The federal banking regulators (The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) issued on July 25 a lengthy joint statement outlining the potential risks that financial institutions face in arrangements with third parties to deliver bank deposit products and services.
On May 3, 2024, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) jointly released the “Third-Party Risk Management: A Guide for Community Banks” (the “Guide”), presenting it as a resource for community banks to bolster their third-party risk management programs, policies, and practices.
The Guide serves as a companion to the Interagency Guidance on Third-Party Relationship: Risk Management issued in June 2023 (on which we blogged, here). It also relates to the OCC’s Fall 2023 Semiannual Risk Perspective, which emphasizes the need for banks to maintain prudent risk management practices – including practices tailored to address Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”)/Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) compliance risks with respect to fintech relationships.
The Guide acknowledges the widespread collaborations between community banks and third-party entities, and recognizes the strategic importance for such partnerships to improve competitiveness and adaptability. These collaborations provide community banks with access to a diverse array of resources, such as new technologies, risk management tools, skilled personnel, delivery channels, products, services, and market opportunities.
However, the Guide underscores that reliance on third parties entails a loss of direct operational control, thereby exposing community banks to a spectrum of risks. Banks are still accountable for executing all activities in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. “These laws and regulations include . . . those designed to protect consumers (such as fair lending laws and prohibitions against unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices) and those addressing financial crimes (such as fraud and money laundering).” Accordingly, the Guide emphasizes that the engagement of third parties does not absolve a bank of its responsibility to operate in a safe and sound manner and to comply with regulatory requirements, “just as if the bank were to perform the service or activity itself.” The Guide sets forth this concept in bold, on the first page.
The Guide’s emphasis on governance practices highlights the critical role of oversight, accountability, and documentation in ensuring regulatory compliance and safeguarding the interests of both banks and their customers. Although the Guide styles itself as offering a framework tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by community banks, it also offers direction to all financial institutions in regards to effective third-party risk management.
Farewell to 2023, and welcome 2024. As we do every year, let’s look back.
We highlight 10 of our most-read blog posts from 2023, which address many of the key issues we’ve examined during the past year: criminal money laundering enforcement; compliance risks with third-party fintech relationships; the scope of authority of bank regulators; sanctions
In its Fall 2023 Semiannual Risk Perspective, published on December 7, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) reported on key issues facing the federal banking system. In evaluating the overall soundness of the federal banking system, the OCC emphasized the need for banks to maintain prudent risk management practices. The key risk themes that the OCC underscored in the report included credit, market, operational, and compliance risks.
Of particular note was the discussion on the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”)/Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) compliance risks with respect to fintech relationships. We also will discuss briefly certain other compliance and operational risks highlighted by the OCC.
Continue Reading OCC Risk Perspective Report Focuses on Third-Party Relationships with Fintechs
The CFPB has issued a proposed rule to supervise nonbank companies that qualify as larger participants in a market for “general-use digital consumer payment applications.” Comments on the proposal are due by January 8, 2024 or by the date that is 30 days after the proposal’s publication in the Federal Register, whichever is later.
The proposal is based on the CFPB’s authority to supervise nonbank entities considered to be “a larger participant of a market for other consumer financial products or services.” It would cover providers of consumer financial products and services that are commonly referred to as “digital wallets,” “payment apps,” “funds transfer apps,” and “person-to-person or P2P payment apps.”
The Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC have released final interagency guidance for their respective supervised banking organizations on managing risks associated with third-party relationships, including relationships with financial technology-focused entities such as bank/fintech sponsorship arrangements. The guidance is intended to provide principles for effective third-party risk management for all types of third-party relationships, regardless of how they may be structured. At the same time, the agencies state that banking organizations have flexibility in their approach to assessing the risks posed by each third- party relationship and deciding the relevance of the considerations discussed in the final guidance
The final guidance rescinds and replaces each agency’s previously-issued guidance on risk management practices for third-party relationships. In their July 2021 proposal, the agencies had included as an appendix FAQs issued by the OCC to supplement the OCC’s existing 2013 third-party risk management guidance. The proposed guidance included the revised FAQs as an exhibit and the agencies sought comment on the extent to which the concepts discussed in the FAQs should be incorporated into the final guidance. In their discussion of the final guidance, the agencies identify which concepts from the FAQs have been incorporated into the final guidance.
The OCC, FDIC, and Federal Reserve Board have issued a guide that is intended to assist community banks in conducting due diligence when considering relationships with financial technology (fintech) companies (Guide).
The issuance of the Guide follows the agencies’ July 2021 release of proposed interagency guidance for banking organizations on managing risks associated with third-party
The Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC released on July 13, 2021 proposed guidance for banking organizations on managing risks associated with third-party relationships, including relationships with financial technology-focused entities such as bank/fintech sponsorship arrangements. The proposal is the first time that the three agencies have proposed third-party