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Validate consumer and business bank accounts, confirm ownership, detect fraud, and assess risk 

Trump targets non-citizen banking access

Trump signs orders tightening bank rules, boosting fintech access

Tighter bank vetting: New executive order directs banks to weigh immigration status in risk assessments and identify suspicious activity under updated Bank Secrecy Act guidance.

Fintech access review: Second order tasks regulators with evaluating barriers to fintech and crypto firms’ access to Fed payment systems and streamlining licensing.

Potential market effects: Changes could alter access for non-citizens, increase compliance costs for banks, and expand opportunities for fintech innovation.

The 'Restoring Integrity to America’s Financial System' order instructs banks to consider immigration status in evaluating financial risk, citing threats like money laundering and wage underreporting. It outlines “red flags” such as repetitive cash withdrawals, shell company use, and ITIN-based accounts, and directs regulators to issue guidance within 60 days. While stopping short of mandatory citizenship checks, the order could make financial access harder for undocumented immigrants and increase compliance burdens for banks.

Read more at MSN

Executive Order instructs regulators to identify fintech opportunities

An Executive Order issued this week directs heads of financial regulatory agencies to identify rules, regulations, and guidance that would benefit from streamlining or amendments to facilitate innovation and support competition. America’s Credit Unions is analyzing the full scope of the Executive Order.

While the organization generally supports streamlining regulatory processes, reducing barriers, and encouraging collaboration as mentioned in the order, other areas could raise new safety and soundness concerns. Specifically, language that could be used to allow nonbank access to certain federal licenses and services (including at the Federal Reserve).

Read more at Americas Credit Unions

Have a tax law question?

Our #IRS Interactive Tax Assistant has answers.

Watch this short video to learn more:

https://youtu.be/y6HkaBkdKdU

Jose L. Santiago

Public Affairs Specialist

Tax Outreach, Partnership and Education

Email: jose.l.santiago@irs.gov

The CFPB: Where to go from here

In 2010, as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Drawing upon a proposal that then-Professor Elizabeth Warren had put forward several years earlier as the mortgage crisis was beginning to unfold, Congress sought to centralize in a single agency responsibilities that up to that point had been fragmented among multiple federal agencies. As the Treasury Department explained in presenting the blueprint that became the Dodd-Frank Act (DFA), creating a federal consumer financial protection agency would “give consumer protection an independent seat at the table in our financial regulatory system.” Looking back at the lapses in the supervision of the subprime mortgage market leading up to the financial crisis, the Treasury blueprint asserted, “A single agency … could have acted much more quickly and potentially saved many more consumers, communities, and institutions from significant losses.”

Yet from the outset, the CFPB has been a source of controversy and subject to scathing criticism across the political spectrum.

Read more at The Brookings Institution

The Quiet Shift Reshaping Consumer Finance — And Why Most Businesses Haven’t Noticed Yet

For years, conversations around financial innovation have focused on speed. Faster payments. Faster approvals. Faster apps. Faster decisions. The race toward convenience became the defining narrative of modern banking and fintech.

But something more subtle is beginning to emerge beneath the surface of global consumer behavior.

People are no longer simply asking whether technology can make finance quicker. Increasingly, they are asking whether it can make finance feel safer, more human, more trustworthy, and more aligned with the realities of everyday life.

That distinction matters.

Across industries, consumers are showing signs of fatigue with constant digital acceleration.

Read more at Global Banking and Finance

Our Vision is to become the leading

PAYDAY + ALTERNATIVE LENDER in NORTH AMERICA

Slow population growth adds risk for most states: PEW

Most States’ Population Growth Slowed in 2025 as International Migration Declined

In 2025, population growth rates fell in 48 states as international migration declined nationwide. The number of states with populations that grew more slowly than their long-term trends tripled to 30 from 10 in 2024. With populations aging and birth rates near record lows, states are increasingly dependent on migration—domestic and international—for growth.

Although nearly every state’s population is still expanding, slower long-term growth poses fiscal risks to many states. Total population across the 50 states grew about half as fast from July 2024 to July 2025 as it did during the preceding 12 months, extending the volatility of recent years brought on by rapidly shifting migration trends.

