Final rule; correction. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) published a final rule in the Federal Register of September 1, 2026, to define the term "unsafe or unsound practice" for purposes of section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and to…
Why this matters
The document is a correction notice to a final rule published September 1, 2026 (FR Doc. 2026-17823). The OCC and FDIC are correcting the agency docket number from an incorrect citation to OCC-2025-0174.
Final rule. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("Commission" or "CFTC") is amending its rules implementing section 23 of the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA"). Section 23 of the CEA and the Commission's implementing regulations provide for the payment of awards, subject to certain limitations and conditions, to…
Why this matters
This is a final rule (Document 2026-19006, effective 10/16/2026) from the CFTC amending 17 CFR Part 165 (Whistleblower Rules). It introduces new rule 165.9(d) establishing a 30% statutory maximum award presumption for claims where aggregate collected amounts yield maximum awards of $5 million or less, subject to...
Joint interim final rule and request for comments. The OCC, Board, and FDIC (collectively, the Agencies) are jointly issuing and requesting public comment on an interim final rule to implement section 903 of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The interim final rule raises the asset threshold for certain supervised…
Why this matters
This is a joint final interim rule issued by OCC, Federal Reserve, and FDIC implementing statutory amendments to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. It raises the asset threshold from $3 billion to $6 billion for qualifying insured depository institutions to qualify for 18-month (rather than 12-month) on-site...
This is a final rule (binding obligation) from the CFTC that modifies whistleblower award procedures. It applies broadly to all firms under CFTC jurisdiction, establishes a 30% presumption for awards ≤$5M, and becomes effective 30 days post-Federal Register publication.
PRESS RELEASE | SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 Agencies Reduce Regulatory Burden for Community Banks, Increase Eligibility for 18-Month Exam Cycle WASHINGTON— The federal bank regulatory agencies today issued an interim final rule increasing the number of community banks eligible for an 18-month exam cycle. The 21st Century ROAD…
Why this matters
This is an interim final rule issued by federal banking agencies (FDIC, Federal Reserve, OCC) that modifies supervisory examination requirements for small insured depository institutions.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency today published an interim final rule that raises the asset threshold for certain supervised institutions with less than $6 billion in total assets to qualify for an 18-month on-site examination cycle, pursuant to the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
Why this matters
This is an interim final rule that materially affects examination frequency and compliance obligations for a defined cohort of smaller banks. The asset threshold increase from $3B to $6B expands the population eligible for 18-month exam cycles, representing a concrete regulatory relief measure with operational and...
The federal bank regulatory agencies today issued an interim final rule increasing the number of community banks eligible for an 18-month exam cycle.
Why this matters
This is a final interim rule issued jointly by three federal banking agencies (OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC) that increases the asset threshold for 18-month exam cycles from $3B to $6B, directly affecting examination frequency and supervisory burden for community banks and credit unions.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have published an interagency interim final rule amending the regulations governing eligibility for the 18-month on-site examination cycle, pursuant to the 21st…
Why this matters
This is a binding interim final rule from the OCC (interagency with Fed and FDIC) that materially changes examination frequency requirements for banks under $6B in assets meeting 1-2 ratings and other criteria. The asset threshold expansion is substantive and affects a significant population of community banks.
Final rule. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission or CFTC) is amending its interest rate swap clearing requirement regulations under applicable provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to address the transition from the Canadian Dollar Offered Rate (CDOR) to the Canadian Overnight Repo Rate…
Why this matters
This is a final CFTC rule amending 17 CFR Part 50 to mandate clearing of interest rate swaps denominated in CAD and MXN following benchmark transitions from CDOR to CORRA and TIIE to F-TIIE.
Order. FinCEN is issuing this Geographic Targeting Order, requiring certain money services businesses along the southwest border of the United States to report and retain records of transactions in currency of $1,000 or more, but not more than $10,000, and to verify the identity of persons presenting such transactions.
Why this matters
This is a final rule (not a proposal) issued by FinCEN under delegated authority from the Treasury Secretary under 31 U.S.C. 5326. It creates new legal obligations for covered money services businesses to report currency transactions of $1,000–$10,000 (below the standard $10,000 CTR threshold) in specified zip codes...
Joint final rule; further extension of compliance date. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC") and the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") (collectively, "we" or the "Commissions") are further extending the compliance date for the amendments to Form PF that were adopted on February 8, 2024…
Why this matters
This is a joint SEC/CFTC final rule (not merely a proposal or guidance) that extends the compliance date for Form PF amendments from October 1, 2026 to July 1, 2027.
This is a final rule from the CFTC that modifies clearing requirements for CAD and MXN-denominated interest rate swaps, replacing legacy benchmark references (CDOR, TIIE) with risk-free rates (CORRA, Overnight TIIE).
Interim final rule and request for comment. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is amending its brokered deposit regulations to conform with recent changes to section 29 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act made by section 902 of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act related to reciprocal deposits, which…
Why this matters
This is a final interim rule (not a proposal) issued by the FDIC amending 12 CFR 337.6 to implement Section 902 of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, effective September 1, 2026.
