FDATA North America June Newsletter

by rebecca

FDATA North America Monthly Newsletter for June 2024

Welcome to FDATA North America’s monthly newsletter! These regular dispatches will share developments from our organization and our 30+ member companies, all of which are promoting financial access and inclusion with open finance use cases. We also include a list of upcoming industry events, and coverage of any market developments that impact fintech innovators. Know someone who’d like to receive these monthly updates? Send them here to sign up.

FDATA North America News

FDATA North America Sends Letter to CFPB Advocating for Distinction Between Digital Wallets and Passthrough Payment Platforms. On May 2, 2024, the Financial Data and Technology Association of North America (FDATA) sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) addressing concerns in the Bureau’s approach to digital wallets and passthrough payment platforms in both its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Personal Financial Data Rights and its NPRM on Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payments. In the letter, FDATA NA critiqued the CFPB’s approach for not distinguishing between digital wallets, which hold consumer assets, and passthrough payment platforms, which facilitate transactions through other financial institutions. FDATA NA argued that this lack of distinction could lead to regulatory inefficiencies, consumer confusion, and stifled innovation. FDATA NA’s letter advocated for more tailored regulations that reflect the unique functions of digital financial services, emphasizing the need to exempt passthrough platforms from certain regulatory burdens to protect innovation and ensure precise, effective consumer protections. FDATA released a statement on its submission of the letter, which can be found here.

FDATA North America Responds to the Bank of Canada’s Retail Payments Supervision Consultation. On May 21, 2024, the Financial Data and Technology Association of North America (FDATA) responded to the Bank of Canada’s Retail Payments Supervision Consultation regarding its new supervisory guidelines for payment service providers (PSPs). Representing over 30 financial technology companies and consumer-permissioned data access platforms in Canada and the United States, FDATA expressed broad support for the Retail Payments Activities Act (RPAA) regulations while requesting additional clarity. FDATA emphasized that implementing the RPAA regulations will establish a robust regulatory framework for up to 2,500 PSPs, significantly advancing Canada’s financial services modernization. The association highlighted the importance of including payment use cases in Canada’s consumer-driven banking framework to align with other G7 nations. In its detailed response, FDATA addressed key aspects of the draft supervisory guidelines, such as urging comprehensive due diligence for outsourced service providers, flexible compliance standards, clear thresholds for different types of PSPs, and an extended 24-hour reporting period for material breaches. It also proposed reporting incidents solely to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner to reduce duplicative reporting and requested clarity on the definition of “holding funds,” recommending the exclusion of firms that facilitate transactions without holding funds. Additionally, FDATA called for explicit criteria for changes warranting notification, particularly for cloud migration. FDATA released a statement on its submission of the letter, which can be found here.

Member News & Activity

ByAllAccounts published a blog on designing open banking experiences for delegated access, highlighting the importance of accommodating complex relationships outside the current third-party data-sharing models. The blog discussed how ByAllAccounts is working with financial institutions and industry standards bodies to support consumer relationships with financial advisors, trustees, and guardians within the new open banking frameworks.

Basis Theory published a blog on the different types of payment tokens: universal, PSP, and network tokens, highlighting how each type masks sensitive payment data to improve security and streamline payment processing. The blog emphasized that while universal tokens offer the highest level of security and flexibility across various payment systems, PSP tokens are convenient for single-provider setups, and network tokens are specific to card networks, making them less versatile.

Betterment was featured on The Balancing Act which covered how Betterment’s combination of human expertise and technology makes it easy for consumers to invest. Watch the full segment here.

Envestnet launched a podcast featuring Farouk Ferchichi, Group President of Envestnet | Yodlee, discussing his fintech entrepreneurial background and its application at Envestnet. The episode covered topics such as internal transformation, data democratization, financial wellness, customer needs, and the role of AI in financial management and advisement.

Experian published a press release announcing the launch of Cashflow Attributes™, a solution aimed at expanding credit access for underserved consumers by integrating over 900 income, cashflow, and affordability attributes into lending decisions. This tool leverages banking data to provide a more comprehensive view of a consumer’s financial health, potentially improving predictive accuracy by up to 20% and supporting financial inclusion for nearly 106 million U.S. consumers who struggle to secure credit at mainstream rates.

Fiserv posted an article about Finxact, a next-generation banking platform designed for flexibility and scalability in banking, fintech, and embedded finance. Finxact’s open, API-first architecture allows financial institutions to offer personalized digital experiences and integrate seamlessly with other technologies, providing enhanced data access and real-time transaction processing.

Flinks published a blog highlighting the pivotal role of Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs) in Canada’s shift towards a cashless economy, accounting for 59% of total payment value in 2022. The blog discussed how EFTs provide secure, efficient, and convenient digital transactions, transforming financial operations for individuals and businesses while addressing challenges such as privacy, digital access, and the transition from traditional cash use.

GoCardless was featured in Payments Dive in an op-ed discussing how Pull-ACH can help finance leaders reduce costs and increase revenue by automating payment processes. The piece highlighted the advantages of Pull-ACH, including faster payment receipt, lower transaction fees, reduced failed payments, and improved cash flow management, making it a vital tool for businesses aiming to future-proof their payment systems.

MX published a blog advocating for Open Finance, emphasizing the benefits of accessible and actionable financial data for consumers. The blog highlighted key statistics showing that a significant majority of consumers desire a consolidated view of their finances, personalized financial services, and secure data connectivity, supporting the need for an open finance ecosystem as formalized by U.S. and Canadian governments.

Plaid published a blog announcing new solutions to help customers prepare for the upcoming U.S. open banking regulation, known as the CFPB’s 1033 rule, which will ensure consumers have control over their financial data. They introduced an open banking readiness toolkit and the Data Transparency Messaging tool, which provides detailed information about data usage and simplifies compliance with new authorization and data retention requirements.

Trustly published a press release announcing a partnership with PayNearMe to integrate Trustly’s Open Banking solution into PayNearMe’s MoneyLine™ platform. This collaboration will enhance iGaming and Online Sports Betting by enabling real-time ACH deposits and withdrawals, improving user experience and reducing operator risk.

Events and Submission Deadlines

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