Significant 2025 Deregulatory Developments in Banking Law

Join host Alan Kaplinsky, founder and former longtime leader of Ballard Spahr's Consumer Financial Services Group and one of the foremost thought leaders in the industry, as he welcomes two special guests for a timely and insightful conversation about the most significant deregulatory developments in banking law during 2025.

Alan is joined by his Ballard Spahr colleague Scott Coleman, a partner with more than 30 years of experience guiding banks and bank holding companies through mergers, acquisitions, and all facets of regulatory compliance, especially in the community banking sector. They're also joined by Dr. Sean Campbell, Chief Economist and Head of Policy Research at the Financial Services Forum, where he represents the eight U.S. global systemically important banks. Dr. Campbell is a distinguished economist, former senior Federal Reserve official, and published academic.

In this episode, Alan, Scott, and Sean break down the latest developments and ongoing trends in bank regulation and supervision, and digital innovation. You'll get expert analysis and practical takeaways on:

·                 The Deregulatory Wave: How the Trump administration's aggressive deregulatory agenda is streamlining exams, reducing supervisory burdens, and shifting the focus toward core financial risk-while eliminating reputational risk as a part of President Trump’s Debanking Executive Order.

·                 Supervision and Stress Testing Reform: Why new Federal Reserve proposals to increase transparency in stress testing mark a turning point for large banks, moving away from a "check-the-box" approach to a laser focus on tangible risks like capital, liquidity, and asset quality.

·                 Deposit Insurance Debate: The pros, cons, and historical lessons of raising FDIC insurance limits-especially in the wake of recent bank failures and how the right balance can preserve market discipline.

·                 Community Reinvestment Act in the Digital Age: Why the CRA's geography-based model is due for an overhaul as banking goes mobile and regulatory priorities shift.

·                 Crypto, Stablecoins, and Regulatory Parity: What the Bipartisan Enactment of the GENIUS Act (regulating stablecoins) means for banks and fintechs, and why applying anti-money laundering rules across the board could level the playing field.

·                 Eliminating Reputational Risk: How regulators are eliminating the use of "reputational risk" as a catch-all supervisory and enforcement tool and what this means for fair access and bank governance.

·                 Looking to the Future: The group reflects on what's next for the bank regulatory landscape, Wall Street's view on the industry, and the practical impacts on banks and consumers.

Whether you're a banker, regulator, or just want to understand how Washington and Wall Street are shaping the future of finance, this episode delivers the highlights of 2025 and insights you need going into 2026. Tune in for expert opinions, real-world examples, and a roadmap to what's ahead!

Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, and the founder and former chair of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe to the podcast on their preferred platform for weekly insights into developments in the banking and the consumer finance industry.