OCC Finalizes Rule Addressing Receiverships of Uninsured National Banks

Federal Issues FDIC Banking OCC

On December 20, the OCC announced the publication of its final rule implementing a framework for receiverships of national banks that are not insured, and thus not subject to receivership, by the FDIC under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDIA”). As discussed in a previous InfoBytes post, the OCC has not historically appointed a receiver for uninsured banks, opting instead to rehabilitate or resolve such institutions without a receiver. This OCC final rule—which goes into effect on January 19, 2017—reflects the OCC’s current belief that establishing and clarifying a receivership framework for uninsured banks “will be beneficial to financial market participants and the broader community of regulators.”

Among other things, the rule seeks to provide clarity to market participants with respect to the following key issues: (i) when and how a receiver for uninsured bank may be appointed; (ii) the powers held by the receiver of an uninsured bank; (iii) the two methods through which parties holding claims against an uninsured depository institution can seek approval of those claims; (iii) the order of payment for administrative expenses and claims against an uninsured bank; and (iv) the treatment of fiduciary or custodial assets. Notably, the OCC did not explicitly address whether the new rule will also apply to FinTech companies should they obtain a special purpose national bank charter as proposed recently by the OCC.