CFPB Decides to Supervise the Non-Bank Companies in the Digital Payments Sector

Digital payments make transactions more accessible with various payment applications for consumers. In November 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced governing the non-bank organizations that provide services like digital payment apps, digital wallets, and others. Companies from the non-bank background are growing in popularity in the digital payment field, such as Google, PayPal, and Apple, among other payment apps. The main concern raised by the organization is that many non-bank payment apps are not subjected to CFPB's supervision tests. Therefore, CFPB wants to enroll all non-bank companies in the digital payment field to follow the rules and regulations of the banks and other financial organizations. CFPB expects this specifically from companies with more than 5 million transactions annually. Credit unions, large banks, and other financial organizations adhere to the guidelines and rules laid down by the CFPB for governing these institutions. China leads the world in digital payments in 2023 in various areas of the economy, including online shopping, payment at restaurants, and others. A recent survey releasing data in November 2023 shows that Alipay and WeChat Pay are the foremost non-bank companies involved in digital payment and transactions, with 92 and 85 percent, respectively. Digital payment applications provide convenience in all transactions done by the users. The retail sector sees more payment transactions through non-bank digital payment apps as it overcomes the rate of traditional payment methods via debit and credit cards. The cashless economy trend is growing faster with these digital payment apps as the merchants also allow payments made with online transactions, which helps lessen merchants' use of cash. Digital transactions help consumers with small or middle income primarily. However, CFPB found that tech companies providing digital transactions in the consumer finance markets have reduced the difference between banking and payments through commercial ways. According to CFPB, this difference can put consumers at stake. Therefore, the CFPB will decide on the mandatory supervision of non-bank organizations, like big tech companies, in 2023.

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Aarti Dhapte
Aarti Dhapte
AVP - Research
A consulting professional focused on helping businesses navigate complex markets through structured research and strategic insights. I partner with clients to solve high-impact business problems across market entry strategy, competitive intelligence, and opportunity assessment. Over the course of my experience, I have led and contributed to 100+ market research and consulting engagements, delivering insights across multiple industries and geographies, and supporting strategic decisions linked to $500M+ market opportunities. My core expertise lies in building robust market sizing, forecasting, and commercial models (top-down and bottom-up), alongside deep-dive competitive and industry analysis. I have played a key role in shaping go-to-market strategies, investment cases, and growth roadmaps, enabling clients to make confident, data-backed decisions in dynamic markets.
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