Read more at The Pew Charitable Trusts

Understanding Latino Fintech Use and Financial Well-Being

The Latino wealth gap is one of the most urgent economic challenges of our time. For Latinos, who have long faced systemic exclusion from traditional financial institutions, financial technology (fintech) holds both promise and risk. Tools like buy now, pay later; earned wage access; cryptocurrency; and digital investment platforms are increasingly embedded in daily financial life, yet their impact on closing or widening the wealth gap remains an open question.

To advance this conversation, Urban Institute and LatinoProsperity researchers will present new consumer research on how Latinos are engaging with fintech products, why they are turning to these tools, and what their experiences reveal about unmet needs and emerging opportunities. A panel of practitioners and policy leaders will then dig into the data, challenge assumptions, and map a path forward, exploring how fintech can be harnessed as a genuine engine for wealth building rather than just another avenue for financial exclusion.

Read more at Urban Institute

E-Complish, LLC Launches: IntellAgent™, a 24/7

AI Companion for Customer Account Management & Payment Processing

How Dealers Are Fighting Emerging Auto Finance Scams — Moving the Metal: The Auto Finance Podcast: by Troutman Pepper Locke

In this episode of Moving the Metal: The Auto Finance Podcast, hosts Brooke Conkle and Chris Capurso examine the evolving fraud threats facing auto dealers and finance companies, from income and identity fraud to vehicle-related scams like forged VINs and deceptive trade-ins. They explore how these schemes translate into chargebacks, consumer lawsuits, and regulatory scrutiny; the tension between robust fraud controls and sales friction; and why clear policies, consistent verification, strong dealer-lender agreements, and meticulous documentation are critical both to preventing fraud and defending disputes when something slips through.

Read more at JD Supra, LLC

Majority of Americans postpone big purchases amid inflation fears

The latest JD Power survey reveals that 62% of Americans delayed major purchases in the past month as inflation and rising costs for essentials continue to squeeze household budgets. Gasoline and grocery prices remain the top affordability concerns, with 72% paying more for fuel and 78% seeing higher grocery bills compared to the previous month. The share of consumers who describe themselves as "extremely worried" about rising prices has increased to 41%, up from 37% two months ago.

Why consumer retrenchment could hit the economy

Economists caution that the current pullback in spending could have broader economic consequences. Prolonged financial strain may lead households to reduce savings, increase reliance on debt, and delay significant life milestones like homeownership and retirement. Rising inflation, combined with geopolitical tensions affecting energy and food costs, could deepen the slowdown in consumer activity and weaken overall economic resilience.

Read more at MSN

Loved by collection agencies, debt buyers, and lenders handling diverse portfolios. cf

One map shows the highest-paying job in every state

Business Insider looked at what jobs pay the best in every state and Washington, DC.

We looked at titles with at least 1,000 employees and specific average annual wages.

Healthcare gigs dominated; they were the best-paying jobs in half of the US states.

Family medicine physician was the best-paying job in seven states last year.

Business Insider previously ranked the highest-paying jobs in the US using May 2025 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now, we wanted to see what pays the best on average by state and in Washington, DC.

Read more at BUSINESS INSIDER

Alarm bells raised over fintech firm’s bank purchase

While many Americans have an account at a traditional bank, there are some who, for various reasons, can’t get an account.

Roughly 18% of Americans are unbanked, meaning they don’t have a bank account or don’t fully participate in the banking system, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

This might be because they’ve been flagged in a bank’s system, are not in an area served by traditional banks, or have opted out of the banking system for personal reasons.

Fintech firms and online banks have tried to fill this role by making it easier for Americans who can’t get an account or who struggle to get approved for a loan by a traditional bank.

Read more at AOL

Are you looking to grow your portfolio?

Cambridge Wilkinson Investment Bank Closes $240MM Forward Flow

Loan Agreement for Consumer Installment Lender

NEW YORK, September 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --Cambridge Wilkinson (“CW”) is pleased to announce the closing of a forward flow agreement for consumer home improvement loans. The seller of the loans is an originator of consumer installment loans that finance home improvements, including windows and doors, pools and spas, and HVAC projects. The buyer of the assets is a multi-national bank with the expectation to purchase up to $240 million in loans per year from the seller.

The non-bank lending sector is strategically evolving its capital and liquidity management by increasingly using forward flow arrangements with traditional banks and other private credit providers. This sophisticated model, where banks commit to purchasing loans on a pre-agreed, ongoing basis, is becoming more common in today’s specialty finance environment. It enables non-bank lenders to programmatically originate loans without the constraint of long-term balance sheet retention, thereby often optimizing capital efficiency and accelerating growth.

