Justice Department investigates Visa’s fintech relationships

Justice Department investigates Visa’s fintech relationships

The U.S. Justice Department is probing Visa’s relationships with fintech firms as part of a bigger antitrust investigation of the company, a new report suggests.

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German regulator BaFin imposes new sign-up caps on neobank N26

German regulator BaFin imposes new sign-up caps on neobank N26

N26, a Germany-based neobank with a global presence, has been ordered by German financial regulator BaFin to limit new account signups in an effort to slow down its expansion.

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SEC stirs up debate on whether ‘nudges’ from financial apps are recommendations

SEC stirs up debate on whether ‘nudges’ from financial apps are recommendations

In-app “nudges” or suggestions are expected offerings from digital financial platforms, but there is debate around whether they are forms of financial advice that need to be regulated.

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Lender Opportun withdraws bank charter application

Lender Opportun withdraws bank charter application

Opportun, a California-based consumer lender, announced it’s pulling a bank charter application it filed last year. The company said it would amend elements of its application to “reflect changes to our business.”

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Department of Justice creates team to investigate criminal misuse of cryptocurrencies

Department of Justice creates team to investigate criminal misuse of cryptocurrencies

The Department of Justice unveiled its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team this week, a body that will deploy cyber and money laundering expertise to go after crypto actors engaged in criminal wrongdoing.

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SEC Chair Gensler says a crypto ban would be ‘up to Congress’

SEC Chair Gensler says a crypto ban would be ‘up to Congress’

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair Gary Gensler told the House Financial Services Committee this week that the SEC would not follow China’s lead and ban cryptocurrencies.

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UK neobank Monzo pulls US bank charter application

UK neobank Monzo pulls US bank charter application

U.K.-based digital bank Monzo pulled its U.S. bank charter application after it was told by regulators it wasn’t likely to be approved.

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SEC chair Gary Gensler reaffirms support for bitcoin futures ETFs

SEC chair Gary Gensler reaffirms support for bitcoin futures ETFs

Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Gary Gensler reiterated support for bitcoin futures exchange-traded funds (EFTs) at an industry conference this week, echoing similar comments he made in August.

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President Biden expected to nominate crypto critic to lead OCC

President Biden expected to nominate crypto critic to lead OCC

President Joe Biden is expected to nominate Saule Omarova, a Cornell University law professor, to lead the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). In prior comments, Omarova has been critical of big banks and the crypto sector.

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‘Mega-IRAs’ a focus of lawmakers looking to address inequality

‘Mega-IRAs’ a focus of lawmakers looking to address inequality

According to Congress’s nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, more than $279B sits in ‘mega-IRAs’, or individual retirement accounts with at least $5M each.

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Charles Schwab faces class action complaint over robo-adviser cash-sweep practices

Charles Schwab faces class action complaint over robo-adviser cash-sweep practices

A group of investors have brought a class-action complaint against brokerage Charles Schwab. They claim the company violated fiduciary and consumer-protection responsibilities through its Schwab Intelligent Portfolios’ cash sweep program.

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Coinbase Lend is facing pushback from the SEC, the company says

Coinbase Lend is facing pushback from the SEC, the company says

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, which recently went public, says it’s facing possible enforcement action from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over its Coinbase Lend product that it expected to launch in the coming weeks.

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Industry braces for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 2.0

Industry braces for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 2.0

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has outlined its priorities in a staff memo, including consumers facing hardship due to Covid-19, and racial equity.

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Senate rejects crypto tax amendment to infrastructure bill

Senate rejects crypto tax amendment to infrastructure bill

The U.S. Senate has rejected a bipartisan amendment to the $1T infrastructure bill that would have ring-fenced cryptocurrency tax-reporting requirements, creating potential headaches for crypto companies.

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ICYMI: Former OCC lead Brian Brooks leaves Binance.US

ICYMI: Former OCC lead Brian Brooks leaves Binance.US

Brain Brooks, former acting head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency under the Trump administration, resigned from his post as CEO of crypto exchange Binance.US, a mere three months into the job.

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