Final rule. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) are adopting a final rule to define the term "unsafe or unsound practice" for purposes of section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and to revise the supervisory framework for the issuance of…
Why this matters
This is a final rule (Document 2026-17823, 91 FR 56004) jointly issued by the OCC and FDIC that codifies a regulatory definition of 'unsafe or unsound practice' under section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and revises supervisory frameworks for issuance of Matters Requiring Attention (MRAs).
BOARD MATTERS | AUGUST 27, 2026 FDIC Board of Directors Approve New Actions By notational vote, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Board of Directors today unanimously approved the following matters. Materials and information related to these Board actions are available on the Board Matters webpage. Final…
AI Analysis
On August 27, 2026, the FDIC unanimously approved a joint FDIC-OCC final rule defining unsafe or unsound practices under section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and establishing uniform standards for Matters Requiring Attention (MRAs) and supervisory observations. The FDIC also approved an interim final rule implementing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act changes to reciprocal deposits, including a tiered exclusion from brokered-deposit treatment of up to $30 billion, materially expanding eligible funding capacity for qualifying insured depository institutions.
Key dates
2026-08-27
The FDIC Board unanimously approved the final rule on unsafe or unsound practices and MRAs and the interim final rule on Road to Housing Act reciprocal deposits by notational vote.
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to inventory open MRAs, supervisory recommendations, and section 8 enforcement matters and assess whether each matter satisfies the new material-harm, Deposit Insurance Fund risk, prudent-operation, or legal-violation criteria.
Banks should consider mapping existing policies, procedures, reporting controls, documentation findings, and governance issues to the new distinction between MRAs, supervisory observations, and other violations, while retaining controls for matters that could affect capital, asset quality, earnings, liquidity, market-risk sensitivity, consumer outcomes, or receivership risk.
Management and board committees may wish to prepare for examiner requests for the objective facts, risk analysis, and reasoning supporting any MRA or unsafe-or-unsound-practice conclusion, including evidence of how the bank assessed reasonably foreseeable conditions.
Banks using reciprocal deposits should consider recalculating their permissible nonbrokered reciprocal-deposit capacity under the tiered liability formula and updating brokered-deposit classification, liquidity, deposit reporting, internal limits, and regulatory reporting controls.
Potential agent institutions should verify their eligibility under the revised definition, including the applicable capital and examination-rating requirements and the broadened CAMELS-based criteria.
Treasury, balance-sheet management, and deposit operations teams may wish to model the effect of the expanded reciprocal-deposit exclusion on funding concentration, liquidity stress assumptions, deposit pricing, and brokered-deposit monitoring.
Legal and regulatory-affairs teams should monitor the Federal Register publication of both rules, confirm the effective dates, review any interim-final-rule comment opportunity, and determine whether implementation or comments are appropriate.
Banks should consider reviewing examiner lookback requests and suspicious-activity review scopes against the related OCC examination guidance, which generally limits lookbacks involving failures to detect or report suspicious activity to one year or less unless heightened approval is obtained.
What changed
The final supervisory rule defines an unsafe or unsound practice as a practice, act, or failure to act that is contrary to generally accepted standards of prudent operation and that, if continued, is likely to materially harm the bank's financial condition or present a material risk of loss to the Deposit Insurance Fund, or that has materially harmed the bank's financial condition.
Compliance impact
The supervisory rule is a high-impact change to the framework for section 8 enforcement, board-level supervisory escalation, and corrective actions, although it does not eliminate obligations arising from applicable banking laws or regulations. The reciprocal-deposit rule may materially affect brokered-deposit classification and funding strategy for qualifying banks, with noncompliance potentially affecting regulatory reporting, liquidity-risk assessments, and supervisory conclusions.
Final rule. FinCEN is issuing this final rule to adopt as final and with certain limited changes the interim final rule issued on March 26, 2025, which narrowed beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements under FinCEN's regulations implementing the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). In particular…
AI Analysis
FinCEN’s final rule (RIN 1506-AB67; 91 FR 52508), effective 2026-08-14, permanently narrows Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting to foreign reporting companies only and codifies broad exemptions for U.S. persons. It adopts, with limited changes, the 2025 interim final rule so that domestic reporting companies, U.S. person beneficial owners, U.S. person company applicants, and U.S. person holders of FinCEN IDs are no longer subject to BOI reporting or update obligations under 31 CFR 1010.380.
Key dates
2026-08-14
Effective date of FinCEN final rule "Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Requirement Revision" (91 FR 52508; RIN 1506-AB67), permanently narrowing CTA BOI reporting to foreign reporting companies and codifying exemptions for U.S. persons and domestic reporting companies.
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams at foreign reporting companies should review the revised 31 CFR 1010.380 definition of "reporting company" and confirm that their entity meets the narrowed criteria (foreign formation plus registration to do business in a U.S. State or Tribal jurisdiction), updating BOI reporting inventories and scoping accordingly.
