BankThink

Steep fees call into question bitcoin’s promise for the underbanked

08/01/17

As an open network, bitcoin is in one sense the most inclusive financial system imaginable. But for now, transfers of the cryptocurrency are priced like a luxury good.

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Banc of California is ready to return to offense, CEO says

08/01/17

Doug Bowers said the company has moved beyond past issues, including corporate governance shortcomings and the abrupt departure of his predecessor, and is ready to bring in more loans and core deposits.

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Freddie Mac says it will pay $2B to taxpayers — maybe

08/01/17

Freddie Mac said it earned enough in the second quarter to send a $2 billion dividend to the U.S. Treasury, but the press release announcing the company’s financial results includes new language suggesting uncertainty as to whether the payment will be made as scheduled.

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Bankers frustrated with Chicago market take business elsewhere

08/01/17

Rising taxes, declining population and the political landscape in Illinois have led several bankers to put more money and resources into nearby states.

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The one bank metric that matters most now

08/01/17

Core deposit growth might be the best indicator of which banks will have true staying power in the years ahead.

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SEC hasn't quashed blockchain innovation. Let's keep it that way

08/01/17

Digital blockchain tokens can be naked instruments for profit-sharing among investors, but other types are directly linked to building network infrastructure. Their creation and sale must be unimpeded by regulation.

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Bank cybersecurity may need a new mindset

08/01/17

A jumble of security vendors and lack of cohesive planning weaken many banks’ cybersecurity defenses, experts say.

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Wells Fargo looks unusually cheap but investors fret mojo's gone

08/01/17

After yet another scandal, it's time for would-be Wells Fargo shareholders to decide: Is this a rare buying opportunity or has the bank lost its mojo?

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Banks may face extra $50B capital needs after Brexit

08/01/17

Banks may need to find $30 billion to $50 billion of additional capital to support new European units in the aftermath of a hard Brexit, and some smaller firms may abandon their operations on the continent altogether as profitability plunges, according to Oliver Wyman Inc.

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Why banks should embrace ICOs — from a lawyer

08/01/17

Christine Duhaime, an anti-money-laundering attorney in Toronto, lays out the reasons banks should become early experts in and assist in initial coin offerings. She also lays out the risks, especially in the wake of the SEC’s report suggesting some ICO tokens are really securities.

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