On September 8, 2025, the OCC announced actions to eliminate politicized or unlawful debanking in the federal banking system. This initiative aligns with the President’s Executive Order 14331, “Guaranteeing Fair Banking For All Americans,” emphasizing that banks should offer financial services based on objective, individualized, and risk-based assessments.
The OCC issued a Bulletin to banks to clarify how it considers politicized or unlawful debanking in certain licensing filings and in assessing banks’ records of performance under the CRA. The OCC looks at a bank's previous record and current policies to prevent unfair or illegal debanking when it assesses the relevant laws and rules for licensing activities. In addition, debanking considerations are assessed in determining a bank’s CRA rating.
In a separate bulletin, the OCC reminded institutions of the specific situations in which customer financial records may be released and emphasized the correct handling of suspicious activity reports. Additionally, the OCC urges regulated institutions to ensure their policies and procedures are in compliance with EO 14331 to prevent unlawful debanking.
Read the OCC press release here.