Foreign reporting companies should update BOI reporting procedures to ensure that reports capture beneficial owners who are non-U.S. persons while excluding U.S. person beneficial owners, including revising data collection forms, internal instructions, and system logic to avoid collecting or transmitting U.S. person BOI under the CTA framework.
Firms involved in foreign pooled investment vehicles registered in the United States may wish to revise governance and reporting processes so that BOI reports for such vehicles identify only the individual exercising substantial control (or greatest authority over strategic management) who is not a U.S. person, and cease including U.S. controllers where they qualify as U.S. persons.
Corporate secretarial and entity management functions should update CTA/BOI scoping matrices to remove domestic corporations, LLCs, and similar entities from BOI reporting obligations and to reflect that only qualifying foreign entities remain in scope, while maintaining awareness of other AML and KYC obligations that may still apply independently of the CTA.
Onboarding and registration workflows for foreign entities should be reviewed so that BOI reporting triggers, timelines, and responsibilities are aligned with the final rule’s foreign-only scope, including any remaining deadlines tied to registration dates, and that staff understand that U.S. person company applicant information is no longer required for CTA reporting.
Firms maintaining records of U.S. person beneficial owners and company applicants for CTA purposes may wish to reassess retention policies, ensuring that any continued collection or storage of such data is for other legal or risk-management purposes rather than CTA compliance, and that privacy notices and data minimization practices reflect the updated regulatory position.
Compliance teams should revise CTA-related policies, procedures, and training materials to incorporate the exemptions for U.S. persons holding FinCEN IDs, clarifying that these individuals are no longer required to update or correct BOI previously provided to obtain the identifier, and documenting any residual obligations under other BSA or AML rules.
Banks, broker-dealers, and other AML-regulated firms should consider the impact of reduced BOI availability for U.S. persons on their own customer due diligence, beneficial ownership, and risk assessment frameworks, and evaluate whether internal KYC standards or other regulatory requirements (such as customer due diligence rules) necessitate separate collection of U.S. person ownership information irrespective of FinCEN’s CTA exemptions.
What changed
The definition and scope of "reporting company" under 31 CFR 1010.380, as implemented under 31 U.S.C. 5336, are now permanently narrowed so that entities previously defined as domestic reporting companies are exempt from BOI reporting requirements, including initial, updated, and corrected BOI reports.
Foreign reporting companies remain subject to BOI reporting, but the rule confirms that they are exempt from reporting beneficial ownership information for any U.S. person beneficial owners; those U.S.
Compliance impact
The final rule significantly reduces BOI reporting obligations for U.S. entities and U.S. persons while maintaining reporting duties for foreign reporting companies, shifting compliance focus and BOI data availability toward foreign-owned structures. FinCEN’s regulatory impact analysis emphasizes burden relief for small and domestic businesses and recalibrates expected costs and benefits of BOI collection under the CTA and BSA exemptive authorities.
Order. FinCEN is issuing this Geographic Targeting Order, requiring banks and money transmitters located in the Counties of Hennepin and Ramsey, Minnesota to retain and report records of certain payments of $3,000 or more.
AI Analysis
FinCEN issued a Geographic Targeting Order effective August 11, 2026 that requires banks and money transmitters with a branch, subsidiary, or office in Hennepin County or Ramsey County, Minnesota to retain and report records for certain covered international funds transfers of $3,000 or more. The stated purpose is to support Bank Secrecy Act enforcement and Treasury’s efforts to combat international money laundering tied to government benefits fraud in Minnesota.
Key dates
2026-08-11
Effective date of the Geographic Targeting Order
2027-02-06 Deadline
Order period ends after 180 days unless renewed
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to identify all branches, subsidiaries, and offices in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties and map which payment flows meet the Order’s definition of a Covered Transaction.
Firms may wish to update transaction-monitoring and customer due diligence workflows to capture the additional data elements required for bank or money transmitter reports, including beneficiary or recipient contact details and government-benefits-related funding questions.
Operational teams may wish to confirm readiness to submit reports through the FI Portal and to generate the required CSV files using the Minnesota Fraud GTO template and naming convention.
Records-management teams may wish to set a retention control ensuring all reports and related compliance records are preserved for five years from the last day the Order is effective.
Banks and money transmitters may wish to review whether any existing BSA or sanctions screening processes can be leveraged to identify covered international transfers meeting the $3,000 threshold.
Compliance teams may wish to test month-end reporting processes so filings occur by the end of the month following the month in which each Covered Transaction took place.
What changed
The Order creates a temporary, geographically targeted recordkeeping and reporting regime under 31 CFR Part 1010 for covered institutions in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. A “Covered Business” is any bank under 31 CFR 1010.100(d) or money transmitter under 31 CFR 1010.100(ff)(5) with a branch, subsidiary, or office in the covered area.
Compliance impact
This is a high-severity, binding temporary reporting and recordkeeping obligation for affected institutions in two Minnesota counties. The Order states that noncompliance may trigger consequences under the Bank Secrecy Act framework and requires records to be available to FinCEN or other appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agencies upon request.
