Regulation

A growing chorus of voices seems to share the view of former New York banking regulator Maria Vullo, who once said, “Toddlers play in sandboxes. Adults play by the rules.” But any movement away from the collaborative development of regulations for new financial services products would be a setback for consumer choice.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency slammed the San Antonio bank for anti-money-laundering violations. The penalty is the latest in a series of regulatory problems for USAA.

Four of five bills aimed at countering Russian aggression in Europe won significant bipartisan support from the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday. But the panel adopted a bill intended to expand the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's ability to hunt down Russian assets over fierce Republican opposition.

A supervisory letter detailing their failings in assessing exposure to a collapsed hedge fund suggests that the Federal Reserve believes banks are falling short in basic risk management.

The Federal Reserve's models assume interest rates will decline if the economy falls into a recession, but as big banks prepare for their annual stress tests, they should also be considering the impact of rising rates and higher inflation on their operations.

The impact of U.S. sanctions against Russia on U.S. banks has so far been limited. But further escalation could lead to anti-money-laundering compliance challenges and invite cyberattacks, among other consequences.

Canadian banks have frozen just over 200 accounts under emergency powers invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that are meant to end protests in Ottawa and at key border crossings, a government official said this week.

Banks are still seeking clarity from law enforcement on how to handle the alleged protesters’ accounts. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said some accounts have already been frozen as part of a financial crackdown on those accused of paralyzing the nation's capital.

Coinbase Global, Gemini Trust and Robinhood Markets are among firms helping to build a platform to comply with a U.S. money laundering rule as crypto and financial technology companies seek to satisfy existing requirements and head off stricter oversight.

Sarah Bloom Raskin, President Biden’s pick to be the Federal Reserve Board’s vice chair for supervision, has had a distinguished career as a state and federal banking regulator. Her belief that banks should identify assets that are subject to climate-related shocks sounds like basic risk management, not a radical call to action.