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Investing.com -- The Federal Reserve needs to strengthen its annual stress tests for the largest U.S. banks or risk triggering the next financial crash, according to Yerbol Orynbayev, former Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and current President of TurmaFinTech.
Orynbayev’s warning comes after all 22 major U.S. banks successfully passed the Fed’s annual stress test, potentially opening the door to reduced capital requirements.
Following strong second-quarter earnings reports, Orynbayev cautioned that relaxed regulations would only enable the "Big Four" banks—JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup (NYSE:C), Bank of America, and Wells Fargo—to stifle industry competition.
He expressed concern that this could lead to the disappearance of community banks, which currently provide one-fifth of all loans nationwide. Orynbayev argued that the collapse of these smaller financial institutions poses an "underrated" risk to the U.S. economy and could trigger an unprecedented credit crunch.
"Frankly, I was disheartened by reports that this year’s annual stress test was less rigorous than usual. The U.S.’s ’Big Four’ are more powerful than ever, and I fear that looser regulatory oversight would give them the blank cheque they need to finally wipe out community banks," Orynbayev said.
He emphasized that community banks are "vital pillars" of U.S. lending activity, providing accessible capital to many Americans. Their elimination could potentially lead to a credit crunch or even spark another financial crisis, posing a significant threat to U.S. GDP.
Last year, the four largest banks captured their highest share of sector profits in nearly a decade. Orynbayev warned that additional capital would only "supercharge" their market reach.
"The U.S. economy is already teetering on the edge of recession. The Fed cannot inadvertently push it over the edge," he added.
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