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Economics at americanbanker.com

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01

Japanese payments fintech PayPay files US IPO

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PayPay is the latest international fintech to signal entry into the U.S. fintech investor market with an IPO that has been planned by SoftBank for years.

Friday, Feb 13

16

Inflation cools to 2.4%, bolstering Fed's cautious rate outlook

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its January Consumer Price Index Friday, showing that inflation rose 0.2%, while the annual rate eased to 2.4% after holding at 2.7% for several months. The data reduce the likelihood that the…

14

The SBA's new credit restrictions are a disaster for small businesses

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The Small Business Administration plans to bar green-card holders from receiving federal small-business loans. The result will be devastating for large swathes of the U.S. economy, costing jobs and cutting tax revenue.

We need a better system for routing international payments in a crisis

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When even a savvy expert in payments systems can't efficiently manage the transfer of funds to relatives in a crisis zone, it demonstrates that the system is failing us. We can and must do better.

13

Experts weigh whether CFPB database tweaks help or hurt

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's complaint portal has been flooded in recent years, but corporate debt collectors, industry attorneys and consumer advocates question whether the bureau's efforts to reduce the volume will help…

02

Head of PNC wealth unit lays out plans to add hundreds of advisors

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Rich Guerrini said the bank plans to expand its advisor ranks by about 50% as it targets mass affluent and other new clients with personalized branch-based service.

Thursday, Feb 12

00

Community bank momentum continues in Congress with new bill

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Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Katie Britt, R-Ala., offered a new bill that would index the Durbin Amendment's debit fee threshold to inflation. The bill joins a number of community bank-centered bills offered or moving through Congress

23

How Star One's CEO pushes IT relevance for credit unions

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Minal Gupta has implemented new financial technology for years as an executive, and is taking the helm of her credit union as the entire industry ponders how to use real-time payments and new forms of AI.

Grab buys a US investment app as it achieves profitability

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The Southeast Asian financial services company acquired micro-investing fintech Stash and earned a yearly profit for the first time in its 2025 earnings report.

21

Bill meant to boost SBA loans to manufacturers awaits Senate vote

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The Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act would double the loan size threshold for SBA manufacturing loans to $10 million. It would be the first change to the limit since 2010.

20

Nuveen to buy UK asset manager Schroders in $13.5 billion deal

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TIAA's asset management arm will have $2.5 trillion of assets after the combination with a storied U.K. firm.

Big-bank execs are embracing the Federal Reserve and AI

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Executives have more trust in the central bank's board than their smaller-bank brethren, according to American Banker's 2026 Predictions report.

18

FanDuel bans credit card-funded bets, following DraftKings

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The sports betting company said it would stop accepting credit card deposits for its sportsbook, casino and racing products in the U.S. Wagers placed using credit cards are typically more expensive than those made with other forms of…

17

Fed moves to drop some prior demands on banks to fix flaws

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An internal memo from the Federal Reserve's supervisory staff will begin reviewing outstanding "matters requiring attention" and "matters requiring immediate attention" to ensure that they meet the standards laid out in an October…

14

What last week's crypto crash can teach us about stablecoins' value

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The crypto crash highlighted an overlooked aspect of stablecoins: They have both a stable value and a market-traded price, but the two don't always match. What does the risk of de-pegs mean for payments?

13

Judge denies motion to halt racial equity mortgage program

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A Washington court denied a plaintiff request, pointing to past Supreme Court rulings that showed a compelling interest for the state's special-purpose credit program.

Wednesday, Feb 11

00

The $40 million club: Big-bank CEO pay hits new heights

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In 2025, compensation for the chief executives at four of the largest U.S. banks jumped by between 10% and 28%. The increases reflect strong financial performances, the achievement of certain milestones and the competitive landscape, a…

23

Square's AI, Amazon's card workaround land in the UK

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Block's merchant unit is deploying a virtual assistant to sweeten its offer to merchants, while Amazon pushes Pay by Bank. Plus, Zelle reaches a milestone and more in American Banker's global payments and fintech roundup.

Upstart CEO to step down; stock dips 15% on earnings report

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The lender beat fourth-quarter earnings estimates but warned that a strategic shift toward auto and home equity loans will compress near-term profits.

18

Illinois judge rules in favor of swipe-fee ban on sales tax and tips

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In a major setback for banks and credit card networks, a federal judge upheld an Illinois law that bans the collection of swipe fees on sales tax and tip portions of credit card transactions. Banks are expected to appeal the ruling.

16

US adds 130,000 jobs in January; unemployment rate falls

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics issued its delayed January employment report Wednesday morning, showing the economy added 130,000 jobs in January. But the agency also sharply revised its estimates for total jobs created in 2025 to 181,000…

14

Before shrinking the Fed's balance sheet, Warsh has other work to do

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An immediate effort to unload some of the central bank's assets could do more harm than good. Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh should first turn his attention to problems affecting banks' liquidity.

01

Bank riders have murky future as housing bill heads to Senate

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Bank-favored provisions that were included into the House's version of a bipartisan housing bill threaten to derail Senate passage, but Senate Banking Committee moderates seem skeptical of the combination.

Tuesday, Feb 10

00

Brazil fintech Agibank scales back IPO before US debut

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The digital bank slashed its share volume and pricing the day before its public debut and following a mixed U.S. public debut for fellow Brazil fintech PicPay.

23

Huntington takes $280M hit on Cadence deal accounting

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The Ohio bank said its 2027 earnings per share will be lower due to an accounting revision linked to its acquisition of Cadence Bank. But CEO Steve Steinour remains sold on Huntington's expansion plans, calling the Cadence deal a "home run…

21

D.C. appeals court hands favorable ruling to EWA fintech EarnIn

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The district's appeals court let stand a May 2025 ruling that dismissed most of the D.C. Attorney General's claims against EarnIn in a major win for the firm and good news for fintechs looking for favorable regulatory treatment.

20

Souring card debt is plateauing at elevated level: New York Fed

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Delinquencies on credit-card debt mostly held steady at the end of last year, but certain groups of consumers are faring better than others.

Regional bank execs love mobile apps, fear wire transfer fraud

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Top takeaways from American Banker's 2026 Predictions report finds that midsize bankers push for app investments and are concerned about wire transfer fraud.

18

Visa helps merchants accept card payments through iPhones

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The iOS technology enables payments without requiring merchants to add extra hardware. The card network is embedding the option into a broader suite of merchant technology to bolster its services strategy amid competition from Mastercard…

14

To monitor an AI-driven economy, the Fed is going to need new tools

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In a future world where AI agents transacting in stablecoins are a major factor in the U.S. economy, the Fed's traditional metrics for identifying an economic downturn will leave policymakers dangerously behind the curve.