Creeping Capital Controls At JPMorgan Chase?

"For whatever reason, JPM has decided that after November 17, 2013, it will halt the use of international wire transfers (saying it would "cancel any international wire transfers, including recurring ones"), but more importantly, limits the cash activity in associated business accounts to only $50,000 per statement cycle. "Cash activity is the combined total of cash deposits made at branches, night drops and ATMs and cash withdrawals made at branches and ATMs." Why? "These changes will help us more effectively manage the risks involved with these types of transactions." So... JPM is now engaged in the risk-management of ATM withdrawals?" Continue reading

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Chase Bank Limits Cash Withdrawals, Bans International Wire Transfers

"Numerous business customers with Chase BusinessSelect Checking and Chase BusinessClassic accounts have received letters over the past week informing them that cash activity (both deposits and withdrawals) will be limited to a $50,000 total per statement cycle from November 17 onwards. The move to limit deposits and withdrawals while banning international wire transfers altogether is a bizarre policy and will cripple many small and medium-sized businesses with Chase accounts. Buying stock from abroad in any kind of quantity will now become impossible for many companies, while paying employees will also be a headache." Continue reading

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Overtaxed and over there

"'FATCA is strangling us economically,' says Genevieve Besser, an American who has lived in Germany for 25 years. Last year her youngest daughter, a dual citizen, had her local brokerage account closed by Deutsche Bank because her mother had signing authority over it. Americans are even being forced out of products that are not subject to FATCA reporting: some have been forced to pay off mortgage balances with Swiss banks, for instance. American banks and brokerages are growing frostier too. Some are closing the accounts of citizens who no longer have an American address because of FATCA." Continue reading

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State, provincial regulators raise red flags on virtual currency

"Consumers may be headed for trouble when they turn over bank and brokerage pass codes to investment advisers or get pulled into investment scams involving digital currencies, state securities regulators said. The North American Securities Administrators Association said digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, offer consumers another way of paying for goods and services, but they also provide a 'fertile ground for scam artists to capitalize on ... (their) increasing popularity and acceptance.' The association's members include state and provincial regulators in the United States, Canada and Mexico." Continue reading

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