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☆ Millionaires support raising Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. limits. They may be overlooking ways to access more coverage on deposits now
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Currently, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. insures $250,000 per depositor for each ownership category for deposits held at an insured bank. That year, the standard maximum deposit insurance amount was temporarily raised to $250,000, from $100,000. How future deposit insurance may changeThe FDIC in May released a report that outlined three options for the future of the deposit insurance system. This may include an increased, yet also "finite," deposit insurance limit, the FDIC's report states. A third choice, targeted coverage, would provide different levels of deposit insurance coverage for different types of accounts, with higher coverage for business payment accounts.

Persons: Lauren Justice, First Republic —, Martin Gruenberg, Gruenberg, Ted Jenkin, Atlanta . Jenkin, Jenkin Organizations: Bank, Bloomberg, Getty, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, CNBC, Millionaire Survey, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, First, Committee, Silicon Locations: Beverly Hills , California, First Republic, Atlanta .

☆ After the turmoil in regional banks, here comes new regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Jeffrey Cane | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Biggest US banks could see 20% boost in capital requirements, Wall Street Journal reports. Midsize regional banks underwent extreme stress earlier this year, with First Republic and two others failing, yet the biggest banks in the US may be the ones hit with tougher regulatory rules. The proposals are expected as soon as this month and will vary based on the bank's businesses, according to the Journal. After the financial crisis of 2007-2008, regulators worldwide sought to bolster banks' capital requirements. And the recent turmoil in the US regional banks only underscored the current strength of the mega banks, suggesting that the focus on increasing capital at the biggest institutions was misplaced.

Persons: JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs –, Banks, Morgan Stanley, Jamie Dimon, Jane Fraser Organizations: Wall Street, Morning, First, Street Journal, Banks, JPMorgan, Federal Reserve, Basel III, Committee, America Locations: First Republic, Basel

☆ Fed Chair Powell to testify at US Senate June 22
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 2 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will testify at the U.S. Senate Banking Committee on June 22 at 10 am Eastern time, panel chief Sherrod Brown said on Friday. The testimony marks the second iteration of the Fed chair's twice-yearly reports to Congress on the state of U.S. monetary policy, and will come a week after the Fed's upcoming interest-rate-setting meeting at which it is expected to leave borrowing costs unchanged despite still-high inflation. Reporting by Ann Saphir Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Sherrod Brown, Ann Saphir, Chris Reese Organizations: U.S . Senate, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Crypto is funding businesses in China that fuel the fentanyl trade, Senator Elizabeth Warren says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Crypto is funding businesses in China that supply fentanyl, Senator Elizabeth Warren warned. Digital currencies could be funding $540 billion worth of fentanyl pills on the market, per Elliptic data. That comes as the US battles an opioid crisis, with fentanyl driving a record in overdose deaths in 2022. "That is enough fentanyl to kill nearly 9 billion people, all paid for by crypto," Warren said. Illicit crypto transaction volumes hit a new record of $20.1 billion last year according to the blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis.

Persons: Crypto, Elizabeth Warren, —, Warren, Warren's Organizations: Service, Senate Banking, Center for Disease Locations: China, cryptocurrency

☆ US seeks to curb investment in Chinese chips, AI and quantum computing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Karen Freifeld | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - New rules under consideration would restrict the flow of U.S. investments and know-how into Chinese companies working on advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, a U.S. Treasury official said on Wednesday. Reuters reported in February that the Biden administration plans to ban investments in some Chinese technology companies and increase scrutiny of others, three sources said, as part of its plan to crack down on the billions that American firms have poured into sensitive Chinese sectors. China hawks in Washington blame U.S. investors for transferring capital and valuable know-how to Chinese tech companies that could help advance Beijing's military. Separately, Republican Senator Bill Hagerty asked about efforts to restrict the supply of U.S. origin goods to Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. Reporting by David Shepardson and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, and Karen Freifeld in New York; Writing by Chris Sanders; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paul Rosen, Biden, Bill Hagerty, Thea Rozman Kendler, Kendler, David Shepardson, Daphne Psaledakis, Karen Freifeld, Chris Sanders, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Treasury, Reuters, Republican, Huawei, Exports, Commerce, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Washington, New York

☆ US clamps down on sensitive export requests to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nearly 700 Chinese parties are subject to the government's export controls on what is known as the "Entity List," Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod said in written testimony. The goal is to counter China's "military modernization, human rights abuses, and other activities contrary to our national security and foreign policy interests," he said. The hearing is titled "Countering China: Advancing U.S. National Security, Economic Security, and Foreign Policy". The administration's plans to restrict certain U.S. outbound investments in specific sensitive technologies are still under discussion, said testimony from Treasury Department official Paul Rosen. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in March the Biden administration was considering a pilot program to address risks about investment in China.

