News Topic: regulation-reform

As digital currencies become increasingly popular in Latin American countries, partnerships between banks and Bitcoin exchanges can help expedite cross-border transfers. ... Read full article

A number of Dodd-Frank and Basel III regulations will impact banks' investments in the CLO market, but the Volcker Rule poses unique challenges. ... Read full article

A number of banks have cut ties with business lines that are seen as high-risk in an effort to dodge the threat of enforcement actions. The result is stunted job creation and innovation, not to mention customers who are denied much-needed services. ... Read full article

Quantitative easing hasn't led to severe price inflation as critics feared Â-- but the large quantity of Treasury debt might. ... Read full article

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week. ... Read full article

Republicans are unlikely to push the ball forward on reform of the federal housing agencies, but Congress has a number of other opportunities to make changes that will encourage mortgage lending. ... Read full article

Many foreign banks are confused about how the Volcker Rule applies to them and whether they are required to establish compliance programs for it in the first place. ... Read full article

Most investors don't see regulation in black-and-white terms. The rest of the financial industry should follow their lead. ... Read full article

Connecticut and New York are the only states to have established institutions specifically called green banks to stimulate lending on clean energy projects, but others could soon join them following the election of green bank-friendly governors in nine ... Read full article

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case related to the use of disparate impact theory to charge organizations with discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. The case highlights a key problem with current interpretation of the statute: it ignores ... Read full article

Well-managed banks have the opportunity to issue shares and strengthen their capital base before new requirements take effect and the markets adjust to a low-risk environment. ... Read full article

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week. ... Read full article

Until Congress gets around to GSE reform, the FHFA could at least make Fannie and Freddie less expensive to run. Combining the companies would reduce the threat that they will need more support from the Treasury and perhaps lower the cost of obtaining a ... Read full article

Banks are hiring armies of lawyers, accountants, compliance consultants and IT vendors as they prepare to comply with the Volcker Rule. Ironically, their attempts to fortify themselves with outsourced knowledge could expose them to more operational risk. ... Read full article

Until U.S. authorities can prove they have a better idea about how to provide short-term, small-dollar loans and other alternative financial services to people in need, they should stop trying to drive from business the lawful companies working to serve ... Read full article

Thanks to the rise of online and mobile banking, some banks now have significant customer bases in areas where they have little branch presence. The solution is to carve out a category of virtual banks that have tailored CRA responsibilities and ... Read full article

Housing policy needs to be refocused on strengthening household balance sheets, especially by making borrowersmore resilient to home price declines. A new 15-year fixed-rate mortgage that allows borrowers to use the down payment to buy down the interest ... Read full article

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's report on private student loans should prompt lenders, regulators and universities to take action to help troubled borrowers and prevent future defaults. ... Read full article