On April 10, 2018, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (the “FFIEC”), an interagency body composed of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the State Liaison Committee, issued guidance to assist financial institutions in analyzing the use of cyber insurance in an effective risk management program (the “Guidance”).
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The CFPB: No More “Pushing the Envelope”
On January 23, 2018, Mick Mulvaney, Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), published an opinion editorial in The Wall Street Journal (the “Op-Ed”) describing his vision of the CFPB’s role in regulating the financial services industry. The Op-Ed struck a clear and contrasting tone from that of his predecessor, Richard Cordray, in declaring that the CFPB will no longer “push the envelope.” Specifically, Mr. Mulvaney provided his vision relating to three areas of current CFPB operations.
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A New Era: The CFPB to Reconsider How it Fulfills Its Purpose
On January 17, 2018, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) announced that it will issue a call for “evidence” to ensure the CFPB is “fulfilling its proper and appropriate functions to best protect consumers.” The announcement states that in the coming weeks the CFPB will issue a Request for Information (“RFI”) seeking comment on the CFPB’s currently utilized enforcement, supervision, rulemaking, market monitoring and education activities. In so doing, the CFPB’s current utilization of its statutory authority to prosecute Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts and Practices (“UDAAP”) claims will likely take center stage.
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The CFPB’s Payday Lending Rule: An Opportunity in Disguise?
On October 5, 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) released its nearly 1,700-page final rule for short-term loans (“Payday Lending Rule”). Notably, almost simultaneously with the CFPB’s announced Payday Lending Rule, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) rescinded its longstanding Guidance on Supervisory Concerns and Expectations Regarding Deposit Advance Products (“DAP Guidance”), theoretically opening the door for banks to offer short-term credit products to customers with less regulatory burden.
When will the Payday Lending Rule become effective?
While certain provisions of the Payday Lending Rule relating to the registration of information systems will become effective 60 days after the Payday Lending Rule is published in the Federal Register, the rest of the Payday Lending Rule will become effective 21 months after publication in the Federal Register. Consequently, the Payday Lending Rule will not become effective until sometime during the summer of 2019. Given that the term of the current CFPB Director expires in mid-2018, and will presumably be replaced by a director less hostile to the payday loan industry, some industry commentators speculate that the Payday Lending Rule, at least in its present form, may never become effective.
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CFPB’s First No-Action Letter: FinTech Lenders and Banks Take Note
On September 14, 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) issued its first no-action letter (the “No-Action Letter”) concerning the operations of Upstart Network, Inc. (“Upstart”), a FinTech lender that utilizes alternative data in assessing the creditworthiness of prospective customers. While Upstart’s No-Action Letter has narrow applicability, it may serve as a tool for other FinTech lenders in implementing innovative products and services and establishing relationships with banks.
Background
The financial services industry is changing. With innovative technology and business models, FinTech companies have brought an interesting and complex issue center stage. Namely, how will the CFPB seek to regulate these FinTech companies and their innovative operations within the context of rigid consumer financial protection laws. Although the answer is not yet clear, it appears that the CFPB is trying to better understand how FinTech companies operate.
In October 2016, the CFPB issued its final No-Action Letter Policy (the “NAL Policy”). The NAL Policy permits institutions to submit a request to the CFPB to issue a statement that the CFPB has no present intention to recommend initiation of an enforcement or supervisory action against the applicant with respect to a particular product or service’s compliance with specifically identified regulatory requirements. For example, an applicant may seek to obtain assurance from the CFPB that the applicant’s form disclosure otherwise complies with the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z.
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