Persons: Beijing's, Thea Rozman Kendler, Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod, Biden, Paul Rosen, Gina Raimondo, Raimondo, David Shepardson, Karen Freifeld, Chris Reese, Sonali Paul Organizations: U.S, Commerce, Export Enforcement, . National Security, Economic Security, Treasury Department, Thomson Locations: China

☆ Sen. Tim Scott pushes bill that would require disclosure of apps' country of origin
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., is pushing for more transparency from social media applications amid privacy concerns about China-based apps like TikTok. App stores would be charged to warn users of the risks of downloading foreign applications and provide a filtering method by country of origin. Four out of 5 of the top most popular apps in March are of Chinese origin, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Requiring app stores to display an app's country of origin is a commonsense solution that can help them do just that." "The Know Your App Act would bring much-needed transparency to app stores, empowering Americans to safeguard their families from exploitation," he added.

☆ The Week in Business: An Attempt to Ban TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Marie Solis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The legislation seeks to cut off access by targeting mobile app stores, like the Apple Store and Google Play, and prohibit them from offering TikTok in Montana. If the stores continue allowing people to download the app, the companies could face fines, as could TikTok. The ban is set to take effect on Jan. 1, but it is already facing a legal challenge. A ‘Truly Sorry’ C.E.O. Though there was no explicit mention of Mr. DeSantis in the memo announcing the decision, Mr. D’Amaro noted “changing business conditions.”Image Credit... Giulio BonaseraWhat’s Next?

☆ Janet Yellen told bank CEOs more mergers may be necessary, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —During Thursday’s meeting with the CEOs of large banks, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told executives that more bank mergers may be necessary as the industry continues to navigate through a crisis, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. However, sources tell CNN that bank mergers were discussed during Yellen’s meeting with bank CEOs. Yellen echoed remarks from US regulators who have said there may be bank mergers in the current environment, one person familiar with the matter said. Yet earlier this month, regulators allowed JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank, to buy most of First Republic, the second-largest bank to fail in US history. Michael Hsu, acting comptroller of the currency, told lawmakers earlier this week that his agency would be willing to quickly consider bank mergers.

☆ US banks rethink social media as a threat, not a marketing tool
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Nupur Anand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Greg Becker, the former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, blamed social media as an "unprecedented" factor in the lender's demise. The former CEO of First Republic Bank, Michael Roffler, also blamed social media for its collapse two months later. Bank executives and directors have ordered their companies to add social media into risk-management programs, according to regional bank executives who declined to be identified because the discussions are private. "NIP IT IN THE BUD"Banks are also contacting customers who complain on social media to address their issues quickly. The Financial Stability Board, an international body, is also investigating the role of social media in recent market turmoil, a source said.

☆ Sen. Elizabeth Warren presses regulators for answers on First Republic takeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., greets Martin Gruenberg, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, during the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in Dirksen Building on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. WASHINGTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is asking federal financial regulators for answers over what she called a "deeply troubling" deal that saw JPMorgan Chase take over First Republic Bank. "Our financial strength, capabilities and business model allowed us to develop a bid to execute the transaction in a way to minimize costs to the Deposit Insurance Fund." Instead, the insurance fund was allowed to take a multibillion-dollar loss after billions of dollars worth of the bank's uninsured deposits were rescued during the deal, Warren said. "The FDIC appeared to prioritize First Republic's uninsured deposits at the bank before the Insurance Fund," she said.

