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NYDFS to Oppose Any Effort to Federalize Regulation of FinTech Companies
On December 2, NYDFS Superintendent Maria T. Vullo issued a public statement stating the NYDFS’ opposition to “any effort to federalize” regulation of Fintech companies, such as that proposed recently by the OCC in its announcement on Fintech charters. According to Superintendent Vullo, state regulators have “long-standing expertise in this arena” and are therefore best positioned to balance innovation with a tailored regulatory regime.”
OCC to Consider Fintech Charter Applications; Seeks Comment
On December 2, the OCC announced that it would move forward with considering applications from financial technology (Fintech) companies to become special-purpose national banks. In prepared remarks delivered at the Georgetown University Law Center, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry explained, among other things, that “having a clear process, criteria, and standards for Fintechs to become national banks ensures regulators and companies openly vet risks and that the institutions that receive charters have a reasonable chance of success.”
Accompanying his decision, the OCC published a paper discussing the issues and conditions that the agency will consider in granting special purpose national bank charters. According to the paper, in order to apply for a special-purpose charter, a company must engage in fiduciary activities, or one of the three core banking functions: lending money, paying checks or receiving deposits. The paper is available on the agency’s website at www.occ.gov and comments may be submitted through January 15, 2017.
Comptroller Curry Discusses Importance of Effective Supervision Before Clearing House Annual Conference
In prepared remarks delivered on November 30 before The Clearing House Annual Conference in New York City, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas J. Curry discussed lessons from the 2008 financial crisis. Curry noted that he was “often disappointed how quickly some forget the lessons of more recent events, particularly what brought the financial system to the cliff in 2008 and what has put our banks and our economy on much firmer ground since.” His remarks emphasized the value of strong capital, the need for ample liquidity, and the importance of effective supervision.
In discussing capital, Curry noted that since the beginning of 2009, there has been a $700 billion increase in common equity capital. Such levels would allow the 33 largest bank holding companies to be well capitalized and continue lending even under the most severe scenario used by the banking agencies’ stress tests. He cautioned, however, that “[w]eakening the ratio through special exclusions only undermines our original intent and weakens the protection against excessive leverage.” Comptroller Curry similarly noted that the Liquidity Coverage Ratio and the proposed Net Stable Funding Ratio complement each other to push covered banks to hold ready resources to meet short-term cash outflows and to shift to more stable, longer-term funding.
On the subject of supervision, Curry noted the importance of “holistic supervision based on the CAMELS rating system.” He also added that while a periodic reassessment of banking laws and regulations is appropriate, “we must never settle for ‘light-touch’ supervision.” And, in concluding, Curry stressed that community banks and their examiners, in order to “remain strong and healthy,” need to “focus on strategic risk, rising credit risk from stretching for yield while relaxing underwriting standards, expansion of new technologies, and compliance issues.”
OCC Issues Updated Guidance for Managing Bank Premises and Equipment
On November 29, the OCC announced the release of a revised Bank Premises and Equipment booklet of the Comptroller’s Handbook. The revised booklet, which replaces the booklet of the same title issued in March 1990, applies to examinations of all national banks and federal savings associations engaged in the acquisition, management, and disposal of bank premises and equipment. According to the accompanying OCC Bulletin, the revised booklet incorporates updated statutory and regulatory citations and revised examination procedures since the integration of the Office of Thrift Supervision into the OCC in 2011. The bulletin explains that the booklet also replaces the "Investment in Bank Premises" booklet of the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual and the "Fixed Assets" section of the former Office of Thrift Supervision Examination Handbook.
OCC Proposes Revisions to Stress Test Information Collection
On November 15, the OCC published a notice and request for comment on proposed changes to its rules requiring certain covered financial institutions, including national banks and federal savings associations with assets over $50 billion, to report certain financial information as part of stress testing. The proposed revisions to the OCC’s reporting requirements are “intended to promote consistency with” the Fed’s proposed changes to its form FR Y-14A, and consist generally of clarifying instructions, shifting the “as-of date”, adding data items, deleting data items, and redefining existing data items—including an expansion of the information collected in the scenario schedule. The proposed revisions also reflect the implementation of the final Basel III regulatory capital rule, which is set to revise and replace the OCC’s risk-based and leverage capital requirements to be consistent with agreements reached by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in ‘‘Basel III: A Global Regulatory Framework for More Resilient Banks and Banking Systems’’ (Basel III). All comments must be received by January 19, 2017.
