Bank customers ought to be free to authorize third parties to access their bank account information without limit, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray said today at a fintech conference in Las Vegas.

As banks continue to grapple with a rapidly evolving technological environment and the massive growth of fintech startups -- and with billions of dollars in revenues at stake -- ABA and Accenture today released a members-only Fintech Playbook to help banks understand how and when they can most profitably partner with fintech companies.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today issued final rules on prepaid financial products, including prepaid cards and digital wallets that store and transfer funds.

Under a bill introduced by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) today, companies -- banks and nonbank financial technology firms alike -- will be able to test innovative fintech products under a streamlined process with greater certainty about compliance requirements.

Speaking to a conference of marketplace lenders, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry today outlined features of a possible “fintech charter” for nonbank financial technology firms, which the OCC is considering whether to grant.

In an effort to enhance its ability to grant new limited purpose charters, the OCC is issuing a proposed rule that would address how the agency will handle receiverships for national banks not insured by the FDIC, such as trust banks and other special purpose charters.

In a letter to the heads of the financial regulatory agencies yesterday, Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) called on regulators to provide more information on their efforts to oversee the rapidly growing fintech industry.

The Nasdaq Stock Market and investment bank Keefe, Bruyette and Woods yesterday launched a new stock index focused on publicly traded financial technology firms.

The federal banking agencies issued revised questions and answers today on Community Reinvestment Act compliance. In their final guidance, the agencies clarified nine of the 10 proposed Q&As.

Banks are aggressively innovating and partnering with financial technology startups, but Congress and regulatory agencies could do more to promote “innovation-forward” policies, ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols told the House Financial Services Committee today.