On Oct. 2, 2024, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (Proposed Rule) designed to strengthen recordkeeping requirements for custodial deposit accounts with transactional features, like those often used in banking-as-a-service (BaaS) models and other bank-fintech partnerships. The Proposed Rule is intended to ensure the FDIC’s ability to promptly make
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UK FCA Proposes Changes to Safeguarding Regime for Payments and E-Money Firms
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed significant changes to the safeguarding requirements for UK registered payments and e-money firms (CP24/20). The FCA’s goal is to replace the current safeguarding regime with a new one influenced by existing client money rules that apply to authorised firms holding client money (CASS).
CTA Countdown: Upcoming FinCEN Filing Deadlines
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has been in effect since Jan. 1, 2024, requiring non-exempt U.S. entities and non-exempt foreign entities that are registered to do business in the United States (collectively, Reporting Companies) to submit beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports to a confidential database maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes…
CFTC Further Narrows Scope of Relief Under Regulation 4.7 ‘Registration Lite’
On Sept. 12, 2024, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) took another step toward limiting the availability and scope of relief provided by CFTC Regulation 4.7 (Reg. 4.7) under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (CEA). Although the changes adopted in the final rule (Final Rule) are less comprehensive than those the CFTC…
New Commercial Financing Laws Take Effect in Connecticut, Kansas
Connecticut and Kansas recently joined California, New York, Florida, Utah, Virginia, and Georgia in enacting laws requiring lenders to provide consumer-like financing disclosures for certain commercial financing transactions. Like other jurisdictions’ so-called “Business Truth in Lending” laws, Connecticut and Kansas’s newly enacted laws cover, at a minimum, accounts receivable financing,
FinCEN, Federal Banking Agencies Propose Rules to Amend Financial Institutions’ AML/CFT Program Requirements
On June 28, 2024, FinCEN issued a Proposed Rule to amend BSA regulations that prescribe the minimum requirements for AML/CFT programs for “financial institutions.” Financial institutions subject to AML/CFT program rules include banks, casinos and card clubs (casinos), money services businesses (MSBs), brokers or dealers in securities (broker-dealers), mutual funds, insurance companies, futures commission merchants…
‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Rule Adds to Retailer Compliance Obligations
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s interpretive rule for Buy Now, Pay Later products classifies them as “credit cards” and their providers as “card issuers” and “creditors” under the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z. The rule is now in effect.
Continue reading the full article, published by Bloomberg Law August 27, 2024.
No Need for Seeking Alpha to Seek Registration
On Aug. 15, 2024, a federal court dismissed a proposed class action against financial analysis website Seeking Alpha, Inc. (Seeking Alpha). The lawsuit was brought in July 2023 by subscribers who accused Seeking Alpha of operating as an unregistered investment adviser and unlawfully collecting subscription fees by providing investing advice and customized email…
2024 Update: Best-Practice Compliance Policies for Real Estate Fund Managers (Part One of Two)
Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and related rules, absent an exemption, most private fund managers are required to register with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or, in some cases, state securities authorities. Under the Advisers Act, a person acts as an investment adviser if the person is providing…
SEC Collects $390 Million in Latest Crackdown on ‘Off-Channel’ Communications in the Financial Industry
In the latest installment of its ongoing “off-channel” communications sweep, on Aug. 14, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced settlements totaling $393 million with 26 investment advisers and brokers-dealers for widespread use of texting, messaging applications, and other off-channel communications by senior executives and other employees.