BankThink

What PayPal's Past Means for Bitcoin's Future

02/27/14

PayPal's history suggests that the problem of Bitcoin fraud will only get worse as the electronic currency gains momentum.

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The Common Ground on Short-Term Lending

02/27/14

Instead of dwelling on tired arguments, industry reps and consumer advocates should focus on, among other things, ending the debt cycle, promoting financial literacy and helping borrowers build credit.

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A Playbook for Small-Dollar Credit

02/27/14

The need that drives millions of people to seek out small loans isnÂ't going away. Lenders can fill the gap by restructuring payment models, focusing on a borrowerÂ's ability to repay and developing a variety of solutions.

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New 'Bank Tax' Proposal Is More Destructive Populism

02/26/14

Do we really want banks to be stable, profitable and internationally competitive or do we want them to be cash cows for Congress?

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The Silver Lining of Target's Data Breach

02/26/14

With media outlets reporting the grisly details, there has never been a better time to educate commercial account holders about the risks associated with online banking, particularly phishing attacks.

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Cybersecurity Framework Can Help Banks Address Increased Regulatory Scrutiny

02/26/14

The framework released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology should serve as an important tool for banks in meeting regulatorsÂ' heightened expectations for managing cyber risk.

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Morning Scan: What Mt. Gox Means for Bitcoin; JPM's Cautious Outlook

02/26/14

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

On Mt. Gox: The apparent collapse of big Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox has reignited concerns about the digital currency. Japan's government, for instance, is now looking into regulating Bitcoin, though officials are not offering any specifics as to how. Some pundits are arguing, amid crashing Bitcoin prices, that Gox has sounded the cryptocurrency's death knell given that the reported theft of 744,000 bitcoins is likely to preclude prospective and even current users...

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Fed Crisis Transcripts Highlight Futility of 'FSOC' Crystal Balls

02/25/14

Recently released transcripts of Federal Reserve meetings during the last financial crisis reflect how blind policymakers remained to what was unfolding even at its peak. That suggests the Financial Stability Oversight CouncilÂ's efforts to sound an early warning next time around are reminiscent of Charlie Brown hoping Lucy wonÂ't pull away the football.

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Beware Regulatory Concentration Risk

02/25/14

Risk is like water, seeking the path of least resistance. If the path is narrowed, risk does not necessarily evaporate, as regulators wish, but often focuses as a more concentrated force. Accepting this alternative concept of risk has far-reaching policy consequences.

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Morning Scan: So Much for a Goldman Tell-All; HSBC Bonus Spin

02/25/14

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Unmasked: Andrew Ross Sorkin has discovered the secret identity of the person behind @GSElevatorGossip, a popular Twitter handle that purportedly discloses comments overheard in Goldman Sachs' elevators and, surprise, surprise, the guy never worked at Goldman. Per Dealbook, the Twitter user is John Lefevre, a 34-year-old former bond trader now based out of Texas who did work at Citi for seven years. He also apparently was offered a job at Goldman atÂ...

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