FIL-41-2014: FDIC Clarifying Supervisory Approach to Institutions Establishing Account Relationships with Third-Party Payment Processors

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Financial Institution Letter
 


FDIC Clarifying Supervisory Approach to Institutions Establishing Account Relationships with Third-Party Payment Processors

FIL-41-2014
 7/28/2014
 

 


Summary:
 

The FDIC is clarifying its supervisory approach to institutions establishing account relationships with third-party payment processors (TPPPs). As part of its regular safety and soundness examination activities, the FDIC reviews and assesses the extent to which institutions having account relationships with TPPPs follow the outstanding guidance. FDIC guidance and an informational article contained lists of examples of merchant categories that had been associated by the payments industry with higher-risk activity when the guidance and article were released. The lists of examples of merchant categories have led to misunderstandings regarding the FDIC's supervisory approach to TPPPs, creating the misperception that the listed examples of merchant categories were prohibited or discouraged. In fact, it is FDIC's policy that insured institutions that properly manage customer relationships are neither prohibited nor discouraged from providing services to any customer operating in compliance with applicable law. Accordingly, the FDIC is clarifying its guidance to reinforce this approach, and as part of this clarification, the FDIC is removing the lists of examples of merchant categories from its official guidance and informational article.
 
Statement of Applicability to Institutions Under $1 Billion in Total Assets: This Financial Institution Letter applies to all FDIC-supervised institutions, including community banks, although its application is commensurate with size and risk.
 

Distribution:
 FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)
 

Complete Financial Institution Letter: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2014/fil14041.html
 
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