#CFTC – Page 5 – Federal Financial Analytics

14 06, 2022

FedFin On: U.S. Digital-Asset Framework

Arezou Rafikian2023-01-27T15:30:30-05:00June 14th, 2022|The Vault|

After protracted negotiations and much public attention, bipartisan senators have introduced a far-reaching bill designed to encourage digital-asset use without undue risk to consumers, investors, or the financial system. The bill decides most, if not all, of the outstanding regulatory barriers to digital-asset use in favor of digital assets and their providers. Provisions in many cases go farther than public discussion has so far noted – for example, the measure not only expands the ability of digital-asset providers to reach retail and wholesale customers, but also gives them access to FDIC resolution without the cost of paying insurance premiums or coming under many of the rules that govern insured depositories…

The full report is available to retainer clients. To find out how you can sign up for the service, click here and here.…

8 06, 2022

DAILY060822

Eliza Allen2023-02-10T15:47:09-05:00June 8th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

CFTC Contemplates Broad Climate-Risk Action Plan

Acting on the President’s executive order (see FSM Report GREEN8) , the CFTC is seeking comments on how climate risk affects the derivatives market, underlying commodities markets, the entities it regulates, and financial institutions that might be directly affected by climate risk in this sector. Supporting FSOC’s work, the Commission also seeks comments on systemic risk implications as well as near-term initiatives.

CFPB Plans Fit-for-Purpose Data-Privacy Regime

When we yesterday predicted that Sen. Brown’s comments about data privacy would spark CFPB action, we didn’t expect that it would come today. However, Director Chopra used his opening comments and those throughout an advisory-committee meeting to argue, as had the Senate Banking chairman, that personal data are now being used for purposes adverse to fair markets and consumer protection.

Board Soon to Get Barr

The Senate Banking Committee today voted 17-7 to advance Michael Barr’s nomination for Vice Chairman for Supervision at the Federal Reserve to a full Senate vote. Given Sen. Toomey (R-PA)’s support for Mr. Barr, rapid confirmation is almost certain. Those voting against Mr. Barr were Sens. Shelby (R-AL), Crapo (R-ID), Tillis (R-NC), Kennedy (R-LA), Hagerty (R-TN), Cramer (R-ND), and Daines (R-MT).

Daily060822.pdf…

7 06, 2022

DAILY060722

Eliza Allen2023-02-10T15:50:52-05:00June 7th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

New Crypto Bill Empowers Digital Assets, Faces High Hurdles

After months of negotiation and public discussions, Sens. Lummis (R-WY) and Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced a comprehensive crypto-reform measure designed to promote the proverbial “responsible-innovation” on which all sides agree despite wide differences in how each defines this goal.

CBDC Adoption Has Compelling Rationale Even Though CBDC Not Essential

A new article from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond weighs the pros and cons of US CBDC adoption, concluding that – although CBDC would be unlikely to bring short-term benefits to the money and payments system – several compelling reasons nonetheless exist for implementation and, at the least, serious design and functionality research and policy preparedness.

Brown Wants FSOC to Quell Consumer-Data Sales

Senate Banking Chairman Brown (D-OH) today renewed his campaign against consumer-data sales, directing his requests to FSOC but doubtless also firing up CFPB action in a newly-high profile arena.

HFSC Dems Demand More on Historic Patterns of Slavery Finance, Insurance

HFSC Chairwoman Waters (D-CA) and all of the panel’s subcommittee chairs today sent a letter to the ten largest U.S. banks and five largest life insurers demanding more data on the financing of slavery.

Daily060722.pdf…

8 04, 2022

Daily040822

Arezou Rafikian2023-03-02T12:20:39-05:00April 8th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

CFPB Tackles Core-Service Providers
Late yesterday, CFPB director Chopra told community banks and credit unions that he wants to be sure that entities that he described as focused on relationship banking are included in CFPB decision-making, in contrast to the large banks that had previously influenced its actions.

Hsu Supports Special-Purpose Stablecoin Charter
Picking up on both Secretary Yellen’s comments yesterday and the PWG’s stablecoin report (see Client Report CRYPTO21), Acting Comptroller Hsu today went farther to conclude that cryptocurrency in general poses systemic risk that warrants immediate attention to stablecoin regulation.

FSOC Worries About Commodity-Market Risk
The FSOC readout from its closed meeting today was as inscrutable as usual. However, we infer that the Council convened principally to assess commodity-market volatility in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.

Daily040822.pdf…

25 03, 2022

Daily032522

Arezou Rafikian2023-03-27T16:04:54-04:00March 25th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

Fed Puts Off Finalizing New DIHC Framework
The FRB today extended the comment deadline on a longstanding proposal crafting a new regulatory framework for depository institution holding companies principally engaged in insurance services.

CFPB Wants to Hear More re Pricing Practices
Saying it has been swamped with consumer tales about “junk fees,” the CFPB today extended the comment deadline until April 11 on its request for views on this hot topic.

Bipartisan Crypto Construct Harder to Build than Describe
On a Politico webcast last night, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) announced a bipartisan alliance to craft cryptoasset standards they expect to see on the Senate floor by year-end.

Waller Still Wants Little to Do with a CBDC
At a feisty panel today, FRB Gov. Chris Waller stood by his view that a CBDC is “a solution in search of a problem.”

