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Tuesday recap
US regulators propose capital rule overhaul that could free up to $60B for major banks
The Federal Reserve and other regulators have drafted a sweeping revision of bank capital rules that could release roughly $20 billion, potentially as much as $60 billion, for the eight largest U.S. banks. The plan also mandates that large regional banks factor unrealized securities losses into their capital calculations, addressing a key weakness highlighted by the SVB collapse.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Huntington Bancshares completes Cadence Bank acquisition
On March 18, 2026 the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) launched alongside the Tempo mainnet, marking a shift from human‑centric checkout to automated, machine‑driven transactions. Co‑authored by Stripe and Tempo Labs, MPP revives the HTTP 402 “Payment Required” status as a standardized, machine‑readable challenge‑response mechanism. By embedding payment directly into the HTTP layer, the protocol eliminates the need for browsers, clicks, or CAPTCHAs, enabling sub‑cent micropayments for AI agents. Its deterministic state machine completes payment in a single round‑trip without API keys or pre‑existing accounts.
Mastercard Completes Its First Live Authenticated Agentic Transaction in Hong Kong - HSBC and DBS on Production Rails An AI agent booked a ride to Hong Kong airport. HSBC and DBS authenticated it. Existing Mastercard rails settled it. The big card networks...
#IndiaWatch🇮🇳: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is stepping in to try to slow the rupee’s slide. By restricting derivatives and other tools traders use to SHORT the rupee, the RBI is trying to suppress bets AGAINST the currency. THE RBI'S ENGAGED...
Gustav Hult, founder of Intergiro, used the MPE 2023 stage to outline the fintech’s mission: delivering fast, cloud‑native banking services to small and medium‑size enterprises that struggle to access traditional banks. Since its 2017 launch, Intergiro has built a platform...
If we had the worst mortgage spread levels in 2023, mortgage rates would be 7.45% today, not 6.45%. If we had the worst levels of 2024, mortgage rates would be 7.07% today. If we had the worst levels of 2025, mortgage rates...
Cloud-native banks are redefining growth. Faster onboarding, lower costs, and better customer experiences at scale. https://t.co/AlxGiU2q70
Max Wolke, head of Brite Payments’ DACH region, announced the company’s recent launch in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking its first physical presence in the market. Brite, an instant‑payments platform operating in 24 European countries, is building a local team...
The Supreme Court intervened in a five‑year dispute to clear a Uttarakhand businessman’s negative CIBIL credit score that persisted despite having no loans or defaults. The petitioner, Rajendra Singh Panwar, argued that shared PAN numbers caused other individuals’ defaults to be mistakenly...
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Homeowners can tap the equity in their primary residence to fund a second‑home purchase through a lump‑sum home equity loan, provided their lender permits it. Such loans typically allow borrowing up to about 80% of the home’s value and carry...
The Trump administration has filed a new plan to slash the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s staff from 1,700 authorized positions to roughly 550, a two‑thirds reduction. The proposal, outlined in a court filing, faces fierce resistance from the agency’s employee...
Barclays has halted its aggressive branch‑closure programme and announced plans to add new locations beyond its current 206 UK branches. CEO Vim Maru said the bank will revive the traditional "bank manager" role to blend digital services with face‑to‑face support...
Bank mergers in the United States have surged in 2025 and are projected to continue into 2026, prompting a wave of branch closures. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency recorded 41 closure announcements in the first quarter of...
Sezzle reported a 32.2% year‑over‑year revenue increase in Q4 2025, propelled by AI‑enhanced underwriting and fraud detection. The growth comes as cost‑of‑living pressures boost BNPL usage, and the company prepares a bank charter to broaden its product suite.
At the Future Investment Initiative in Miami, BlackRock, Visa and World Liberty Financial disclosed new stablecoin projects, joining Ripple and other incumbents in a wave of institutional entry. The move follows a year in which stablecoins processed $33 trillion, underscoring their...
India's foreign exchange reserves plunged $10.3 bn in the week to March 27, 2026, leaving the total at $688.1 bn. The slide was led by a $6.6 bn fall in foreign currency assets and a $3.7 bn drop in gold, reflecting RBI's market‑stabilisation moves and...
Freddie Mac said the benchmark 30‑year fixed mortgage rate jumped to 6.46% from 6.38% last week, its highest level since early September. The rise mirrors a lift in the 10‑year Treasury yield to 4.3%, underscoring tighter credit conditions for homebuyers...
Wells Fargo chief Charles Scharf warned the market with the three‑word phrase “Reasons to worry,” despite data showing resilient consumer spending and low unemployment. He cited soaring oil prices, higher gasoline costs and lingering market nervousness as the main threats...
