of the transaction, Scotiabank will take a 20% ownership stake in Davivienda, Colombia’s third-largest bank, which has operations in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Miami.
Amerant unloads mortgage portfolio at loss
Florida-based Amerant Bancorp recently restructured its securities portfolio after selling its Houston branches.
CashCall ordered to pay $134 million in a win for the CFPB
An appeals court ruled that online lender CashCall had waived its right to a jury trial and that its other challenges “lack merit,” in a lawsuit filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2013.
Michael Barr, the Fed’s top regulator, to step down
In his letter of resignation, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr said an attempt by the Trump White House to remove him could create a “distraction” for the Fed. He plans to retain his seat on the Board of Governors, which expires in 2032.
A resolution for 2025: More empirically based banking regulation
In the year ahead, financial services regulatory agencies should take the opportunity to pull back from ideology-driven supervisory decisions and embrace a fact-based approach that will boost the U.S. economy.