Final rule; technical amendments. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") is adopting technical amendments to a rule under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act") related to registered investment company and business development company (collectively "regulated funds")…
Why this matters
This is a final rule that makes technical corrections to 17 CFR 270.0-1(a)(7) governing investment company board composition and governance. The SEC is removing the 75% disinterested director requirement and the disinterested chairman requirement following a 2006 federal court vacatur (Chamber of Commerce v. SEC).
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is issuing this rule to remove the regulations related to approval and policies on making loans to other credit unions. While this provision will no longer be codified in regulation, federal credit unions remain subject to statutory requirements related to making loans to credit…
AI Analysis
NCUA finalized a deregulatory rule that removes 12 CFR 701.25(b), eliminating the regulatory requirement that a federal credit union’s board approve all loans to other credit unions and adopt a separate written policy for those loans. The rule is effective on 2026-09-08 and matters because it reduces formal compliance burden while leaving the underlying statutory loan limits and other § 701.25 requirements in place.
Key dates
2025-12-29
NCUA published the proposed rule to remove 12 CFR 701.25(b)
2026-02-27 Deadline
Public comment period closed
2026-08-06
Final rule published in the Federal Register at 91 FR 50664
2026-09-08 Deadline
Final rule becomes effective and 12 CFR 701.25(b) is removed
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to confirm that internal lending policies still reflect the remaining limits in 12 CFR 701.25(a) and any other applicable provisions, even though the separate policy requirement in paragraph (b) has been removed.
Boards may wish to review whether any internal approval process for loans to other credit unions remains desirable as a governance control, particularly where state law, bylaws, or enterprise risk practices still support formal approval.
State-chartered credit unions may wish to verify whether state law or state supervisory expectations still require board approval or written policies for loans to other credit unions.
Monitoring teams may wish to update regulatory inventories, policy cross-references, and exam prep materials to reflect that 12 CFR 701.25(b) is no longer codified effective 2026-09-08.
Training and procedure documents may wish to distinguish between the removed board-policy requirement and the continuing statutory and regulatory loan limits that still apply.
What changed
The final rule removes the documentation requirement in 12 CFR 701.25(b) that required board approval of all loans to other credit unions and written policies governing those loans. NCUA states that federal credit unions remain subject to statutory requirements on loans to credit unions, and the remaining limits and requirements in § 701.25 continue to apply.
The rule does not change the aggregate loan limit in § 701.25(a), which remains 25% of the lending federal credit union’s paid-in and unimpaired capital and surplus.
Compliance impact
The immediate compliance impact is moderate: NCUA is removing a procedural and governance requirement, which should reduce documentation burden. The regulator is explicit, however, that the substantive lending limits and other requirements remain in force, so failure to maintain controls around the unchanged statutory and regulatory limits could still create supervisory issues.
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is rescinding Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 08-2. The Chartering and Field of Membership Manual (Chartering Manual) incorporates the current requirements for adding underserved areas, making IRPS 08-2 unnecessary. This rescission reduces the burden for federal…
Why this matters
The final rule rescinds IRPS 08-2, an interpretive ruling on chartering and field of membership for federal credit unions. The substantive requirements for underserved areas are already incorporated into the Chartering Manual (12 CFR Part 701, Appendix B), making this a streamlining action that reduces compliance...
Final rule. This final rule streamlines the NCUA Board (Board)'s regulations governing the purchase, sale, and pledge of eligible obligations. Specifically, the final rule removes the prescriptive lists of items that must be addressed in the written policies adopted by a federal credit union (FCU). Removal of the…
AI Analysis
NCUA issued a final rule amending 12 CFR 701.23 to make FCU policies for purchasing, selling, and pledging eligible obligations more principles-based and less prescriptive. The rule also removes detailed conflicts-of-interest and compensation provisions and makes a conforming cross-reference change in 12 CFR 746.201(c), with an effective date of 2026-09-08.
Key dates
2026-02-25
NCUA published the proposed rule for public comment.
2026-04-27
Public comment period closed after NCUA received 15 comments.
2026-08-06
NCUA published the final rule in the Federal Register at 91 FR 50680.
2026-09-08 Deadline
Final rule becomes effective.
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to review and update FCU written policies for purchases, sales, and pledges of eligible obligations so they no longer mirror the removed prescriptive checklist and instead reflect the board’s own risk-based framework.
Credit unions may wish to confirm that internal governance documents still address conflicts of interest and compensation consistently with bylaws and fiduciary-duty expectations, even though the detailed regulatory text has been removed.
Firms should consider updating any procedures, training materials, and control inventories that reference the old paragraph structure or the former 12 CFR 701.23(h) cross-reference.
Compliance teams may wish to validate that transaction approval, due diligence, documentation, and agreement-review processes continue to be embedded in policy at a level appropriate to the institution’s risk profile, even though the rule is less prescriptive.
