Big Bank Earnings Watch: JPMorgan kicked off US earnings season with a record-style quarterly profit, setting the tone for how global markets read bank health. Digital Banking Push: Banks are accelerating agentic AI and digital assistants to boost productivity, while KPMG says many are already piloting AI agents. Retail Banking Awards: Bahrain’s National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) won Euromoney’s Best Retail Bank, citing customer-centric digital and savings initiatives. Fee Pressure & Inclusion: Philippine banks waived transfer fees after BSP rules on fair pricing for digital person-to-person transfers, aiming to protect customers while keeping volumes up. Regulation & Compliance: The SEC amended private fund rules to tighten disclosure clarity and conflicts reporting, effective mid-July. Stablecoin Rule Uncertainty: US agencies missed a GENIUS Act deadline for final stablecoin rules, leaving issuers facing regulatory uncertainty. Digital Banking Expansion: Albania’s Jet Bank secured a full banking license from the Bank of Albania, paving the way for the country’s first digital bank model. Customer Cost Shifts (UK): Barclays scrapped its investment holding fee, while Santander will stop sending annual fee statements, pushing customers to check costs online. Banking Sector Profit Headwinds (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwean banks’ profits fell sharply as exchange-rate revaluation gains faded, forcing more reliance on core lending and fees.