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LAKE BLUFF, Ill.— Even after the Federal Reserve held rates steady again this month, the message from the market is increasingly clear: financial institutions should prepare for a “higher for longer” deposit environment in 2026—and possibly even the risk of a rate hike before year-end—as sticky inflation, rising oil prices and geopolitical turmoil keep pressure on funding costs and intensify competition for consumer deposits.

WASHINGTON— Credit card “swipe fees” could add nearly $600 million to Americans’ Easter spending this year, according to the Merchants Payments Coalition, which said the added cost underscores fresh pressure on Congress to revive the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act.

WASHINGTON— House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) is pressing the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City for more details on its decision to grant Kraken Financial access to the Fed’s payment system, demanding answers on what she called a novel “limited purpose account” that appears to fall outside existing statutory and regulatory categories.

WASHINGTON— An analysis in ABA Banking Journal argues that credit unions have sharply expanded commercial lending in ways that raise questions about mission, risk and oversight, contending larger institutions, low-income designated credit unions and those that have acquired banks are carrying significantly higher business-loan exposure than in the past.

WASHINGTON--Proposed data privacy legislation acknowledges existing financial institution requirements but brings some concerns. America’s Credit Unions detailed the important relief provided and additional recommendations in a letter to House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and bill sponsor Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI).

BLACKSBURG, Va.— Virginia Credit Union has opened a new branch at 200 N. Main St., marking the first new location in its expanded service territory following its merger with Member One Federal Credit Union.

CHICAGO—As digital fraud grows more sophisticated, credit unions are facing a tougher version of an old problem: how to stop more fraud without piling on the kinds of login hurdles, step-up checks and false positives that frustrate legitimate members.