Federal credit unions may wish to brief boards and relevant committees on the shift from a checklist-based rule to a principles-based framework so governance oversight remains aligned with supervisory expectations.
What changed
['The rule removes the mandated lists of items that FCU written policies must address for purchases, sales, and pledges of eligible obligations under 12 CFR 701.23(b)(6), (c), and (d). FCUs still must maintain written policies for these activities, but the regulation no longer prescribes a detailed checklist of required policy contents.', 'The rule removes the detailed conflicts-of-interest and compensation provision formerly in 12 CFR 701.23(g).
Compliance impact
The regulatory burden is reduced because FCUs no longer have to fit their written policies into a detailed mandatory checklist for eligible-obligation transactions. NCUA nevertheless expects FCUs to keep written policies, operate safely and soundly, and remain subject to bylaws-based conflict-of-interest limits and fiduciary duties, so institutions will still need governance, documentation, and supervisory controls.
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is issuing a final rule removing NCUA's unnecessarily prescriptive regulation regarding third-party servicing of indirect vehicle loans. This action will reduce regulatory burden and provide federally insured credit unions (FICUs) with greater operational flexibility, consistent with…
AI Analysis
The NCUA issued a final rule removing the prescriptive limits in 12 CFR 701.21(h) that had capped purchases of indirect vehicle loans serviced by a third party at 50% of net worth, rising to 100% after 30 months with the same servicer. The agency says the change reduces regulatory burden and gives credit union boards greater flexibility, while leaving prudential oversight to board policies and the examination process.
Key dates
2026-03-25
NCUA issued the proposed rule to remove the prescriptive requirements
2026-05-26 Deadline
Public comment period closed
2026-08-06
Final rule was published in the Federal Register at 91 FR 50677
2026-09-08 Deadline
Final rule becomes effective
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to review current indirect vehicle lending policies to confirm they no longer reference the removed 50% and 100% net-worth limits.
Boards may wish to document a board-approved risk appetite and concentration framework for third-party serviced indirect vehicle loans.
Credit unions may wish to align vendor oversight, due diligence, and servicing controls with their internal policies since the prior waiver pathway is no longer the operative framework.
State-chartered federally insured credit unions may wish to verify any conforming updates needed to insurance-related procedures and governance materials.
Compliance functions may wish to update training, policy manuals, and examination binders to reflect that supervision will now focus on principles-based oversight rather than the deleted rule text.
What changed
The final rule removes 12 CFR 701.21(h) in full, eliminating the existing concentration limits, the 30-month step-up to a higher limit, the waiver process to a Regional Director, the related response timeline, and the embedded definition framework tied to that paragraph. NCUA also states that it removed the parallel requirement in 12 CFR 741.203(c) and the related citation in 12 CFR 746.201(c), as part of the same deregulatory package.
Compliance impact
This is a meaningful deregulatory change for credit unions that purchase indirect vehicle loans serviced by third parties because it removes a binding concentration cap and waiver process. The regulator describes the prior framework as unduly burdensome and says ongoing compliance consequences will now flow mainly through board governance, internal controls, and examination findings if safety-and-soundness expectations are not met.
Final action. The NCUA Board (Board) is rescinding Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 06-1. The Chartering and Field of Membership Manual (Chartering Manual) incorporates the current requirements for adding underserved areas, making IRPS 06-1 unnecessary. This rescission reduces the burden for federal…
Why this matters
The final rule rescinds IRPS 06-1 on chartering and field of membership for federal credit unions because its content has been incorporated into the Chartering Manual (12 CFR Part 701, Appendix B).
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is amending its regulations to eliminate prescriptive segregated deposit and collateral requirements for suretyship and guaranty agreements. By removing these requirements, the Board is authorizing federally insured credit unions (FICUs) acting as sureties and guarantors to design…
AI Analysis
NCUA finalized a rule amending 12 CFR 701.20 to remove the prescriptive segregated deposit and collateral requirements for suretyship and guaranty agreements. The rule is intended to reduce compliance burden and give federally insured credit unions more flexibility, while keeping the core safety-and-soundness limits that the obligation must be fixed in amount and duration and must create a permissible loan under the applicable lending rules.
Key dates
2026-08-06
Federal Register publication of the final rule at 91 FR 50661
2026-09-08 Deadline
Final rule becomes effective
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to update policies, procedures, and product templates that still reference the former segregated deposit and collateral formulas in 12 CFR 701.20.
Institutions may wish to review surety and guaranty programs to ensure the obligation remains fixed in amount and duration and is structured as an otherwise permissible loan under the applicable lending regulations.
FCUs may wish to confirm that any related lending analysis still addresses member lending limits and other applicable provisions, including where commercial lending rules apply.
FISCUs may wish to confirm continued state-law authority to act as surety or guarantor and verify any state-specific constraints or approvals before offering these arrangements.
Risk and compliance functions may wish to reassess collateral practices for these products in light of the new flexibility while preserving safety-and-soundness controls.
