SME Loan Demand Deteriorates in Q1
Thai SME confidence plunged in Q1, with the SME Development Bank’s index dropping 19 points to 50.2, the lowest since 2022. Micro and small firms saw the steepest falls, slipping to 44.4 and 49.7 respectively, while medium‑size firms held at 60.3. Loan demand fell to 66.2% of entrepreneurs, with 62.2% of requests aimed at working‑capital needs rather than expansion. The bank responded with low‑interest, fixed‑rate financing – up to $560 million in total credit – to cushion energy‑cost pressures.
EBA Consults On Draft Guidelines And RTS On Initial Margin Model Authorization
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has opened consultations on draft guidelines and regulatory technical standards (RTS) for authorising internal initial‑margin models under EMIR 3. The proposals target counterparties whose monthly average non‑centrally cleared OTC derivatives exceed €750 billion (about $818 billion USD), requiring...
Supreme Court Won't Hear Mortgage Firm's Appeal in CFPB Case
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Nationwide Biweekly Administration’s appeal, leaving a $7.93 million civil penalty and permanent injunction imposed by the Ninth Circuit. The CFPB had accused the former biweekly mortgage‑payment firm of deceptive marketing, claiming it collected about...
Ally to Pay $500,000 After SEC Finds Robo-Advisor Infractions
Ally Financial will pay a $500,000 civil penalty after the SEC found its robo‑advisor cash‑enhanced accounts concealed a conflict of interest. The accounts allocated 30% of client assets to cash, generating interest rebates that offset the loss of advisory fees,...
Economic and Geopolitical Upheaval Adding Risk to Financial System, Canada's Top Bank Regulator Says
Canada’s top banking regulator warned that escalating economic and geopolitical turmoil is adding systemic risk, but affirmed the country’s banks remain resilient compared with global peers. He highlighted that roughly 2.1 million mortgages will need renewal over the next two years,...
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Reperforming Loans Explained: What Investors Need to Know
A reperforming loan (RPL) is a mortgage that fell 90+ days behind but has since resumed payments, often after bankruptcy or loan‑modification agreements. These loans are bundled by entities like Fannie Mae into mortgage‑backed securities and sold to investors through...
SEC, Gov’t Agencies Boost Crackdown on Abusive Lending Practices
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Privacy Commission, issued a joint advisory tightening compliance for online lending platforms. The directive reinforces the Data Privacy Act and consumer‑protection rules,...
Digital Payments via InstaPay, PESONet Surged 43% in January ’26
Philippines’ central bank reported a 43% year‑on‑year jump in digital payments through InstaPay and PESONet, reaching a combined value of roughly $47 billion in January 2026. Transaction volume surged to 688 million, more than triple the previous year’s level. InstaPay alone grew...
Senator Calls for FTC Investigation Into FICO Score Pricing
Senator Josh Hawley has asked the FTC to open an investigation into Fair Isaac Corp.'s (FICO) mortgage‑score pricing after documenting a 16‑fold jump from $0.60 to $10 per pull over five years. He argues the surge adds roughly $500 million in...
Takeover Chatter Swirls Around Jefferies with Japan’s SMFG a Rumored Suitor
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) is reportedly assessing a bid for U.S. investment bank Jefferies, prompting a modest rally in the lender’s stock. Jefferies shares have slumped 34% this year after exposure to bankrupt auto‑parts maker First Brands, though...
Capital One Venture Vs. Capital One VentureOne: Which Card Delivers More Value?
Capital One’s Venture and VentureOne cards target everyday spenders and travelers, differing mainly in annual fee and rewards structure. Venture offers a $95 fee, a 75,000‑mile sign‑up bonus, a $250 travel credit, and 2 Miles per dollar on general purchases, while...
Wallets and Interoperability Drive Next Phase of P2P Competition
Digital wallets have become mainstream in the United States, especially for cross‑border and consumer‑to‑consumer transfers, but fragmentation still hampers seamless use. Nearly 28% of consumers cite incompatibility between sender and recipient platforms as a barrier, while one‑third of SMBs point...
