BofA's fintech accelerator launch and Guaranteed Rate's new insurance offering via a brokerage spinoff are among the latest fintech stories.

The company is rolling out a special-purpose credit program to help address what it describes as "the biggest barriers to achieving homeownership." Such programs are gaining popularity among banks.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is reviewing HSBC's lending practices in certain majority Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, the bank disclosed. The regions under scrutiny include New York, Seattle and several parts of California, according to the nonprofit organization whose complaint prompted the investigation.

Figure Technologies laid off 90 employees this week, or about 20% of its staff, while it's also interviewing bankers in advance of a planned initial public offering for its lending business next year, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg.

Eligible customers would receive a credit of up to $5,000 that can be put toward expenses like closing costs, or used to secure a lower interest rate. It's the latest example of a bank launching a program aimed at extending credit to minority borrowers.

Nevada also approved similar legislation in June, with permanent policies now in place in over half of all U.S. states.

Eligible borrowers would receive a credit for up to $5,000 to pay for expenses like insurance, taxes and closing costs. The program comes months after fair-lending advocacy groups criticized KeyBank for its low rate of lending to Black borrowers.

Black Americans experienced denial rates of 16.4% in 2022, up from 15.7% the year before, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council said last week.

Wells Fargo directed its bilingual team to steer customers away from products with no closing costs toward "predatory lending options" without disclosing the costs, in part by refusing to provide Spanish-language written materials, according to the complaint.

Under a 2-year-old program, homebuyers receive grants of up to $5,000 for down payments and closing costs. JPMorgan Chase said the latest expansion — to some new 3,000 census tracts in 16 U.S. markets — may help an additional 1,000 customers obtain mortgages.