What changed
The final rule deletes the specific segregated deposit requirement in 12 CFR 701.20(c)(3) for suretyship and guaranty agreements. It also removes the detailed collateral standards in 12 CFR 701.20(d), including the prior 100 percent and 110 percent collateral categories and the requirement for a perfected security interest tied to those prescribed values.
Compliance impact
NCUA describes the change as a reduction in unnecessary complexity and compliance burden, while maintaining safety-and-soundness constraints through the fixed-amount, fixed-duration, and lending-compliance requirements. The practical consequence is greater product-design flexibility for credit unions, but no relaxation of the underlying obligation to treat these arrangements as permissible lending activities under the applicable rules.
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is amending its regulations that establish the requirements for obtaining and maintaining federal share insurance with the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (Share Insurance Fund). The provisions of this part apply to all federally insured credit unions (FICUs). This final…
Why this matters
This is a deregulatory final rule (effective 09/08/2026) that amends 12 CFR 741.5 to replace a specific 30-day prior notice requirement with a more flexible 'before termination' standard for notifying members of excess insurance coverage termination.
Final action. The NCUA Board (Board) is rescinding Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 10-1. The Chartering and Field of Membership Manual (Chartering Manual) incorporates NCUA's current chartering requirements for federal credit unions (FCUs), making IRPS 10-1 unnecessary. This rescission reduces the…
Why this matters
The final rule rescinds IRPS 10-1, an interpretive ruling that had become duplicative of requirements already codified in the Chartering Manual (12 CFR Part 701, Appendix B).
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is amending its regulations that establish the requirements for obtaining and maintaining federal share insurance with the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (Share Insurance Fund). The provisions of this part apply to all federally insured credit unions (FICUs). The rule…
Why this matters
This is a deregulatory final rule by NCUA that removes duplicative disclosure requirements for nonmember account notifications from 12 CFR 741.10. The rule affects federally insured state-chartered credit unions (FISCUs) specifically.
Final action. The NCUA Board (Board) is issuing this action to rescind its Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 11-02, which addresses chartering corporate credit unions, because it is redundant to the Federal Corporate Credit Union Chartering Manual. This action eliminates potential confusion.
Why this matters
The final rule rescinds an Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS 11-02) issued by NCUA in 2011 regarding federal corporate credit union chartering. The rescission eliminates redundancy by consolidating guidance into the Federal Corporate Credit Union Chartering Manual.
Final rule. The NCUA Board (Board) is revising its regulations governing the organization and operation of federal credit unions (FCUs) by eliminating a provision related to credit union service contracts. The Board intends to reduce administrative costs and compliance complexity with this revision, enabling FCUs to…
AI Analysis
The NCUA finalized a deregulatory rule that removes 12 CFR 701.26, the section governing FCU credit union service contracts, and aligns part 721 to clarify FCU authority in shared operational arrangements. The rule is intended to reduce administrative burden and compliance complexity while the agency says existing expectations for written contracts, vendor oversight, and safe-and-sound third-party risk management remain unchanged.
Key dates
2026-02-25
NCUA issued the proposed rule removing 12 CFR 701.26; public comments were invited through April 27, 2026
2026-04-27 Deadline
Public comment deadline on the proposal
2026-08-06
Final rule published in the Federal Register at 91 FR 50674
2026-09-08 Deadline
Final rule becomes effective
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to remove references to 12 CFR 701.26 from policies, procedures, and training materials once the rule is effective.
Firms should consider confirming that contract templates still include written terms addressing audit rights, information security, business continuity, indemnification, performance metrics, data ownership and return, termination, and dispute resolution.
Credit unions involved in shared operational arrangements may wish to review whether documentation now reflects the updated clarification in 12 CFR 721.3.
Firms may wish to confirm that third-party risk management, vendor oversight, and due diligence controls remain aligned with existing supervisory expectations despite the regulatory deletion.
What changed
The final rule rescinds 12 CFR 701.26, which had addressed FCU authority to enter written contracts for assets or services relating to daily operations and required those agreements to be in writing. NCUA states that the contractual authority already exists under the FCU Act and incidental powers authority, so the regulation was redundant.
The Board also amended 12 CFR 721.3 to formally clarify that credit unions may act as representatives in shared operational arrangements with other credit unions or organizations, and that fixed assets may be shared.
Compliance impact
The practical impact is moderate: the rule removes a prescriptive regulatory citation but does not eliminate the underlying authority or supervisory expectations around written contracts and vendor oversight. NCUA says the change should lower administrative costs and complexity, while poor third-party risk management could still draw supervisory concern under existing safety-and-soundness expectations.
Final Order. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC" or the "Commission") is issuing this Order pursuant to Sec. 20.9 of its regulations, the sunset provision of the Commission's large trader reporting rules for physical commodity swaps ("Part 20" or the "Swaps LTR Rules"). Based on the findings set out…
AI Analysis
The CFTC has issued a final order under 17 CFR 20.9 to sunset the routine large trader reporting regime for physical commodity swaps in Part 20. The agency says the move matters because SDR-based swap reporting now largely duplicates the Part 20 data, while preserving special-call authority over underlying books, records, and futures-equivalent conversion methods.