J.P. Morgan Bitcoin Mining Deal Boosts WGMI Top Holding
Core Scientific secured $500 million in financing from JPMorgan, bringing its total Wall Street commitments to $1 billion after a prior $500 million from Morgan Stanley. The funding will accelerate equipment purchases, property acquisitions, and energy contracts as the miner pivots its 11...
Covid Relief Loans Are Haunting Small Businesses
The federal Covid‑relief program offered 30‑year, low‑interest loans that many small businesses, like Georgia blueberry farmer Chris Towns, accepted to stay afloat. Towns borrowed $125,000 initially and later $495,000, but soaring labor, fertilizer costs and severe weather have left him...
European B2B Buyers Want AI, but only if It Removes Friction
European B2B buyers are increasingly adopting AI, with nearly 80% using it regularly in procurement and payments, according to TreviPay’s survey of 550 buyers across the UK and key European markets. The technology is most prized for enhancing decision‑making, fraud...
European Retailers Fight EU Plan to Mandate Cash Acceptance
A coalition of European retailers and wholesalers, led by EuroCommerce, is opposing an EU proposal that would obligate all businesses to accept cash. The group is urging policymakers to embed broad exemptions for unmanned sites, safety‑critical environments, and high‑cost scenarios,...
Wall Street’s Crypto Push Has Been Years in the Making, Says Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley’s head of digital asset strategy, Amy Oldenburg, emphasized that Wall Street’s move into crypto is the result of years of infrastructure development, not a sudden hype‑driven rush. The bank has expanded beyond indirect exposure, adding spot Bitcoin ETFs...
UK Confirms Ongoing Close Cooperation with EU on Regulation – ALFI Conference
Lucy Rigby, the UK economic secretary, announced at the ALFI conference that Britain will deepen regulatory cooperation with the EU while tailoring rules to support private‑market growth and digital innovation. The agenda includes modest tweaks to the UK’s AIFMD‑style regime,...
Subprime Lender Goeasy Secures Debt Relief After Share Slide
Goeasy Ltd. secured debt‑relief concessions after a Q4 charge‑off surge of C$331 million ($241 million) forced its auto‑lending unit LendCare out of compliance, sending shares down over 60 % and its 6.875 % note to 79.25 cents. Lenders waived covenants, raised spreads by 100 basis...
How Adding Send for Instant Payments Spawned Good Surprises for BofA
Bank of America launched real‑time payment sending in March 2024, following its receipt‑only capability introduced in November 2018. The bank’s smart, future‑proof design allowed it to add the send function without cannibalizing its $1.9 trillion‑daily wire transfer volume. Industry forecasts suggest...
Big Banks Are Leading the On-Chain and Stablecoin Race
American Banker’s 2026 Value of On‑Chain survey of 199 banking professionals shows large banks are furthest along in adopting on‑chain technology. About 30% have implemented or piloted on‑chain solutions, with cross‑border payments emerging as the leading use case for both...
Feedzai Unveils RiskFM, Aimed at a Frustrating Plague of Financial Fraud
Feedzai has launched RiskFM, a fraud‑prevention platform that moves beyond sole reliance on card‑network data by incorporating customer onboarding, payments and broader digital activity. The solution processes roughly $9 trillion in global payments across 120 billion events each year. Early testing is...
Starling Bank Appoints New Chief Risk Officer
Starling Bank announced the appointment of Keith Algie as its new group chief risk officer, pending regulatory sign‑off. Algie succeeds Cyrille Salle De Chou, who is leaving after a two‑year tenure focused on scaling the bank’s risk framework. Algie joins from ANZ,...
FCA Announces Timing of Motor Finance Redress Decision
The Financial Conduct Authority announced it will unveil its approach to motor finance redress on Monday, 30 March 2026, shortly after markets close. The decision follows the FCA’s October 2025 consultation on establishing a compensation scheme for consumers affected by mis‑selling in auto‑loan...
Podcast | Global Regulation Tomorrow Plus: Future of Payments Series – Episode 1 PSD3 and PSR
On March 24, 2026, a new podcast episode launched as part of the Global Regulation Tomorrow Plus Future of Payments series, focusing on the EU’s upcoming Payment Services Directive 3 (PSD3) and the Payment Services Regulation (PSR). The hosts, joined by...
