BankThink

The Time Has Come to Turn the GSEs into Utilities

08/04/16

Returning Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to their status as privately owned public utilities is consistent with their mandate and makes the most policy sense.

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Latest Bitcoin Hack Proves 'Buyer Beware' Is Flawed Defense

08/04/16

In the wake of the Bitfinex heist, protecting consumers must again be at the forefront of the digital currency community.

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Morning Scan: Bitcoin Hack; TIAA in Talks to Buy EverBank

08/04/16

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

Bitcoin plunges after Hong Kong hack. Bitcoin plunged 20% yesterday after Bitfinex, an exchange based in Hong Kong, said it had been hacked and funds were stolen. Nearly 120,000 bitcoins were stolen. Bitfinex, one of the largest exchanges for the digital currency, froze all customer accounts as it investigates the breach. Financial Times, New York Times ...

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What Doesn't Kill the Blockchain Will Make It Stronger

08/03/16

The recklessness of pioneers like the DAO and the need for learning are not unique to the blockchain ecosystem, pessimists notwithstanding. This technology is living through turbulent early days. It is bound to become safer and more powerful.

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Payment Gateways Must Open Up to Bots

08/03/16

Bots have slowly begun to creep onto the online payments scene, and they could offer a whole new, simpler way to part with our cash.

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It's Not What You Say to Customers, But How Often You Say It

08/03/16

Consistent marketing doesn't mean your offer gets better with each try, but it increases the odds of making a pitch when your customers are actually listening.

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Morning Scan: Euro Bank Stock Free Fall; Student Loan Hardball

08/03/16

Breaking News This Morning ...

HSBC buyback: HSBC said it plans to buy back $2.5 billion of its stock despite a 40% drop in net income in the second quarter. The recently announced sale of its Brazilian until will help pay for the buyback. Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times Receiving Wide Coverage ... ...

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Bank Branches Don't Die, They Evolve

08/02/16

What was true in the late 1700s, the 1970s and the 1980s is still true today: bank customers want to interact with real-life people when managing finances.

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Want to Protect Consumers? Mandate Financial Literacy

08/02/16

In a perfect world, better financial literacy Â-- along with equipping bankers with ethical standards Â-- would make the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau obsolete.

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Morning Scan: Wells Offers P2P Payments; Pitfalls of Glass-Steagall, Dodd-Frank

08/02/16

Breaking News This Morning ...

Commerzbank stock plunges: Shares of Commerzbank dropped sharply Tuesday after the second largest German bank said it wouldn't be able to achieve its goal of keeping profit stable as revenues drop. Wall Street Journal, Financial Times Wall Street Journal

Right idea but wrong slice? Republican and Democrat party platforms favor a return to the Glass-Steagall separation of commercial and investment banking, but few investors would welcome it, says the Heard on the Street...

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