☆ Regulators Rebut Claims by Silicon Valley Bank’s Ex-C.E.O.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Emily Flitter | Alan Rappeport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When asked in a Senate hearing this week who was to blame for the demise of Silicon Valley Bank, the lender’s former chief executive, Greg Becker, had plenty of ideas, blaming regulators, the bank’s board and its own customers for bringing it down. On Thursday, senior officials from two of the bank’s main regulators, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, told members of the same Senate panel that some of the impressions Mr. Becker had left lawmakers with were false. James N. Kramer, a lawyer for Mr. Becker, said Mr. Becker stood by the statements he had made. The regulators’ statements were part of a hearing held by the Senate Banking Committee on how bank oversight should look in the future in light of the failures of three regional banks this spring. It came two days after Mr. Becker appeared alongside former senior leaders of Signature Bank, a New York lender that collapsed just after Silicon Valley Bank did and prompted the federal government to take drastic steps to prevent widespread panic in the banking system.

☆ Ex-First Republic CEO blames contagion for bank's collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 16 (Reuters) - The former chief executive of the First Republic Bank Michael Roffler blamed the bank's collapse on the contagion from the failures of other regional banks and said regulators did not express concerns regarding the bank's strategy, liquidity, or management performance. "We could not have anticipated that Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank would fail, or that the failure of those banks would trigger substantial deposit outflows at our bank," he said. First Republic's financial position and strategy were regularly reviewed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) and the FDIC, he said. California banking regulators shut down First Republic Bank on May 1 and sold its assets to JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), in a deal to resolve the largest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis and draw a line under lingering banking turmoil. Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Premarket stocks: Senators blame excessive CEO pay for regional bank failures
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Joseph DePaolo, the former CEO of Signature Bank, received about $8.6 million. Becker said his cash and stock bonuses were “predetermined” and that he wasn’t aware of when they would be paid out. “If you’d bought those hedges [against Treasuries purchased by the bank], that would have cut into your profits, wouldn’t it? “And when the banks blow up, Mr. Becker and Mr. Shay get to keep all the money. And that is just plain wrong.”ChatGPT goes to WashingtonOpenAI CEO Sam Altman also made his way to the Senate on Tuesday.

☆ Former SVB, Signature Bank Executives to Face Senate Panel
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Gina Heeb | Andrew Ackerman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Former Silicon Valley Bank CEO Greg Becker plans to apologize to a Senate panel and say that no bank could have survived the deposit run that SVB saw in March. Photo: patrick t. fallon/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesFormer Silicon Valley Bank Chief Executive Greg Becker and two ex-executives from Signature Bank will appear in front of a Senate committee Tuesday, where the chairman is expected to blame senior management for the pair of failures in March. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) said the banks grew too fast and repeatedly ignored warnings from federal and state officials in the face of “glaring risks” from customer and industry concentration, according to prepared remarks released ahead of the hearing.

☆ Senators Blame SVB, Signature Management for Banks’ Failures
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Gina Heeb | Andrew Ackerman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Watch live coverage of a Senate Banking Committee hearing with the former heads of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, after the failure of the banks. Senate Democrats and Republicans pressed former Silicon Valley Bank Chief Executive Greg Becker and two ex-executives from Signature Bank Tuesday, blaming both banks’ management for the way they handled rapid growth and rising interest rates before collapsing in MarchSenate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) said the banks grew too fast and repeatedly ignored warnings from federal and state officials in the face of “glaring risks” from their customer and industry concentrations. SVB catered to startup and venture customers, a tightknit group who pulled their large deposits when trouble hit. Signature bet on crypto banking and then struggled after the sector imploded.

☆ Former SVB, Signature Bank Executives Face Senate Panel
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Gina Heeb | Andrew Ackerman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Watch live coverage of a Senate Banking Committee hearing with the former heads of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, after the failure of the banks. Former Silicon Valley Bank Chief Executive Greg Becker and two ex-executives from Signature Bank appeared in front of a Senate committee Tuesday, where the chairman blamed senior management for the pair of failures in March. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) said the banks grew too fast and repeatedly ignored warnings from federal and state officials in the face of “glaring risks” from customer and industry concentration.

☆ John Fetterman suggests failed Silicon Valley Bank executives should have the same work requirements 'Republicans want' for families receiving food stamps
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. John Fetterman grilled failed banking execs at a Tuesday Senate Banking Committee hearing. He said the GOP is "preoccupied" with spending on food stamps rather than bail-out funds. He suggested that bailed-out bankers should have work requirements like families on food stamps. As part of the debt ceiling bill the House GOP passed last month, Republicans proposed increased work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which offers a monthly stipend to buy food for millions of families nationwide. A hungry family has to have these kind of penalties and same kinds of working requirements," Fetterman said.

