Bankshot

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created to protect the people from financial predation. But there are very different interpretations of what that means, and whether the people should be protected by — or from — the government.

A regulatory proposal to raise bank capital has spurred banks to fight back with a populist appeal to consumers, while regulators say more capital is what's needed to save banks from more crises — and help consumers.

The Federal Reserve, historically a secretive and isolated institution, has made a concerted effort to explain itself to and be understood by the public since 2008. But try as it might, the central bank is still viewed by many as an enigma, if not an enemy.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown faces a tough 2024 campaign to recapture his Ohio senate seat in a state that’s increasingly Red. Can the same state that elected conservative populist firebrand J.D. Vance also re-elect Sherrod Brown? And what do the political undercurrents apparent in Ohio mean for banks? 

American Banker editor-in-chief Chana Schoenberger and Washington bureau chief John Heltman talk about the new season of Bankshot, which explores how populism has emerged as a driving force in financial regulation.

The number of businesses shifting to an employee ownership model has ballooned in recent years, and experts say that trend is likely to accelerate. That could have important implications for banks aiding that transition and for the future of small business lending.

How the next generation of payments technology is being developed in fields such as public transit, sports and long-haul trucking.

The failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic brought to light the Federal Home Loan Banks’ role as a ‘lender of next-to-last resort.’ Some critics say that the review from the Federal Housing Finance Association should bring the system back to its original purpose of oiling the mortgage finance market. 

A string of big bank failures this spring has cast all manner of regulatory policies into question, but perhaps the most vexing — and most consequential — is the relationship between banks and their government supervisors. But changing an already changing supervisory culture is easier said than done.

In the aftermath of last year’s racially motivated mass shooting in a predominantly Black community in Buffalo, New York, American Banker reporter Allissa Kline explores what responsibility banks have to help segregated, impoverished communities that were shaped in part by past discriminatory lending practices.

Fintechs created earned wage access so cash-strapped employees could get an advance on their next paycheck to cover urgent expenses. Some say repeat usage of fee-based EWA resembles a payday loan, sparking debate over whether regulators should call EWA a loan. 

The demise of FTX, a prominent crypto exchange, late last year, has left the crypto industry grappling with the consequences and uncertainties left in its wake. As the crypto sector teeters on the edge of more forceful regulation, the aftermath of FTX's explosion has revealed deep fault lines within the industry and increased banks' already healthy level of caution towards the technology, especially after more crypto-aligned banks failed in 2023. The once-unified industry now faces a turbulent next few years. In this episode of BankShot, we delve into the implications of FTX's downfall and its lasting impact on banks, the crypto landscape, and the emerging path towards regulatory clarity and stability.

Holy Trinity Baptist Church Federal Credit Union has about $24,000 in assets, making it one of the smallest credit unions in the U.S. But it has survived and thrived over the past 50-plus years with low overhead and a small but loyal membership.

The failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank sent a shockwave through the financial system. Even if the worst is behind us, the event will have enormous consequences for banking regulation and supervision for years to come.

Consumers who aren’t proficient in English have long struggled to get help from banks in their preferred language. Banks and regulators are trying to fix that, but the solution has taken years.

A reporter tried for more than two years to speak with Michael Bacon, the megabank’s former chief security officer. Bacon eventually sat for around 30 interviews, painting a detailed picture of the Wells executive suite as the fake-accounts scandal unfolded.

Frustrations with gatekeeping, a lack of diversity and the way home appraisal is overseen are spurring many practitioners to call for an overhaul of the industry's governance structure.

Democrats are disfavored in this year's midterm elections, but several factors are keeping races close. The outcome will affect the bank regulatory trajectory for at least the next two years.

Congress is expected to pass the SAFE Banking Act by year-end in one way or another. Bankers can learn a thing or two from others who have already taken the plunge.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has isolated the nuclear power from much of the Western economy, worsening already fraught global supply chains and increasing uncertainty. But it can still get worse.