ABA: Community Bank Leaders Urge Senate to Protect Local Lending from Stablecoin Risks
The American Bankers Association’s Community Bankers Council, representing community banks across all 50 states and territories, is urging the U.S. Senate to take decisive action to protect local economies from emerging risks in the digital asset market. In a letter sent to Senators, more than 200 community bank leaders from across the country expressed concern that some crypto companies are exploiting a regulatory loophole, undermining the intent of the GENIUS Act, which…
OCC: Proposed Guidance Issued on CRA Simplified Strategic Plan Process to Reduce Regulatory Burden for Community Banks
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today issued proposed guidance for a simplified strategic plan process for community banks to comply with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The OCC’s action builds on a series of reforms the OCC announced in October and November to reduce burden and tailor examination activities for community banks. “Community banks are…
ICBA: ICBA Opposes PayPal Application to Form Industrial Loan Company
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today expressed strong opposition to PayPal’s application opens in a new tab to form an industrial loan company—a type of financial institution that receives federal deposit insurance while avoiding full regulatory oversight. “The FDIC should deny ILC applications from PayPal and other Big Tech companies and not allow these nonbank firms to benefit from the federal safety net while avoiding prudential regulation…
ICBA: Analysis Shows Permitting Interest on Payment Stablecoin Holdings Would Reduce Community Bank Lending by $850 Billion
As Congress crafts legislation to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets markets, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today released new data showing the harmful impact on local economies of allowing crypto exchanges, affiliates, and other intermediaries to pay interest, yield, or rewards on payment stablecoin holdings. Based on macroeconomic modeling from new industry research, ICBA estimates that continuing to allow crypto intermediaries to pay interest or yield on payment stablecoin holdings would reduce community bank…
ICBA: ICBA Opposes OCC’s Approval of Five National Trust Charter Applications
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today expressed opposition to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s conditional approval opens in a new tab of five national trust bank charter applications from nonbank fintechs. ICBA has repeatedly said in letters to the OCC that the agency lacks statutory authority to expand trust powers under Interpretive…
ICBA: ThinkTECH Accelerator Debuts 10th Cohort to Continue Driving Community Bank Innovation
The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) today announced the selected companies for the 10th iteration of its award-winning ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program (AP10). The solutions span a broad array of offerings – from responsible AI for compliance to tools that accelerate small business growth, modernize lending, expand investing options, and strengthen fraud defenses –…
Agencies Issue Proposal to Enhance Community Banks’ Ability to Serve Their Communities While Maintaining Strong Capital Requirements
The federal bank regulatory agencies today invited public comment on a proposal that would implement changes to the community bank leverage ratio framework in accordance with statutory authority. By incorporating these changes, the revisions would reduce regulatory burden and provide community banks with greater flexibility and optionality in their capital management approach. The proposal reflects…
ICBA: New ICBA White Paper Calls on Policymakers to Close Industrial Loan Company Loophole
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today released a comprehensive white paper detailing why policymakers should close a legal loophole that allows industrial loan companies and their parent companies to skirt regulatory oversight, endangering consumers and the economy. In “Closing the Industrial Loan Company Loophole: An Urgent Priority to Prevent Systemic Risk and Consumer Harm,” ICBA…
ICBA: Statement on Ending Goverment Shutdown Issued
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) issued the following statement on the federal government shutdown. “While the nation’s community banks continue working every day to support economic growth in the local communities they serve, the ongoing government shutdown threatens to harm economic growth and Main Street economies. ICBA and the nation’s community bankers encourage…
ICBA: ICBA Supports Bill to Strengthen Deposit Insurance While Minimizing Costs to Community Banks
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) expressed support for legislation to strengthen the nation’s deposit insurance system while minimizing additional costs for community banks. Introduced by Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), the Main Street Depositor Protection Act would provide expanded deposit insurance coverage of up to $10 million per depositor for noninterest-bearing transaction…