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Federal Reserve vice chairman discusses supervision
On January 17, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randal K. Quarles spoke before the American Bar Association Banking Law Committee meeting in Washington, D.C. on bank supervision and ways to improve transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. With respect to supervision, Quarles said that the Fed’s communication with supervised banks could be improved and made several specific proposals in the areas of large bank supervision, transparency improvements, and overall supervisory process improvements. In terms of large bank supervision, Quarles discussed how banks are added to the list of complex institutions overseen by the Large Institution Supervision Coordinating Committee (LISCC), particularly with respect to decreases in foreign banking organizations’ (FBOs) size and risk profiles. According to Quarles, over the past decade, four foreign banks have significantly shrunk their presence in the U.S. and reduced risk within their U.S. operations. As a result, these banks’ “estimated systemic impact” is now much smaller than that of the U.S. global systemically important banks. Moving these FBOs to a lower category, he noted, would allow the firms to be supervised alongside other foreign and domestic firms with similar risk profiles. However Quarles emphasized that any changes in these four FBOs’ supervisory portfolios “would have no effect on the regulatory capital or liquidity requirements that currently apply.” Quarles also discussed the Fed’s stress capital buffer proposal—which “will give banks significantly more time to review their stress test results and understand their capital requirements before we demand their final capital plan”—noting that the Fed continues to research ways to “reduce the volatility of stress-test requirements from year to year.”
Concerning transparency, Quarles stated, among other things, that he supports submitting significant supervisory guidance documents with Congress for the purposes of the Congressional Review Act, as it already does with new rules. Quarles also proposed the creation of a database of all significant agency rules and interpretations and seeking public comments on significant supervisory guidance before it is issued. Finally, Quarles said the Fed hopes to maintain “firm and fair supervision” by (i) increasing the ability of supervised firms to share confidential supervisory information; (ii) adopting a rule on the use of guidance in the supervisory process; (iii) restoring the “‘supervisory observation’ category for lesser safety and soundness issues”; and (iv) limiting the use of future Matters Requiring Attention to violations of law, violations of regulation, and material safety and soundness issues.
FDIC extends deadline for comments on innovation pilot programs
On January 14, the FDIC again published a notice and request for comments in the Federal Register on innovation pilot programs. The FDIC first solicited comments on innovation pilot programs in November, with comments due by January 6. As no comments were submitted, the agency is once again requesting comments on the programs, which, as previously covered by InfoBytes, it hopes will spur collaboration “with innovators in the financial, non-financial, and technology sectors to, among other things, identify, develop, and promote technology-driven innovations among community and other banks in a manner that ensures the safety and soundness of FDIC-supervised and insured institutions.”
Comments must be received by February 13.
CSBS releases Vision 2020 Accountability Report on fintech initiatives
On January 7, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) released a report by its Fintech Industry Advisory Panel outlining progress made on several initiatives to streamline state licensing and supervision of financial technology companies. As previously covered by InfoBytes, the panel was convened in 2017 as part of Vision 2020—a state regulator initiative to modernize the regulation of fintech companies and other non-banks by creating an integrated, 50-state system of licensing and supervision. The Accountability Report charts progress on initiatives identified by the panel, which, according to the announcement, fit into four focus areas: (i) the use of CSBS regtech for licensing and exams, including expanding the use of NMLS among states across all license types for nonbank financial services, developing “state licensing requirements for multi-state consistency,” and launching a new state examination system; (ii) improved consistency among states, including 26 states signing on to the Multistate Money Service Business (MSB) Licensing Agreement, which is intended to streamline the MSB licensing process; (iii) the creation of uniform definitions and practices and the development of a 50-state MSB model law and state accreditation programs for MSBs, which will encourage greater consistency among states; and (iv) increased regulatory transparency, including online resources for state guidance and exemptions, as well as information sessions with regulators and industry to discuss fintech developments.
NCUA releases 2020 supervisory priorities
In January, the NCUA issued a letter to board of directors and chief executive officers at federally insured credit unions outlining the agency’s 2020 supervisory priorities. Top supervisory priorities include:
- Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML). Examinations will continue to focus on customer due diligence and beneficial ownership requirements. The NCUA will also collaborate with law enforcement and banking regulators on initiatives such as updates to the FFIEC’s BSA/AML examination manual and enforcement guidelines, guidance concerning politically exposed persons, and measures for improving suspicious activity and currency transaction report filing procedures.
- Consumer Financial Protection. Based on a rotating regulation review cycle, NCUA examiners will review compliance (at a minimum) with the following regulations: the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Gramm-Leach-Bailey (Privacy Act), Payday Alternative Lending and other small dollar lending, Truth in Lending Act, Military Lending Act, and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
- Cybersecurity. In 2020 the NCUA will continue conducting cybersecurity maturity assessments for credit unions with assets over $250 million and will begin to assess those with assets over $100 million. In addition, the NCUA intends to pilot new procedures—scaled to an institution’s size and risk profile—to evaluate critical security controls during examinations between maturity assessments.
- LIBOR Cessation Planning. Examiners will assess credit unions’ planning related to the discontinuation of LIBOR. According to the NCUA, credit unions should “proactively transition away from instruments using LIBOR as a reference rate.”
Other areas of focus include credit risk, current expected credit losses, liquidity risk, and modernization updates. The extended examination cycle will continue to apply to qualifying credit unions.
Agencies release annual CRA asset-size threshold adjustments
On December 31, the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC, and the FDIC announced the joint annual adjustments to CRA asset-size thresholds used to define small and intermediate small banks and small and intermediate small savings associations. A “small” bank or savings association is defined as an institution that, as of December 31 of either of the prior two calendar years, had less than $1.305 billion in assets. An “intermediate small” bank or savings association is defined as an institution that, as of December 31 of both of the prior two calendar years, had at least $326 million in assets, and as of December 31 of either of the past two calendar years, had less than $1.305 billion in assets. This joint final rule became effective on January 1.
