What You Need to Know About the OCC’s Fintech Charter

On July 31, 2018, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said it will begin accepting applications for a special purpose national bank charter designed specifically for fintech companies. The news came hours after the Treasury Department issued a parallel report preemptively supporting the move.

In connection with its announcement, the OCC issued a supplement to its Comptroller’s Licensing Manual as well as a Policy Statement addressing charter applications from fintech companies. Both are worth reviewing by anyone thinking about submitting an application.

The Application Process
To apply for a fintech charter, a company must engage in either or both of the core banking activities of paying checks or lending money. Generally, this would include businesses involved in payment processing or marketplace lending.

The fintech charter is not available for companies that want to take deposits, nor is it an option for companies seeking federal deposit insurance. Such companies would have to apply instead for a full-service national bank charter and federal deposit insurance.

The application process for a fintech charter is similar to that for a de novo bank charter, with each application reviewed on its own unique facts and circumstances.

The four stages of the application process are:

1. The pre-filing phase, involving preliminary meetings with the OCC to discuss the business plan, proposed board and management, underlying marketing analysis to support the plan, capital and liquidity needs and the applicant’s commitment to providing fair access to its financial services
2. The filing phase, involving the submission of a completed application
3. The review phase, during which the OCC conducts a detailed review and analysis of the application
4. The decision phase, during which the OCC determines whether to approve the application

The process from beginning to end can take up to a year or longer.

Living with a fintech charter
Fintech banks will be supervised in a similar manner to national banks. They will be subject to minimum capital and liquidity requirements that could vary depending on the applicant’s business model, financial inclusion commitments, and safety and soundness examinations, among other things.

Additionally, to receive final approval to open a fintech bank, an applicant must adopt and receive OCC approval of a contingency plan addressing steps the bank will take in the event of severe financial stress. Such options would include a sale, merger or liquidation. The applicant must also develop policies and procedures to implement its financial inclusion commitment to treat customers fairly and provide fair access to its financial services.
Similar to a traditional de novo bank, a fintech bank will be subject to enhanced supervision during at least its first three years of operation.

Pre-application considerations
A company thinking about applying should consider:

1. The advantages of operating under a single, national set of standards, particularly for companies operating in multiple states
2. The ability to meet minimum capital and liquidity requirements
3. The time and expense of obtaining a charter
4. Whether a partnership with an existing bank is a superior alternative
5. The potential for delays in the regulatory process for obtaining a charter, including delays resulting from the OCC application process or legal challenges to that process

There is one complicating factor in all of this. Following the OCC’s initial proposal to issue fintech charters in 2017, two lawsuits were filed challenging the OCC’s authority to do so—one by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and one by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Both were dismissed, because the OCC had yet to reach a final decision. But now that the OCC has issued formal guidance and stated its intent to accept applications, one or both lawsuits may be refiled.

Whether this happens remains to be seen. But either way, the OCC’s decision to accept applications for fintech charters speaks to its commitment to clear the way for further innovation in the financial services industry.