WASHINGTON–With both credit union trade groups pressing Congress to bring fintechs under the same regulatory umbrella as other financial institutions, one of the key questions to be asking is what happens when things go wrong, according to NAFCU.
Credit union trade groups have called on Congress to ensure a “level playing field” between unregulated fintechs and credit unions. A number of fintechs have in the last year seen strong user growth into the millions of customers. Congress held a hearing on the issue last week.
“What we saw from the hearing is there are still a lot of questions,” said NAFCU EVP and General Counsel Carrie Hunt. “We are going to see more hearings on this issue. I think, ultimately, there is going to be a lot of disagreement as to what that regulation should look like. There is agreement that traditional financial providers can find value in partners, including fintechs, which can innovate quickly. It’s when they go one step further that begs the question around safety and soundness. We think credit unions provide the best option for consumers cradle to grave. These apps to move cash around quickly have a very finite purpose. The consumer really likes them until there is a problem, such as fraud, and then they end up going back to their credit unions. This is about a fair playing field.”
Regulatory Rollbacks’
Separately, the Biden Administration continues to roll back a number of Trump Administration rules and regulations, most recently around fair housing
Hunt said NAFCU is watching the moves being made by the Biden Administration, as it strongly supports a “deregulatory agenda.”
“If there is re-regulation, we want it to be necessary regulation,” said Hunt. “That’s how we view these rollbacks. We strongly support fair housing. Generally, it’s not the intent of regulation we have an issue with, its regulatory burden and whether it’s necessary to achieve those goals. Generally, there are other ways to achieve those goals.”
ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif.–Credit Union of Southern California (CU SoCal) has introduced a 7% APY share certificate with a seven-month term. “Designed to help members grow their savings, this high-yield certificate offers a strong return on a manageable deposit—capped at $7,000,” the credit union said. “Available from April 3 through May 31, it’s an ideal option for those looking to make the most of their money, even with a smaller investment.” There is a $1,000 minimum opening deposit, a limit of one per member, and new money is required. ‘Excellent Opportunity’ “We designed this certificate to help more members benefit from a great rate without the need to lock up a large sum of money,” COO Suzie Kisslan said in a statement.. “This is an excellent opportunity for savers to make their money work harder in a short period of time.” The $2.89-billion CU SoCal has approximately 155,000 members.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please no profanity or political comments.