“This trend to forward flow agreements underscores a mature, symbiotic partnership with the banking sector as well as other private credit providers, moving beyond simple warehousing to a more predictable and scalable pipeline that often can de-risk operations and enhance market stability. Our institutional partners see strong value in specialty finance platforms that can originate, underwrite, and scale efficiently. The demand for private credit continues to rise, and we are committed to structuring tailored solutions that support our clients' long-term growth,” said Rob Bolandian, Co-Founder and Global Head of Investment Banking at Cambridge Wilkinson.

www.cambridgewilkinson.com

FinTech Research Reshapes SME Finance

Financial technology, or FinTech, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing areas of research in small-business finance, reflecting the rapid transformation of how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access capital, manage payments and participate in the digital economy. A new study published in the journal Administrative Sciences found that global research on FinTech and SMEs recorded an annual growth rate of 33.68 percent between 2007 and 2023, highlighting the expanding importance of digital finance in economic development and entrepreneurship.

The study, titled Mapping Global Research Trends in FinTech Innovations and SME Dynamics: A Scientometric Analysis, reviewed 365 Scopus-indexed articles to examine how research themes, collaborations and technological priorities have evolved across the FinTech ecosystem.

Researchers found that digital finance has shifted from being a niche technological subject into a major field of business and development research.

Read more at IBS Intelligence

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LEND360 is an annual summit for the leaders in online lending

that explores fintech industry trends and new technologies

impacting consumer lenders, small business lenders, service

partners, investors, bank representatives, and more.

ChatGPT Can Now Connect to Your Financial Accounts—Experts Warn Against Sharing Too Much

Key Takeaways

• Some ChatGPT users can now opt to connect financial accounts through Plaid to receive budgeting and spending insights.
• Privacy experts say consumers should avoid sharing highly sensitive information like passwords, SSNs, or tax documents with AI chatbots.
• While linking ChatGPT to Plaid may not differ much from budgeting apps, experts warn that conversational AI can encourage oversharing.

Would you let ChatGPT look through your bank and credit card transactions?

That question is becoming more relevant after OpenAI last week introduced new personal finance tools that allow some users to connect financial accounts directly to the chatbot for budgeting, spending analysis, and financial planning help.

Read more at INVESTOPEDIA

White House, Fed moves could reshape fintech and stablecoin rules

New executive order: The White House ordered regulators to modernize rules, integrate digital assets, and ease fintech access to payment infrastructure.

Fed payment proposal: The Federal Reserve seeks public comment on a limited 'payment account' for clearing and settlement without full master account access.

Stablecoin compliance push: FDIC proposed Bank Secrecy Act compliance rules for permitted payment stablecoin issuers like Circle, Coinbase, and PayPal.

FDIC targets stablecoin issuers with new compliance proposal

The FDIC has proposed a rule that would require permitted payment stablecoin issuers (PPSIs) under its supervision to comply with Bank Secrecy Act obligations, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards, and economic sanctions rules. This would affect major issuers such as Circle, Coinbase, and PayPal.

Read more at MSN

Payliance enables organizations to streamline

payment acceptance, minimize processing costs,

and reduce the risk of fraud.

Trump tells Fed to consider fintech access to payment accounts

May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday calling on regulators and the Federal Reserve to review rules that may be stifling financial innovation, including whether the central bank could expand fintech access to its payment rails, the systems that move money between banks.

The order asks the Fed to join other regulators in reviewing policies that could be updated to support fintech growth. It also calls on the Fed to examine its approach to granting access to payment accounts and services, and to consider options for expanding such access to fintechs and other non-bank firms.

Access to so-called "master accounts" by non-traditional financial firms has drawn increasing attention at the Fed, as several fintechs have applied or plan to seek access. Fed master accounts are often likened to bank accounts for banks, allowing holders to move funds directly through the Fed's payment system.

Read more at REUTERS

The fintech revolution in insurance

A catalyst for change

Advancing technology has collided with longstanding customer issues to create a series of deep, lasting, systemic challenges for insurance. How will these trends impact insurers’ businesses and the industry overall?