Key dates
2011-07-22
CFTC adopted Part 20 as a temporary large trader reporting framework for physical commodity swaps.
2026-07-21
Final order effective date; routine Part 20 reporting requirements become ineffective and unenforceable.
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to confirm that Part 20 daily and event-based filing workflows are disabled or archived as of the effective date.
Firms may wish to retain the underlying books, records, and futures-equivalent conversion methodologies required for special-call production under § 20.6 and related retained provisions.
Operational teams may wish to map any legacy Part 20 controls to SDR, Parts 43 and 45, and Part 150 processes to avoid duplicate reporting.
Firms may wish to review document retention and response procedures so that special-call requests can be answered promptly if the CFTC seeks underlying records.
Compliance functions may wish to update internal regulatory inventories and policies to reflect that Part 20 routine reporting is no longer enforceable, while recordkeeping obligations remain.
What changed
The order renders the routine position-reporting requirements of Part 20 ineffective and unenforceable, so clearing organizations, clearing members, and swap dealers are no longer required to file the daily and event-based reports previously required under §§ 20.3, 20.4, 20.5, and related reporting provisions. The CFTC is retaining, under § 20.9(b), the recordkeeping and special-call provisions, including the obligation to keep records of paired swaps and swaptions and the methods used to convert positions into futures equivalents and to produce those records on request.
Compliance impact
The impact is significant for affected reporting firms because a recurring daily and event-based reporting burden is removed, reducing duplicative reporting costs and systems maintenance. The CFTC says it will still be able to compel underlying records by special call, so firms remain exposed to supervisory requests and must preserve the supporting data and conversion methods.
Order. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("Commission" or "CFTC") is issuing an order pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA") that provides exemptive relief from the Commission's opening price settlement requirement for security futures products in connection with Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.'s…
AI Analysis
The CFTC issued conditional exemptive relief allowing CME to list cash-settled futures on individual equity securities using the underlying stock’s closing price for final settlement, rather than the opening-price settlement ordinarily required for security futures. The order matters because it updates a core settlement design rule for single-stock futures, but only for CME and only if CME complies with the imposed listing standards and the order’s conditions.
Key dates
2025-07-25
CME requested exemptive relief from CFTC regulation 41.25(c)
2026-07-10
SEC granted CME exemptive relief, subject to heightened listing standards
2026-07-15
CME submitted an updated request to the CFTC incorporating the SEC-conditioned listing standards
2026-07-16
CFTC order became applicable
2026-07-21
Federal Register publication date of the CFTC order
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to review whether any proposed or existing single-stock futures products rely on opening-price settlement and whether the CME order changes product design assumptions.
Firms may wish to confirm that the relevant underlying securities satisfy CME’s heightened liquidity and market-capitalization listing standards before marketing, clearing, or supporting these contracts.
Market surveillance teams may wish to assess whether surveillance procedures need updating for closing-price settlement mechanics and end-of-day manipulation risks.
Operational teams may wish to align settlement, market data, and surveillance processes with the product’s closing-price final settlement methodology.
Legal and regulatory teams may wish to track the separate SEC and CFTC conditions, since CME’s ability to proceed depends on both regimes.
What changed
The order exempts CME from CFTC regulation 41.25(c), which generally requires the final settlement price of a cash-settled security futures product to fairly reflect the opening price of the underlying security or securities. The relief is granted under regulation 41.25(e), which permits exemptions on specified terms and conditions when consistent with the public interest and the protection of customers.
Compliance impact
The practical impact is moderate to high for CME and firms directly supporting these products, because the order changes the settlement convention for a new security futures offering and ties the relief to specific listing conditions. The CFTC frames the relief as consistent with the public interest and customer protection, but it also remains conditional and limited, meaning non-compliance could jeopardize the exemption or product listing.
Final rule. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") is amending its rules delegating authority to the Commission's staff to further modernize these rules, to better reflect the way the Commission conducts its business, and to more efficiently use the Commission's resources.
Why this matters
The rule amends SEC internal delegation rules to consolidate registration and administrative functions within the EDGAR Business Office and Office of Municipal Securities, and makes technical corrections to review procedures.
Final rule. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("Commission") is amending the margin requirements for uncleared swaps applicable to swap dealers and major swap participants that are not subject to the margin rules of a prudential regulator. The amendment revises the definition of "margin affiliate" in the…
AI Analysis
The CFTC adopted a final rule under 17 CFR part 23 that narrows the margin-affiliate analysis for certain seeded investment funds, expands eligible initial margin collateral, and adjusts haircut treatment for money market and similar funds. The rule is effective 2026-08-17 and is designed to reduce initial margin posting and collection burdens in specific uncleared swap relationships while preserving the overall uncleared swaps margin framework.
Key dates
2026-07-17
Federal Register publication date for the final rule
2026-08-17 Deadline
Final rule effective date
Suggested considerations
Compliance teams may wish to identify whether any counterparties qualify as eligible seeded funds under the revised margin-affiliate definition and document the three-year trading-inception window.
