Banking with Interest

Greg Baer, CEO of the Bank Policy Institute, discusses the ongoing battle between big banks and regulators over the Basel III capital plan. He highlights the concerns about the lack of data and analysis in the proposal. The chapter also mentions the potential outcomes of the plan and the likelihood of substantial changes by regulators. The discussion analyzes the missing points in the debate and the industry's reaction. It also speculates on the successor to Patrick McHenry as the top Republican on the House Financial Services Committee.

Derek Williams, chairman of ICBA and President and CEO of Century Bank & Trust in Milledgeville, Georgia, talks about the challenges and opportunities for community banks as they head into a new year, including how he sees economic issues and policy debates playing out.

As AI becomes more prevalent, what are the risks to banks and consumers, particularly as software can now allow fraudsters to imitate a person's voice? Emily Flitter, reporter for the New York Times, talks about the growing threat from AI on financial security, how it is already changing lending and what policymakers can do to address it.

Cornelius Hurley, professor at Boston University School of Law, breaks down the recent FHFA report calling for sweeping changes to the Home Loan Bank system. He discusses why it’s important to refocus the banks on mission and how the debates over the report’s finding will play out in future rulemakings and legislation.

Randal Quarles, the former Fed vice chair, details how the new Basel III capital proposal could hurt the economy, casts doubt on the legality of the Fed’s stress tests, and pushes back on criticism that his actions helped cause the failure of three regional banks earlier this spring.  He also talks about his biggest concerns in the financial system right now, where interest rates are likely to go from here and his fears about the current power dynamics at the Fed.

Zeke Faux, an investigative reporter for Bloomberg and the author of “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall,” goes behind the scenes on Sam Bankman Fried’s conviction last week, including his interviews with the former FTX leader and what it means for the industry at large.

Christina Skinner, assistant professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, talks about why a potential U.S. central bank digital currency “opens a Pandora’s Box” of questions about the role of the Fed and could pose a grave threat to banks.

Ebrima Sanneh, who covers the federal banking agencies for the American Banker, breaks down the final rule setting out new standards under the Community Reinvestment Act. He tackles how the rule changed from the proposal, the new standards for community banks, and how the industry is likely to react.

Now that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appears likely to survive a Supreme Court challenge, will the agency be emboldened to push its powers further? Or will it be reined in by other forces? Evan Weinberger, who covers the CFPB for Bloomberg Law, analyzes the latest intel.

Steve Scurlock, the head of government relations at the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, talks about the “whipsaw” effect on community banks of regulatory changes that rapidly shift with the change of administrations and regulators—and his biggest fears for the future.