OCC boosts M&A clarity to uplift US banks’ performance.

The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has proposed new regulations for bank mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in an effort to increase transparency and ensure deals are thoroughly scrutinized. The OCC’s proposal comes after criticism that regulators have not been transparent in their review of bank deals. The OCC aims to improve the accuracy of merger approvals and encourage more mergers to take place through greater transparency. The proposed regulations would require banking regulators to have more time to assess M&A deals and would eliminate a 1996 policy that automatically approves deals if the OCC does not act within a certain timeframe. This increased regulatory scrutiny could also benefit fintech companies, as banking regulators are more likely to thoroughly assess M&A deals involving fintechs.