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Written by Abraham Galvan on January 14, 2026
Despite ongoing political and economic uncertainty in Latin America, the US international banking and trade market continues to flow strongly.
US foreign investment activity is still experiencing growth and healthy expansion in the financial services industry, despite regulatory and economic challenges, said David Schwartz, the president and CEO of Miami’s Financial International Business Association (FIBA).
“Foreign banks are acquiring and opening branches here and, in the US,” he said. “For example, Banco Helm is a financial institution that recently acquired BCP, which has had a branch in Miami. This acquisition is evidence of continued foreign interest and investment in the US banking sector, allowing Banco Helm greater access to domestic markets and expanding its operational capabilities in the region.”
The international banking industry needs to uphold complex regulatory compliance requirements such as significant regulatory burdens meant to combat money laundering, drug trafficking, and terrorist financing, he said.
“Although there has been some recent relaxation and a shift in focus from ‘check the box’ compliance toward true risk-based compliance, banks must now scrutinize transactions – particularly those connected to high-risk regions like Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico – more carefully,” he continued. “Political and economic instability in certain countries also complicates compliance, as changing laws or designations like cartels being classified as terrorist organizations require banks to update their compliance processes and monitoring.”
“Ongoing political and economic instability in regions such as Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico means banks need to apply heightened scrutiny to potential activities and relationships in these markets,” Mr. Schwartz told Miami Today. “Economic instability – especially in Latin America – is a major factor shaping international banking trends and has led to increased flows of assets and private banking business into international banks based in South Florida.”
Other proposed changes to laws, such as Florida’s fair access law, could make it harder for banks to deny services or close accounts, increasing the need for thorough documentation and raising legal concerns over sharing certain information, he continued. Florida’s fair access law is also legislation intended to give customers the ability to file complaints against financial institutions if they feel they’ve been unfairly denied service. Proposed recent changes seek to expand the law’s reach, making it more challenging for banks to deny services, close accounts, or deny loans without careful documentation.
“These overlapping requirements from state and federal regulators – and the fast-changing risk landscape – make regulatory compliance a persistent and multifaceted challenge for banks,” he said. “But the overall outlook for international banking remains optimistic, with growth and activity expected to continue.”