US Institutional Decay Is Threatening Global Finance
The United States has long been the cornerstone of global finance, thanks to the perceived independence of the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission. Recent trends suggest that this institutional independence is eroding, with...
International Business Briefs | JPMorgan Announces €2.8m in Support for France’s Small Businesses
JPMorgan Chase announced a €2.8 million (~$3.1 million) programme to fund French small‑business entrepreneurs, emphasizing inclusive growth. Toyota Industries agreed to a $30 billion buyout, the largest Japanese M&A deal since 1985, after shareholders tendered 63.6% of shares. Heineken will shift Singapore’s Tiger‑beer...
Spade Raises $40M Series B for Finance AI Platform
Spade announced a $40 million Series B round led by Oak HC/FT, backed by Andreessen Horowitz and other fintech investors. The New York‑based fintech reported 470% year‑over‑year growth and a peak daily transaction volume of 1.9 billion, underscoring rapid adoption. The capital will...
Electronic Transactions Association Acquires Peer
The Electronic Transactions Association announced it is acquiring the American Transaction Processors Coalition to bolster its advocacy, education, and member‑engagement capabilities. ATPC’s executive director, Jay Morgan, will join ETA as an advisor, reinforcing the trade group’s policy work. The combined...
Bank of Montreal Launches Tokenized Cash Platform with CME and Google
Bank of Montreal (BMO) announced a tokenized cash platform built with CME Group and Google Cloud, aiming to deliver near‑instant settlement for capital‑market participants. The service will allow continuous fund movement, eliminating traditional banking‑hour constraints and reducing capital tied up...
The EBA Publishes Its Second MREL Impact Assessment Report
The European Banking Authority released its second impact assessment of the Minimum Requirement for Own Funds and Eligible Liabilities (MREL). The report finds that by the end of 2024 EU resolution entities hold MREL‑eligible instruments equal to 34.7% of total...
How AI Agents Are Cutting Costs in AML Operations
AI agents are transforming AML operations by automating the labor‑intensive alert review and decisioning stages, where most costs reside. WorkFusion’s Evan can analyze adverse media results in two to three minutes, cutting review time by 80‑90% compared with human analysts....
Modernizing Payments: Tackling the Toughest Tech Challenges
Banks are racing to modernize payments as real‑time transactions surge and AI reshapes the industry. A recent ACI survey of 200 banks placed payments modernization as their top priority, emphasizing faster product launches and innovative customer solutions. Executives highlighted the...
It's Past Time for Paper Checks to Follow the Penny Into Extinction
Paper checks remain a costly, fraud‑prone legacy in the United States. In 2024 the Federal Reserve processed $175 billion in checks, incurring nearly $700 million in support costs, while checks accounted for 65% of payment‑fraud losses. Check volume has dropped 83% over...
Borrower Sues UWM over Hard Credit Pull She Never Authorized
On March 20, 2026, Oakland homeowner Tiana Perez filed a federal lawsuit against United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) alleging the lender performed an unauthorized hard credit inquiry. Text messages reveal loan officer Cyrus Mulitalo admitted the pull was accidental and based on no...
Optasia Wants to Do for Banks What It Did for Telcos
Optasia, the South African fintech that pioneered AI‑driven credit vetting via mobile wallets, is expanding into formal banking. The company’s micro‑financing line now generates 63% of revenue and posted a blended default rate of 1.2% for 2025. FirstRand Group invested...
Low-Deposit Mortgage Deals Hit as Rates Continue to Soar
Mortgage rates in the UK are climbing sharply, with two‑year fixed mortgages now averaging 5.51% and five‑year fixes 5.52%, the highest levels since early 2023. Low‑deposit products favored by first‑time buyers have been rapidly withdrawn – more than 200 deals...
Financial Crime Risk Assessments: The New Regulatory Standard
Regulators worldwide are elevating enterprise‑wide financial crime risk assessments from a compliance formality to the core blueprint of AML/CTF programmes. The new standard demands assessments that are accurate, complete, evidence‑based and fully integrated with governance, controls and risk appetite. Generic...