Fed announces fintech initiatives
On December 17, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced a new fintech website section created to engage with banks and other companies involved in fintech innovation. According to the announcement, the new section will highlight supervisory observations regarding fintech, provide a hub of information for interested stakeholders on innovation-related matters, and deliver practical tips for banks and other companies interested in engaging in fintech activity.
Additionally, on February 26, 2020 the Fed will hold the first in a series of “fintech innovation office hours” in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. According to the Fed, they intend to host “office hours” nationwide to provide opportunities, especially “helpful to community banks and their potential fintech partners,” and to speak to well-versed Fed staff members about concepts and advancements surrounding “emerging financial technologies.” The announcement provides a link for interested parties to sign up to participate.
New Fed exam guidelines issued for FBOs
On December 12, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) issued SR 19-15, “Revised Examination Guidelines for Representative Offices of Foreign Banks,” which is applicable to foreign banking organizations (FBOs) with U.S. representative offices (offices) subject to supervision by the Fed. According to the letter, Reserve Banks should examine offices of FBOs at least every 24 months, and ideally, at the same time as any examination of related U.S. branches or agencies. An office can be examined more often (i) based on state law examination requirements; (ii) if “supervisory concerns” exist regarding the foreign bank’s condition; and (iii) if the activities of the office are central to the FBO’s entire U.S. operations or if the office has a large number of employees. The letter provides guidelines for documentation of exam findings and for assignment of various ratings including compliance, risk management and operational controls. The Fed notes that “the type of documentation and rating should vary depending on the representative office’s activities and the significance of supervisory concerns.”
Kraninger discusses coordinated state supervision and enforcement efforts
On December 10, in a speech before the National Association of Attorneys General Capital Forum, CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger discussed partnership with the states, as well as recent efforts between the Bureau and states in the areas of supervision and enforcement, including innovation policies. Kraninger also discussed the Bureau’s small dollar and debt collection rules. Noting that the Bureau will “effectively enforce the law to fulfill our consumer protection mission … after thoroughly reviewing the facts,” Kraninger recapped FY 2019 enforcement actions and settlements, which have resulted in more than $777 million in total consumer relief, which included over $600 million in consumer redress and more than $174 million in other relief. These actions, Kraninger stated, have resulted in more than $185 million in civil money penalties, not taking into account suspended amounts. Kraninger also highlighted several joint efforts with states and other agencies over the past year, including (i) a multi-agency action resolving a 2017 data breach (InfoBytes coverage here); (ii) a joint action with the New York Attorney General against a network of New York-based debt collectors that allegedly engaged in improper debt collection tactics (InfoBytes coverage here); (iii) a coordinated action with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, the North Carolina Department of Justice, and the Los Angeles City Attorney concerning a student loan debt relief operation (InfoBytes coverage here); and (iv) an action with the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs against an operation that offered high-interest loans to veterans and other consumers in exchange for the assignment of some of the consumers’ monthly pension or disability payments (InfoBytes coverage here).
Kraninger also discussed the Bureau’s recently-announced American Consumer Financial Innovation Network (ACFIN), which is designed to enhance coordination among federal and state regulators to facilitate financial innovation. (InfoBytes coverage here). ACFIN currently includes nine state attorneys general and four state financial regulators. Kraninger noted that the Bureau is presently reviewing approximately 190,000 comments concerning proposed changes related to certain payday lending requirements and mandatory underwriting provisions (InfoBytes coverage here), as well as over 14,000 comments submitted in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in May concerning amendments to the debt collection rule (InfoBytes coverage here). Kraninger stressed that the Bureau plans to release a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking “very early” in 2020, and will be “interested in practical and pragmatic ideas of how to make time-barred debt disclosures work.”
FinCEN report: SARs help prevent elder financial exploitation
On December 4, FinCEN announced the release of a Financial Trend Analysis titled, “Elders Face Increased Financial Threat from Domestic and Foreign Actors.” In compiling the report, FinCEN reviewed Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) elder financial exploitation suspicious activity reports (SARs) from 2013 to 2019 to detect patterns and trends. Among other things, the study found that (i) elder financial exploitation filings nearly tripled during the study period, from around 2,000 per month in 2013 to nearly 7,500 in 2019, the majority of which were filed by money services businesses (MSBs) and depository institutions; (ii) while the amount of SARs filed by MSBs ebbed and flowed from 2013 to 2019, those of depository institutions steadily increased; (iii) MSBs filed nearly 80 percent of all SARs describing financial scams, while securities and futures firms filed just over 70 percent of all SARs describing theft; (iv) financial theft from elders is most frequently perpetrated by family members or caregivers; (v) SARs indicated that the most common scams included lottery, person-in-need, and romance scams, the majority of which saw elder victims transferring funds through MSBs; and (vi) money transfer scam SARs were most commonly filed by MSBs who transferred money to a receiver located outside the U.S.
FDIC creates advisory committee for state regulators
On November 19, the FDIC announced a new advisory committee between the agency and state regulators to discuss issues related to the regulation and supervision of state-chartered financial institutions. The committee, titled the Advisory Committee of State Regulators (ACSR), will explore topics such as (i) safety and soundness; (ii) consumer protection issues; (iii) the creation of new banks; and (iv) financial system risks, including cyberattacks or money laundering. Members of the ACSR will be composed of state financial regulators, as well as other individuals “with expertise in the regulation of state-chartered financial institutions.”