The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency found instances in which large banks considered political or religious factors when closing customer accounts. The regulator reviewed nearly 100,000 complaints involving the country's nine largest national banks. It also examined about 420,000 pages of records. The review did not impose penalties.
The OCC began the review in September 2025 amid political scrutiny of so-called debanking. Its findings were reported by several independent news organisations after the regulator's examination. The agency said the available information did not allow it to quantify the scope or economic effect of the conduct. The report therefore identified instances of concern without establishing how widespread they were.
REVIEW FINDS DISCRIMINATORY FACTORS
The regulator examined whether banks had denied services on the basis of customers' political or religious views rather than financial risk. Its findings indicated that such factors entered some decisions. That conclusion is narrower than a finding that all reviewed closures were improper.
The review covered the largest national banks and a large volume of complaints and documents. Even so, the OCC said limitations in the evidence prevented a reliable measure of the overall scale or financial impact. The lack of quantification will shape how banks and policymakers interpret the findings.
POLICY RESPONSE REMAINS OPEN
The OCC did not announce fines alongside the report. It indicated that the findings could inform policy changes intended to prevent banks from using impermissible non-financial factors in account decisions. Any changes would need to preserve legitimate controls for money laundering, sanctions and credit risk.
Banks will now watch for formal supervisory guidance or rulemaking that translates the review into enforceable standards. The next material milestone will be any OCC proposal specifying how institutions must document account closures and distinguish prohibited discrimination from risk-based decisions.