How Financial Crime Enables Child Exploitation Networks
Financial crime fuels a massive global child sexual exploitation market, with an estimated half‑million Filipino children forced to produce content and 105 million abuse files identified worldwide in a single year. Demand originates mainly from high‑income Western economies, where offenders may...
ECB Prepares for Digital Transformation, Anticipating Impact of AI, Tokenized Finance, Payment System Advancements
The European Central Bank is intensifying its focus on AI, tokenised finance, and cross‑border payment integration to boost euro‑area productivity and market efficiency. ECB officials estimate AI could raise total‑factor productivity by 0.2‑0.4 percentage points per year, with employee adoption...
Despite Growing Financial Pressures, Canadians Are Still Reliably Paying Their Mortgages
A True North Mortgage survey shows 83% of Canadian homeowners have never missed a mortgage payment, yet more than one‑third report financial strain. Mortgage debt rose to roughly $1.44 trillion USD, a 2.6% year‑over‑year increase, while the national arrears rate stays...
Banks Urged to 'Shift Left' To Fight Elder Fraud
Elder financial exploitation cost U.S. seniors $4.9 billion in 2024, prompting banks and credit unions to adopt a “shift left” strategy that intervenes earlier in the fraud kill chain. Speakers at RSAC 2026 urged financial institutions to break down cyber‑fraud silos,...
UK Finance Outlines Strategy to Secure London’s Status as Global Financial Hub
UK Finance has issued a forward‑looking roadmap urging the financial sector to move beyond narrow regulatory compliance toward a holistic strategy that safeguards London’s global hub status. It stresses that competitiveness now hinges on the UK’s unified common‑law framework, talent...
HSBC Names David Rice Its First Chief AI Officer
HSBC announced that David Rice will become its first Chief AI Officer on 1 April, reporting to Group CEO Georges Elhedery. The new role will steer enterprise‑wide AI adoption, including generative AI tools for staff and customer‑facing teams. Simultaneously, CTO Mario...
HDFC Bank a “Screaming Buy” Amid Uncertainty: Sameer Dalal
Market strategist Sameer Dalal labeled HDFC Bank a "screaming buy" despite heightened uncertainty in Indian equities. He highlighted the bank's 1.6× price‑to‑book valuation and current 10‑12% earnings growth, arguing the stock offers a meaningful margin of safety. Dalal downplayed governance...
Government Unveils Toughest Crackdown on Late Payments in over 25 Years
UK government announced the toughest late‑payment crackdown in over 25 years, empowering the Small Business Commissioner with new investigative, adjudication and fine‑imposing powers. The reforms introduce a statutory 60‑day payment cap for large firms dealing with SMEs, mandatory interest at...
Revolut Eyes Trading and Wealth Push Amid Hiring Spree
Revolut has announced a major push into wealth and trading after securing a full UK banking licence, launching a dedicated division and a global hiring spree. The fintech is recruiting product owners and risk managers to build margin‑trading capabilities, a...
Activist Investor Wants Board Shakeup at Maryland-Based Eagle
Activist investor Diligence Capital Management, owning 27,500 Eagle Bancorp shares, is urging the Maryland‑based lender to add three directors with bank‑turnaround experience and replace chairman James Soltesz. Eagle, a $10.5 billion‑asset bank, is still searching for a new CEO after a...
MariBank, Amova Launch S$1 Singapore Equity Fund- #Wealth #AssetManagement #AssetFinance
MariBank, the digital bank owned by Sea Limited and licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has introduced a new equity fund that lets customers invest as little as S$1 (about $0.77) in Singapore-listed stocks. The fund, launched in partnership...
Citi Forms Infrastructure Financing Group- #BeltAndRoad #Economy #Infrastructure
Citigroup has created an Infrastructure Financing and Capital Solutions (IFCS) unit focused on the Asia‑Pacific region. The new group will address the growing demand for large‑scale infrastructure funding, especially projects tied to Belt and Road initiatives. Eric Farina and Rob...