DOJ Endorses Interchange Rule that Credit Unions Hate

Federal Reserve

A fight is brewing between the Biden Administration and credit union trade groups over a Federal Reserve proposal to require financial institutions to give merchants a choice of debit card networks for online transactions and other purchases when consumers do not physically present their debit cards.

The Justice Department this week threw its support behind the Fed’s proposed rule, saying it would enhance competition and save consumers money. Credit union trade groups, on the other hand, said that the proposal would increase compliance costs, while not passing any savings on to consumers.

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Biden Names CU Executive Bill Bynum, Former CFPB Deputy Director Leandra English to Transition Team

News, Regulatory Agencies

President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday appointed longtime credit union executive Bill Bynum and former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Deputy Director Leandra English to his CFPB agency review team. The teams are designed to help ease the transition from Trump Administration agencies to Biden Administration agencies. The teams also include one that will examine the Federal Reserve, Banking and Securities Regulators. English is the team lead for the CFPB team. She served as deputy director of the CFPB under former Director Richard Cordray. Her appointment is likely a sign that Biden intends to re-invigorate the CFPB, which has tilted toward a

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Federal Reserve Seeking Participants for FedNow Pilot Program

Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve is now accepting applications for a pilot test program for its FedNow Service. Financial institutions, including credit unions, are among those eligible to apply, Fed officials said. Once it is implemented, the FedNow service will allow customers to send and receive payments at financial institutions instantly. Credit union trade groups have expressed their support for the program. The pilot program will include three phases: advisory, testing and closed-loop production. Institutions that are not members of the FedNow Community must first enroll by submitting a participant profile form. Organizations that are interested in participating must submit an application

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Coin Task Force Issues New Tools to Increase Coin Circulation

Federal Reserve

A Federal Reserve U.S. Coin Task Force has developed a toolkit for financial institutions and retailers in an effort to push more coins into circulation.

In forming the task force earlier this year, Fed officials said that with many retail businesses where coins are used closed due to the coronavirus crisis, the normal coin circulation network has been disrupted. They said that there is not a shortage of coins, adding that more than $40 billion in coins are in circulation, but many of them are not being used.

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