OCC Seeks Comments on Volcker Rule Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Disclosure Requirements
On November 18, OCC published a notice seeking comments on various reporting, recordkeeping, and disclosure requirements associated with its regulations that implemented the Volcker Rule. Among other things, the OCC is seeking comments on: (i) whether the information sought is necessary for the OCC to perform its supervisory functions; (ii) the accuracy of the OCC’s estimate of the information collection burden; (iii) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected while also minimizing the collection burdens on respondents; and (iv) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide the information. Comments must be submitted on or before January 17, 2017.
Comptroller Curry Announces OCC Will Issue a Paper Soon Describing OCC's Thoughts on National FinTech Charters
In prepared remarks delivered November 3 at the Chatham House “City Series” Conference in London, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas J. Curry discussed the OCC’s approach to regulating FinTech innovation. In his speech, entitled “The Banking Revolution: Innovation, Regulation and Consumer Choice,” Mr. Curry discussed the rapid growth of worldwide investment in FinTech over the past five years and walked through various regulatory responses to those developments–including the OCC’s guiding principles for its regulatory approach to innovation and its decision to establish a team dedicated to implementing those principles. The Comptroller emphasized that the OCC is still deciding whether to grant national charters to FinTech companies that conduct banking activities, but added that the agency would issue a paper “soon” describing the agency’s thoughts on the subject and inviting public comment.
OCC Updates Community Bank Supervision Comptroller's Handbook
On November 3, the OCC announced an update to the “asset quality core assessment procedures” in its Community Bank Supervision Comptroller’s Handbook (Handbook). Among other things, the revised Handbook: (i) updates concentration risk management procedures and stress testing guidance for community banks; (ii) incorporates procedures for credit underwriting assessments; (iii) enhances appraisal, evaluation, allowance, and credit review examination procedures; and (iv) updates the asset quality references and standard request letter.
OCC Promotes Morris Morgan to Oversee Large Bank Supervision
In a press release, issued on November 1, the OCC announced that Morris Morgan, a senior OCC official, will take on a new role as Senior Deputy Comptroller for Large Bank Supervision on December 24. Morgan, a 31-year veteran of the OCC, has served as Examiner-in-Charge of a major bank, and PNC and Deputy Comptroller for Large Bank Supervision. In his new role, Morgan will serve as a member of the OCC's Executive Committee and the Committee on Bank Supervision. He also will oversee operations of the OCC’s International Banking Supervision group and its London Office.
OCC Establishes Office of Innovation
On October 26, the OCC announced plans to establish an Office of Innovation (Office) with staff located in Washington, New York, and San Francisco. The OCC simultaneously published a paper titled “Recommendations and Decisions for Implementing a Responsible Innovation Framework,” which provides an overview of the financial services landscape and the OCC’s innovation initiatives. With the expectation to begin operations in first quarter 2017, the new Office will implement certain aspects of the OCC’s responsible innovation framework, including: (i) creating an outreach and technical assistance program; (ii) conducting awareness and training activities for OCC staff, such as implementing an “internal web page that provides OCC staff a ‘one-stop-shop’ to access information on industry trends and innovative products, services, and processes”; (iii) encouraging coordination and facilitation among the regulatory community and industry stakeholders; (iv) conducting industry innovation research; and (v) promoting coordination with other agencies, particularly those with overlapping jurisdictions. Beth Knickerbocker will head the Office as acting Chief Innovation Officer.
The OCC noted that its “assessment of granting a special purpose national bank charter to nonbank financial technology companies, and under what conditions, continues.” Later in 2016, the OCC plans to publish a paper to address issues related to a potential special purpose charter.