Insights | Meridian Research Group

Crypto Market Structure/Stablecoins

The Senate Banking Committee (SBC) is holding a vote on crypto market structure legislation tomorrow. Republicans released their latest draft (the “Chairman’s mark”), which is a result of bipartisan negotiations, but many issues remain unresolved and the bill will be further amended during SBC consideration. Democrats have not...

Credit Card Interchange

Sen. Marshall (R-KS) has long been pushing for a vote on his Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), which establishes a dual network requirement for credit cards. He and Sen. Durbin (D-IL) re-introduced the bill today. President Trump for the first time expressed support for the bill and Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) for the first time...

Credit Card Interest Rate Cap

President Trump posted that he is “calling for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates of 10%.” A broad set of industry stakeholders representing banks of all sizes and payment networks (i.e., American Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers Association, others) immediately issued statements noting that an interest rate cap will...

Mergers & Acquisitions

Trends in Merger Enforcement Under Trump

Compass/Anywhere was cleared by the DOJ after the deal’s second HSR-waiting period expired on January 2. Recent reporting from media outlets including the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg revealed that the DOJ Antitrust Division was preparing to launch a second request investigation, but Trump-aligned lawyer/lobbyist Mike Davis was successful in...

Renewable Fuel Standard

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was ordered by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals in mid-December to provide a status update about the agency’s progress towards finalizing the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) for the 2026 and 2027 compliance years. In its response, the EPA indicated that it anticipates finalizing a rule in the first quarter...

Affordable Care Act Subsidies

Legislative activity related to expired ACA enhanced subsidies (eAPTCs) continues to accelerate and is moving in a more bipartisan direction. Yesterday, the House passed – on a bipartisan 230-196 basis – a bill to retroactively extend the subsidies for three years (through 2028). This bill was the result of a rarely-used “discharge...