The rise of fintech, changing consumer behaviour and advanced technologies are disrupting the insurance industry. Additionally, Insurtechs and technology startups continue to redefine customer experience through innovations such as risk-free underwriting, on-the-spot purchasing, activation and claims processing.

Read more at Deloitte Global

Top Fintech Innovators of 2026 Recognized by FICO

The FICO® Decision Hero Awards return for a second year to honor industry's top talent

Why These Top Fintech Innovators Stand Out

Top fintech innovators are transforming financial services through AI, analytics and digital decisioning.

Today at FICO® World, global analytics software leader FICO announced the winners of its second FICO® Decision Hero Awards, recognizing leaders who are pushing the boundaries of what advanced analytics can achieve in banking and financial services. This year’s honorees include executives from TD Bank in North America, Lloyds Banking Group in the UK, and Siam Commercial Bank in Thailand.

Read more at FICO

Studies reveal why Gen Z faces deep financial literacy gaps

Lowest literacy levels: Experts link Gen Z’s poor financial skills to limited formal education, digital‑only money use, and economic uncertainty.

Risky coping methods: Some turn to betting and prediction markets for quick income, but most users lose money on these platforms.

Family reliance shifts: While many still get parental help, fewer report relying on family compared to past years, despite high living costs.

Read more at MSN

Fintechs Are Winning Deposits With Features, Not Rates. Meanwhile One in Five Banks Still Can't Show Real-Time Balances

Reality check: In JD Power's first quarter 2026 Financial Services Churn Data and Analytics report, Chime achieved the highest share of new checking accounts at 12.4%, outdistancing Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and SoFi.

More important: fintechs dominated conversion rates: Chime and Current tied at 76% for checking (compared to Chase at 45% and BofA at 42%), while Chime hit 82% for savings (compared to Chase at 61% and BofA at 55%).

Why it matters: Part of the fintech appeal is addressing consumer pain points, especially the desire to isolate savings towards specific goals. Traditionally, this caused consumers to open separate accounts dedicated to goals, often at an institution besides their primary provider to mentally seal off the money. account. Chime has Savings Goals with progress bars and celebratory messages. SoFi offers Savings Vaults with rounding up debit transactions. Current offers Savings Pods (up to three at a time) with annual bonus rates.

Read more at The Financial Brand

Trump Fintech Order Will Promote Predatory Lending, Endanger Consumer Funds

Order Could Enable Payday Lenders to Ignore State Consumer Protection Laws and Skip Guardrails to Get Bank Charters

WASHINGTON – President Trump’s Executive Order on financial technology, issued last night, instructs federal financial regulators to remove barriers for predatory rent-a-bank schemes and other risky arrangements between fintechs and banks, and to make it easier for nonbank companies to become banks. The order comes as the Administration considers the national bank charter applications of two predatory lenders, Enova and OppFi, that charge 100% to 300% APR.

“This order is an assault on consumers and on federal and state laws that protect people from high-cost loans and other risky products,” said Lauren Saunders, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). “Today, every predatory lender calls itself a ‘fintech.’ This order promotes rent-a-bank schemes and allows predatory lenders to become national banks that offer 100%+ APR loans nationwide, despite laws prohibiting them in 45 states.”

Read more at National Consumer Law Center, Inc.

Are you looking to grow your portfolio?

Why the next wave of global fintech innovation may come from the Middle East

Have you ever stopped to think about where the next big shift in financial technology might actually come from?

Most people point to Silicon Valley or London. Some say Singapore. But there's a strong case building that the Middle East, a region often associated with oil and tradition, is quietly positioning itself as one of the most exciting fintech frontiers on the planet.

And the numbers back it up.

A Region Primed for Financial Evolution

Read more at The Jerusalem Post

What's Driving Consumers to Auto Refis?

Affordability Is Driving Consumers to Auto Loan Refis — and Opening a Growth Route for Lenders

The price of new cars has grown prohibitive for many consumers. As levels have risen, the financed portion of those purchases has reached record levels. For example, in the first quarter, the average amount of new car financing rose by 6.6% to $45,028, a significant jump in the growth rate of prices over even the increase from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025, which was only an average of 2.5%, according to analysis by S&P Global Mobility and TransUnion.

The trend is only marginally better for used vehicle financing, which rose 5% to an average amount financed of $27,232 in the first quarter versus the first quarter of 2025.

Read more at The Financial Brand