On August 7, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing federal banking regulators to prevent financial institutions and financial service providers from denying or restricting financial services and products based...more
On August 12, a coalition of banking trade associations sent a joint letter to Congress warning that the recently enacted GENIUS Act contains a loophole that could allow the indirect payment of interest or yield on payment...more
8/15/2025
/ Banking Sector ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Payment Systems ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Stablecoins ,
Technology ,
The GENIUS Act
On July 1, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court’s denial of a preliminary injunction sought by several short-term lenders challenging amendments to the City of Dallas’s short-term...more
On July 9, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), joined by regulators from five other states, entered into a multistate settlement with a money transmitter headquartered in New York. The $4.2 million consent...more
On June 23, the Federal Reserve Board announced that reputational risk will no longer be a component of its bank-examination program. The same day, the Board released a revised edition of its Guidelines for Rating Risk...more
6/27/2025
/ Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
OCC ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management
Louisiana and Connecticut recently passed legislation establishing regulatory frameworks for earned wage access (EWA) providers.
Connecticut’s SB 5140 passed the legislature on June 4 and awaits Governor Ned Lamont’s...more
6/13/2025
/ Consumer Lenders ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Fees ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Loans ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
On May 1, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced a new centralized consumer protection hotline, website, and email address, providing residents with streamlined access to state agencies for reporting scams, financial...more
On May 9, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that President Trump intends to nominate Jonathan McKernan to serve as the Undersecretary of Domestic Finance. McKernan had been awaiting Senate confirmation to lead the...more
On May 12, the CFPB formally withdrew nearly 70 guidance materials—including policy statements, advisory opinions, circulars, and interpretive rules—through a Federal Register notice issued by Acting Director Russell...more
5/16/2025
/ Advisory Opinions ,
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Debt Collection ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Federal Register ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On April 16, the Colorado General Assembly enacted House Bill 25-1201, replacing the state’s prior money transmitter law with the Money Transmission Modernization Act (the “Act”). Modeled on the multistate framework developed...more
The Texas House and Senate introduced House Bill 700 and Senate Bill 2677 to regulate commercial sales-based financing transactions. The proposed legislation would impose standardized disclosure requirements, require broker...more
On March 28, the CFPB announced that it will not prioritize enforcement or supervision of the remaining provisions of its Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans Regulation, which were set to take...more
Utah and Arkansas have enacted new legislation governing earned wage access (EWA) services, establishing state-level registration obligations and consumer protection standards. Both laws clarify that EWA services are not...more
On March 24, Kentucky enacted House Bill 701, establishing a statutory framework to support blockchain-based activity and clarifying the treatment of digital assets under state law. The legislation defines key terms, permits...more
On March 21, the U.S. Department of the Treasury submitted a report to the Office of Management and Budget affirming that all 11 programs administered by the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund are...more
On March 25, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed two bills that sought to impose new restrictions on “high-risk” artificial intelligence (AI) systems and fintech lending partnerships. The vetoes reflect the Governor’s...more
Following President Trump’s March 6 Executive Order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, released alongside a White House Briefing, the U.S. government has taken its most formal step yet toward integrating digital assets...more
3/28/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Executive Orders ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment ,
National Security ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Technology ,
Trump Administration
On March 7, the OCC issued Interpretive Letter 1183 and an accompanying statement affirming prior guidance regarding whether national banks and federal savings associations may engage in cryptocurrency-related activities,...more
3/17/2025
/ Banking Sector ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Interpretive Letters ,
OCC ,
Payment Systems ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Stablecoins
In an order issued in January and made public on February 24, a judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted class certification to consumers alleging a fintech lender’s loan...more
3/3/2025
/ California ,
Class Action ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Fees ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Lenders ,
State and Local Government ,
State Attorneys General ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On February 25, a federal judge in the United District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky approved a joint motion between the CFPB and banking trade groups to pause litigation over the agency’s 1033 open banking rule....more
On February 27, new CFPB Director Jonathan McKernan testified before the Senate Banking Committee, emphasizing his commitment to enforcing the law while operating within the confines of the law. His testimony focused on his...more
On February 8, the CFPB requested a 90 day stay in a lawsuit filed by a major tech company challenging the agency’s risk-based supervision order. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia,...more
On January 22, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $1 billion settlement with a now defunct cash advance firm and its officers. The settlement resolves allegations that the firm and its officers repeatedly...more
On February 6, 2025, the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois declined to issue a preliminary injunction to stop an Illinois “swipe fee” law that would ban certain credit and debit card fees from applying...more
On January 10, 2025, the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) issued guidance significantly expanding licensing requirements for assignees of residential mortgage loans in Maryland. The guidance stems from an April...more