CFPB Highlights Emerging Risks in the Convergence of Payments and Commerce

On August 4, 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a report on the emerging risks consumers face in the growing presence of new products that blur the line between payments and commerce, namely: buy now, pay later (BNPL) offerings; embedded commerce; and integrated “super apps.” Specifically:Continue Reading Fintech Legal Report—Week of August 19, 2022

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • Federal financial regulators extend the deadline for responding to its request for information about financial institutions’ use of AI.
  • The CFPB issued FAQs on electronic funds transfers under EFTA and Regulation E to address issues related to fraud and private network rules.
  • The Federal Reserve proposed a rule to update the Durbin Amendment/Reg. II to ensure two debit networks are available, including for card-not-present transactions.
  • The Federal Reserve proposed a rule to apply Regulation J to FedNow transactions and to establish rules for the FedNow Service.
  • CSBS seeks comment on its proposed nationwide licensing framework for MSBs.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of June 11, 2021

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • FDIC discusses its fair lending activities in the most recent edition of its Consumer Compliance Supervisory Highlights.
  • US and EU engage in a joint regulatory forum to discuss international coordination on financial regulation and operational resiliency.
  • BCBS publishes its principles for operational resilience for banks, including a focus on third-party outsourcing relationships with financial technology companies.
  • Financial regulators seek comment on model risk management guidance.
  • CSBS seeks comment on a revamp of the nationwide licensing system.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of April 16, 2021

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • The California DFPI begins operating January 2021 and looks to regulate new industries.
  • The OCC finalizes its rule on fair access to financial services, prohibiting large banks from denying services to whole industries.
  • Federal banking regulators publish proposed rule to impose additional notification requirements for a broader range of computer-security incidents.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of January 15, 2021

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • FDIC issues an updated brokered deposit rule, creating new exceptions relevant to fintechs working with bank partners.
  • FDIC issues a final rule clarifying its expectations for ILC charter applications.
  • CFPB issues an advisory opinion on Special Purpose Credit Programs to clarify how creditors can offer these programs to disadvantaged groups.
  • CFPB grants access to its compliance assistance sandbox to an earned wage access company, which meets the CFPB’s recent guidance on such programs.
  • PayPal wins the first round in its efforts to throw out aspects of the CFPB’s prepaid rule, resulting in a court throwing out certain mandatory disclosures and the 30-day waiting period for digital wallets.
  • New York enacts second-in-nation law requiring disclosures for commercial purpose loans.
  • The CSBS goes to court again to stop the OCC from issuing a charter to a fintech company.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of January 8, 2021

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • House Financial Services Committee sets priorities it hopes the incoming Biden administration will enact.
  • First major bank prohibits use of its credit cards for buy-now-pay-later transactions.
  • CFPB issues another no action letter for unsecured, closed-end installment lending model with AI underwriting.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of December 11, 2020

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • FinCEN issues final rule that implements certain AML requirements on banks that lack a federal functional regulator.
  • FinCEN seeks public comment on AML Program requirements.
  • State regulators announce the “One Company, One Exam” for licensed payment firms.
  • The CFPB published its SBREFA outline for the upcoming small business loan data rule.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of September 18, 2020

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • The CFPB orders a bank to pay over $100 million to resolve a pattern of violations of EFTA, UDAAP, and FCRA related to the bank’s overdraft services.
  • The CFPB issues an RFI seeking information about the effect of the CARD Act on small entities.
  • FinCEN provides clarification about bank customer due diligence flexibility for onboarding and servicing PEP customers.
  • The CFPB is still on track to issue its small business data rule outline of proposals in September.
  • The OCC clarifies how credit card issuers choose which state’s interest rate can be used with its credit cards based on where the bank makes the loan.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of August 28, 2020

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • The CFPB issues a statement providing flexibility to credit card issuers as they obtain consent from customers to receive disclosures electronically under Regulation Z and the E-Sign Act.
  • The OCC announces a new acting Comptroller and includes FinTech Charters among its focuses
  • The OCC issues a rulemaking on digital banking transformation, seeking comment on the ways its regulations should change in response to advances in technology and market trends.
  • The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing on the digital dollar and its place in making stimulus payments.
  • SEC’s FinHub to host virtual meet-ups.
  • Amazon and Goldman Sachs introduce new credit line for U.S.-based merchants.
  • FBI issues warning to mobile banking app users.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of June 12, 2020

Weekly Fintech Focus

  • The current pandemic creates new stresses on the relationship between payment processors and merchants, but there are ways to work through these challenges together. See here for our discussion reserve account issues in credit card processing agreements.
  • FinCEN seeks comment on the burden financial institutions face when filing SARs.
  • The CFPB files its first status report on its progress on rulemaking regarding the small business loan data rule.
  • The CFPB issued a report on the consumer complaints it received during COVID-19.
  • Marqeta raises $150 million with a $4.3 billion valuation.
  • New mobile banking registrations in April surge 200%.

Continue Reading Fintech Week in Review: Week of May 29, 2020