A Quiet Fix with Big Implications: How the FDIC’s Appeals Office Could Unblock Bank-Fintech Innovation

Banking regulators aren’t usually associated with innovation-friendly policies. But in a notable turn, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is moving to establish a new Office of Supervisory Appeals, a change that could reverberate through the world of bank-fintech partnerships. This might sound arcane – an appeals office within a regulator – yet industry insiders and fintech advocates are hailing it as a win for fairness, consistency, and even innovation in financial services. Why? Because it promises an independent avenue for banks to challenge exam findings, potentially tempering the historically cautious (some say overzealous) stance regulators have taken toward banks that partner with fintechs.

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