☆ Sen. J.D. Vance on recent bank failures: FDIC 'changed the rules' in the middle of the game
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSen. J.D. Vance on recent bank failures: FDIC 'changed the rules' in the middle of the gameSen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) joins 'Squawk Box' to preview the Senate Banking Committee's hearing on the failures of Silicon Valley and Signature Banks, his view on deposit guarantees, and more.

☆ Failed bank execs see blame everywhere, except in the mirror
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —More than two months after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank triggered a financial earthquake, three former executives spoke publicly for the first time in testimony before a Senate committee Tuesday. Here are the key takeaways from the Senate hearing:Everyone else messed upThe executives conducted a masterclass in deflecting blame for their banks’ failures. In his testimony, Becker said he was “truly sorry” for the bank’s collapse, blaming a “series of unprecedented events.”Greg Becker, former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, left, testifies next to Scott Shay, former chairman and co-founder of Signature Bank, and Eric Howell, former president of Signature Bank, during a Senate hearing. “Rumors and misconceptions spread quickly online,” sparking the bank run, Becker told lawmakers. Spoiler alert: Becker didn’t commit to returning any money and Shay said he had no intention to do so.

"I believe it was a series of unprecedented events that all came together in the fastest bank run in history," Becker told the Senate Banking Committee. "I was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, I take responsibility for what ultimately happened," Becker said. Executives from Signature Bank also testified alongside Becker on Tuesday, pushing back on assertions from lawmakers that the bank had weak corporate governance. "I don't believe that there was mismanagement at the bank," said Eric Howell, the former president of Signature Bank. The bank tried to cover the loss by raising capital, but in announcing the transaction helped fuel a bank run.

☆ Former SVB CEO Greg Becker to Apologize for Bank Collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Gina Heeb | Andrew Ackerman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Former Silicon Valley Bank Chief Executive Greg Becker Photo: patrick t. fallon/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesFormer Silicon Valley Bank chief executive Greg Becker plans to tell a Senate committee on Tuesday that no bank could have survived the unprecedented deposit run that led to his institution’s failure in March. Mr. Becker hasn’t spoken publicly since regulators seized SVB two months ago, after a failed capital raise and historic deposit run doomed the startup- and technology-focused California bank. Two former executives at New York-based Signature Bank , which failed shortly after, are also set to appear before the Senate Banking Committee.

☆ Dozens of Democrats defend CFPB at Supreme Court as case threatens its existence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Over 140 current and former Democratic lawmakers filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court on Monday to defend the country's leading consumer protection agency from challenges to its regulatory authority. Brown chairs the Senate Banking Committee while Waters is the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee. The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in the case in February, four months after a federal appeals court panel unanimously ruled that the CFPB's funding method was unconstitutional. The Biden administration appealed the 5th Circuit's decision to the Supreme Court, but a final decision could be delayed until June 2024 to hear other arguments in the case. In the brief, lawmakers said succinctly that "the judgment should be reversed."

In prepared testimony published on Monday by the Senate Banking Committee, Becker said he believed the bank was responsive to regulator concerns about managing risk and working to address issues before an "unprecedented" bank run led to its failure. Becker said he did not believe "that any bank could survive a bank run of that velocity and magnitude." The former executives for New York-based Signature Bank, which also failed in March, maintained the bank could have survived had regulators not chosen to close it, according to separate testimony. California banking regulators moved quickly to shut SVB down on March 10 after depositors withdrew $42 billion in 24 hours. Regulators closed Signature on March 12 after it also experienced liquidity issues following SVB’s collapse.

May 15 (Reuters) - Greg Becker, the former chief executive officer of Silicon Valley Bank, is set to appear before the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, two months after the collapse of his bank sparked panic among bank customers and investors, forcing the government to backstop deposits. California banking regulators moved quickly to shut down Silicon Valley Bank on March 10 after depositors withdrew $42 billion in 24 hours. Becker will testify before the Senate Banking Committee alongside Scott Shay and Eric Howell, the former chair and president, respectively, of Signature Bank. When his manager left to work for Silicon Valley Bank, Becker followed, he said on a 2021 Bloomberg podcast. Before becoming president and CEO of SVB Financial Group, Becker co-founded SVB Capital, the company's investment arm.

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