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A senior official at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) says he’s working to ensure large US banks have ended policies that likely triggered the “debanking” of certain clients or industries.
OCC Comptroller Jonathan Gould told a regulatory-conference audience that examiners are verifying whether major banks have followed through on eliminating practices that discouraged providing services to particular sectors, reports Reuters.
Gould noted that some banks have reported changing these policies, but that the OCC is checking the follow-through.
The heightened oversight follows a June order by US regulators that directed banks to review whether account closures or denials were based on political or religious reasons and to remove any such discriminatory criteria.
Gould said the review covers both current and prior policies. He added that the goal is to ensure banks base account decisions on objective, risk-based standards rather than non-financial factors.
The broader issue of account access has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers in recent months. In September, 25 US banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America, received inquiries from U.S. senators regarding policies that could increase the likelihood of customers losing access to banking services.
The senators raised concerns after a 2024 cap on overdraft fees was reversed in 2025, arguing that higher fees may contribute to account closures among low-income customers.