Senate Democrats Demand Overdraft-Fee Fix
Sen. Rev. Warnock (D-GA) and Chairman Brown (D-OH) joined other Democrats demanding lower or eliminated overdraft fees.

FDIC Starts Process of Revising Bank-Merger Policy

The FDIC today has officially released the bank-merger RFI that now-Acting Chairman Gruenberg and CFPB Director Chopra sought to release under Chair Jelena McWilliams.

Daily032522.pdf…

17 03, 2022

SANCTION17

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-03T14:38:13-04:00March 17th, 2022|5- Client Report|

Targeted Digital-Asset Standards Possible in Senate

The Senate Banking Committee’s hearing today on illicit finance focused as expected on cryptocurrency and suggests that targeted legislation addressing specific jurisdiction or compliance issues might advance on a bipartisan basis. Sen. Warren (D-MA) is, though, seeking a much broader bill. Joined by other panel Democrats but not Chairman Brown (D-OH), the bill would expand the reach of current sanctions to certain foreign firms, increase the President’s sanction power in this sector, and — most controversially — demand public reports on troublesome firms and individuals. Ranking Member Toomey (R-PA) made it clear that he is not prepared to go this far, reiterating longstanding views that digital assets enhance innovation and should be more widely used in the U.S. to ensure global leadership in a fast-growing sector.

SANCTION17.pdf…

15 03, 2022

GSE-031522

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-03T15:01:36-04:00March 15th, 2022|4- GSE Activity Report|

A Sort-Of CBDC and the Future of Federal Housing Finance

Although we have done extensive analysis of a U.S. central-bank digital currency (CBDC) in our sister analytical service, we have not viewed as it as an imminent strategic consideration for housing-finance agencies and financial institutions. However, a widely noted new paper on an alternative – Treasury accounts highlights a CBDC-like construct that could be implemented far more quickly than a Fed-based CBDC with significant residential-finance impact. As a result, we here assess this concept and its consequences.

GSE-031522.pdf…

9 02, 2022

Daily020922

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-05T11:42:19-04:00February 9th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

Global Regulators Demand Fast Capital Rewrite
Reinforcing his chairman’s comments yesterday, the Basel Committee and its supervising panel of central bankers today stressed the need for national action on the Basel III/IV package. The global bodies also reiterated the need for “full, timely, and consistent” action, with these calls sure to speed U.S. inter-agency deliberations as soon as the Federal Reserve’s board fills out with a new supervisory vice chair.

Senate Ag Ready to Engage on SEC/CFTC Crypto Jurisdiction
The Senate Agriculture Committee today held a hearing examining the CFTC’s authority to govern cash digital assets, with Members on both sides agreeing that it is vital to clarify the distinctions between securities and commodities law to ensure that the CFTC can intervene where appropriate to ensure stability and consumer protection. Chairwoman Stabenow (D-MI) acknowledged bitcoin’s financial-inclusion potential, but also noted an array of risks such as those to the climate, volatility, fraud, and insider trading.

IMF Discounts CBDC Inevitability
The IMF today released a comprehensive report on CBDC, the results of which led Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva to conclude that a central-bank digital currency is not an inevitable outcome of digital transformation.

Daily020922.pdf…

8 02, 2022

Daily020822

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-05T11:47:05-04:00February 8th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

Fed Study Attempts to Address Scope of U.S. Macroprudential Risk
Building on prior FRB research on the increasingly porous regulatory perimeter, a new FRB staff study crafts quantitative measures of the U.S. financial system to assess growing macroprudential risk. In contrast to the relatively-sanguine view of asset prices in the Fed’s most recent stability report (see Client Report SYSTEMIC92), the study finds that cyclical credit flows into unregulated institutions are a leading indicator of systemic risk.

FRB-NY: Stablecoins Won’t Last
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York yesterday posted a paper concluding that stablecoins are not likely to prove a lasting part of the U.S. financial system. We will shortly provide clients with an in-depth analysis of today’s HFSC hearing; the staff memo preceding it clearly takes a different stand, as did the PWG’s report (see Client Report CRYPTO21).

Democrats Detail Beneficial-Ownership Regulatory Standards
Sen. Brown (D-OH) and Reps. Waters (D-CA) and Maloney (D-NY) late yesterday released their comment letter to Secretary Yellen on FinCEN’s initial beneficial-ownership standards. The letter generally praises the proposal, including its broad beneficial-owner definition and those for “substantial control,” “ownership interest,” and “reporting company.”

Basel Chief Pleads for Tough III/IV Standards
The Basel Committee’s new chair, Pablo Hernández de Cos, today told the European Parliament that jurisdictions must quickly finalize the Basel III/IV package of capital reforms. As noted yesterday, Acting FDIC Chairman Gruenberg included these in his near-term priorities, departing from prior FDIC and Fed statements by …

12 01, 2022

Daily011222

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-24T15:42:45-04:00January 12th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

Ag Committees Enter Crypto Fray

Flexing their jurisdictional muscle, the bipartisan leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees today sent a letter to the CFTC urging it to govern cryptoassets which, they say, are commodities.

CFPB UPs the Ante for Its Anti-BNPL Inquiry

The CFPB today broadened its market-monitoring demand of buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) providers into a general request for public comment. Focusing in particular on consumers and international agencies, the Bureau seeks views on matters such as risks and benefits, merchant experience, and ways to improve the sector.

Daily011222.pdf…