Firms may wish to refresh margin threshold calculations to reflect the exclusion of qualifying seeded funds from margin-affiliate aggregation.
Operational teams may wish to update collateral eligibility schedules so that money market and similar fund securities are assessed under the expanded eligible-collateral framework.
Risk and valuation teams may wish to confirm haircut logic under Commission Regulation 23.156(a)(3) for money market and similar funds.
Legal and compliance functions may wish to map the final rule against existing IM procedures, counterparty onboarding language, and margin agreements to determine whether amendments are needed before the effective date.
Firms may wish to coordinate with fund sponsors and asset managers to verify the fund's start-up capital structure, independence, support limitations, and commencement of trading for any seeded-fund analysis.
What changed
['The Commission revised the definition of "margin affiliate" so that certain collective investment vehicles that receive start-up capital from a sponsor entity, referred to as "seeded funds," are treated as having no margin affiliates or as not constituting margin affiliates of another entity for purposes of the initial margin threshold calculation.', "For eligible seeded funds, swap dealers and major swap participants subject to the CFTC uncleared swaps margin rules are relieved from the requirement to post and collect initial margin for up to three years from the fund's trading inception...
Compliance impact
The rule is a material change to the uncleared swaps margin framework because it changes when initial margin must be exchanged for certain seeded funds and broadens the pool of assets that can be posted as eligible collateral. The Commission indicates the amendments are intended to relieve burdens while preserving margin protections, so firms that fail to update threshold, collateral, and haircut controls could apply the wrong IM treatment after the effective date.
## PART 1: ANALYSIS
**Executive summary**
The CFTC has finalized amendments to its uncleared swaps margin rule for swap dealers and major swap participants that are not under prudential regulator margin rules, primarily by narrowing when seeded funds are treated as “margin affiliates,” broadening eligible initial...
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission established joint data standards under the Financial Data Transparency Act of 2022. The final rule establishes technical standards for data submitted to certain financial regulatory agencies. Eight additional…
AI Analysis
The SEC has adopted **joint data standards** under the Financial Data Transparency Act of 2022 (FDTA) to govern how data is formatted and submitted to specified U.S. financial regulators, including the SEC. This materially raises the bar on data structure, tagging, and interoperability for regulatory reporting and disclosures, requiring firms to shift from document-centric to **machine‑readable, standardized data** across multiple reporting regimes.
Key dates
TBD (2026)
– SEC press release date and effective date of the joint data standards rule (exact calendar date to be taken from the final rule and press release)
TBD (2026–2027)
– SEC and other participating agencies publish technical specifications, schemas, and implementation guides for specific forms and data collections that will transition to the joint data standards
TBD (2027 and beyond) Deadline
– Phased compliance dates for particular reporting forms and regimes as each agency completes its implementation plans under the FDTA; individual forms will have distinct first‑applicable reporting periods and transition windows
Suggested considerations
Conduct a comprehensive mapping of all current and upcoming regulatory data submissions to the SEC and other FDTA‑covered agencies to identify which reports are likely to be brought under the joint data standards.
Review and update data governance frameworks so that key data elements (counterparty identifiers, instrument identifiers, balances, exposures, classifications) are uniquely defined, consistently sourced, and traceable across internal systems in alignment with anticipated joint taxonomies.
Assess existing regulatory reporting systems and vendor solutions (including XBRL tools, data warehouses, and filing platforms) and develop an upgrade plan to support the new machine‑readable, standardized formats and schemas.
Establish an internal FDTA/joint data standards implementation program, with clear ownership (e.g., finance, regulatory reporting, data management, IT) and a cross‑functional steering committee to oversee design, testing, and rollout.
Engage with technology, regtech, and data vendors to confirm their timelines for supporting the new SEC and cross‑agency standards and to obtain updated taxonomies, schemas, and validation rules as soon as they are published.
What changed
- The SEC, jointly with seven other U.S. financial regulators, has established mandatory technical data standards for information submitted to those agencies pursuant to the Financial Data...
The joint standards apply to regulatory data collections within each participating agency’s remit (e.g., SEC filings and reports, certain prudential and market data submissions), and are intended to...
The rule requires use of structured, non‑proprietary, machine‑readable formats (such as XML, JSON, XBRL, or similar open standards) where data is collected electronically, moving away from...
The standards require use of public, non‑exclusive data dictionaries and taxonomies, so that data elements (e.g., fields, metrics, identifiers) are consistently defined and tagged across different...
The rule embeds interoperability requirements, so that the same data element (for example, a LEI, CUSIP, counterparty ID, asset class, or exposure type) is reported using harmonized definitions and...
Compliance impact
The impact is high, because the rule drives structural changes to how regulatory data is formatted, governed, and submitted, with material systems and process implications across multiple reporting regimes. Non‑compliance may result in rejected filings, late‑filing violations, enforcement risk, and increased scrutiny over the accuracy and reliability of reported data.