Warren asks OCC to scrap Trump-era crypto guidance — and recent work

The OCC, FDIC and Fed said in November they planned to provide more clarity this year on permissible digital asset activity. A letter from the senator last week challenges the agencies to follow through.

By Dan Ennis • Aug. 8, 2022

Senate bill would couch Bitcoin, Ether under CFTC purview

The bill would define a new asset class, exclude securities from it, and require brokers, custodians, dealers and trading facilities to register with the CFTC.

By Dan Ennis • Aug. 3, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

Artificial intelligence

Banks are enthusiastic about AI’s promises. But can they get customers on board, and will regulators let the innovation happen?

By Banking Dive staff

NY regulator fines Robinhood $30M over AML, cybersecurity failures

The company Tuesday also cut its workforce by 23%, or roughly 780 employees, and announced it would be closing two offices, according to a filing.

By Dan Ennis • Aug. 2, 2022

FDIC advisory reinforces boundaries of bank-crypto ties

The note emphasizing risks comes a day after the regulator issued a cease-and-desist order giving bankrupt platform Voyager Digital two business days to remove any misleading claims regarding deposit insurance.

By Dan Ennis • Aug. 1, 2022

Crypto ‘citizen’s arrests’ may continue until Congress wrangles ‘Wild West’

The SEC, DOJ and Treasury are all patrolling the digital asset space. The CFTC is calling for unity. And lawmakers’ vision for a cohesive strategy just took a summer vacation.

By Dan Ennis • July 28, 2022

Crypto firm Voyager accuses FTX of tanking bankruptcy process

By publicly offering Voyager customers access to cash for their stranded assets, FTX is “chilling” Voyager’s once-private trawl for buyers with a “low-ball bid dressed up as a white knight rescue,” the bankrupt crypto firm said.

By Dan Ennis • July 26, 2022

UK fintech Starling pulls Irish banking license application

"Sometimes changing course is the right option," CEO Anne Boden wrote Monday in a memo to employees. The company still plans to expand to Europe through software-as-a-service deals with other lenders, Boden said.

By Anna Hrushka • July 19, 2022

Gen Z banking app GoHenry expands to Europe through Pixpay acquisition

As a growing number of neobanks compete for young customers, GoHenry’s acquisition of Pixpay, which also targets the Gen Z crowd, is a move in the direction of potential additional industry consolidation.

By Anna Hrushka • July 12, 2022

Brainard urges more oversight of crypto

The Federal Reserve vice chair on Friday said the May collapse of the Terra stablecoin, which wiped out millions of dollars in a matter of days, was “reminiscent of classic runs throughout history.”

By Anna Hrushka • July 11, 2022

FDIC probes Voyager's language surrounding deposit insurance

The agency issued a final rule regarding misrepresentation in May. Voyager recently altered text on its website regarding customer reimbursement in the event of failure, according to two news outlets.

By Dan Ennis • July 8, 2022

Crypto brokerage Voyager files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The move allows the company to reorganize as it seeks to recover losses from a defaulted loan to hedge fund Three Arrows. A firm owned by FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is Voyager's largest creditor.

By Dan Ennis • July 6, 2022

Revolut names new US CEO to accelerate North American growth

The move represents an expansion of responsibilities for Sid Jajodia, who will continue to serve as the company’s chief banking officer, a role he’s held since July 2021.

By Anna Hrushka • July 5, 2022

Meta to shutter Novi digital currency project Sept. 1

The company’s website tells users how to withdraw funds and access transaction data that they’ll lose access to once the Novi pilot ends. Meta, however, said it plans to use Novi’s technology in future projects.

By Dan Ennis • July 5, 2022

FTX could buy BlockFi for up to $240M

The deal boosts — to $400 million — a revolving credit facility the crypto exchange offered the lender last month. The potential purchase price may vary based on “performance triggers.”

By Robin Bradley • July 1, 2022

Chime's new CMO wants to build the industry's best marketing machine

“This is not a turnaround. This is not a reset of everything. It's about connecting the ingredients,” Chime CMO Vineet Mehra said of the new role.

By Anna Hrushka • June 30, 2022

OCC wants to start collecting cannabis, crypto business data from banks

The regulator’s proposal would put cannabis and crypto on a list that already includes industries such as casinos, liquor stores and check cashers.

By Anna Hrushka • June 9, 2022

Custodia Bank sues Fed over 'unlawful delay' in processing master account application

The digital asset bank, which was granted a Wyoming special-purpose depository institution license, has been waiting 19 months for its application to be approved.

By Anna Hrushka • June 8, 2022

Crypto framework would define SEC, CFTC oversight purview

A bipartisan Senate measure introduced Tuesday tackles regulatory requirements on stablecoin issuers, taxes on crypto transactions and delineates commodities and securities. But its chances of passing appear low.

By Robin Bradley • June 7, 2022

Banks eye first-mover advantage to embracing the metaverse

Banks are carving out their own spaces in the metaverse, a virtual world estimated to represent a $1 trillion market opportunity.

By Anna Hrushka • June 2, 2022

SEC enforcement attorney predicts 'a lot more fraud' in crypto markets

The SEC will turn to litigation if needed to achieve “clarity” as it fights abuses in cryptocurrency markets, according to an attorney in the agency’s Enforcement Division.

By Jim Tyson • May 16, 2022

Yellen urges stricter stablecoin regulation this year, amid TerraUSD crash

The coin, which relies on an algorithm rather than being backed by dollar reserves, plummeted to 23 cents Wednesday, according to CoinDesk.

By Robin Bradley • May 11, 2022

Current wades into embedded banking with launch of API platform

The neobank announced Plaid as its first partner, a tie-up the two firms said will enable Current’s customers to access more than 6,000 apps and services powered by the data aggregator’s network.

By Anna Hrushka • May 11, 2022

SEC to nearly double crypto enforcement unit

The agency is adding 20 supervisors, investigative staff attorneys, trial counsels and fraud analysts to an already 30-strong team. 

By Robin Bradley • May 3, 2022

OCC orders crypto bank Anchorage to revamp AML program

The regulator said the bank failed to implement internal controls for customer due diligence and procedures for monitoring suspicious activity. It also failed to hire a Bank Secrecy Act officer, the OCC said.

By Anna Hrushka • April 22, 2022

Revolut, Cross River link up to offer US consumer loans

Customers who use the personal loan offering, which will be available in the coming months, won't be subject to late fees, origination fees or prepayment penalties, the neobank said.

By Anna Hrushka • April 18, 2022