FDIC Finalizes Rule to Modernize Official Signs and Advertising Statement Requirements for Insured Depository Institutions

For Release

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board of Directors today adopted a final rule to amend part 328 of its regulations to modernize the rules governing use of the official FDIC signs and advertising statements, and to clarify the FDIC’s regulations regarding false advertising, misrepresentations of deposit insurance coverage, and misuse of the FDIC’s name or logo.

“The banking industry and practices have substantially changed since the FDIC official sign and advertising rules were last significantly updated in 2006.” said Chairman Gruenberg. “The revisions extend the certainty and confidence that the FDIC official sign provides at bank branch teller windows to the digital channels through which depositors are increasingly handling their banking needs.”

Since the 1930s, the black and gold FDIC official sign (shown below) displayed at bank branch teller windows has given bank customers confidence that their deposited funds are safe. Depositors and consumers today have a variety of options for where they can deposit their money and how they can access banking products and services. The revisions in the final rule extend the certainty and confidence associated with the FDIC official sign to digital channels, such as bank websites and mobile applications, through which depositors are increasingly handling their banking needs.

FDIC Official Physical Sign:

The final rule establishes a new black and navy blue FDIC official digital sign (shown below). Beginning in 2025, banks will be required to display the FDIC official digital sign near the name of the bank on all bank websites and mobile applications. Banks also will be required to display the FDIC official digital sign on certain automated teller machines.

FDIC Official Digital Sign:

In addition, the final rule modernizes requirements for display of the FDIC official sign in bank branches and other physical premises to account for evolving designs of bank branches and other physical bank locations where customers make deposits.

The final rule also requires the use of signs to differentiate insured deposits from non–deposit products across banking channels and to indicate that certain financial products “are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits, and may lose value.”

The final rule clarifies the FDIC’s regulations regarding misrepresentations of deposit insurance coverage by addressing specific scenarios where a person, including a non–bank entity, provides information to consumers that may be misleading, confuse consumers as to whether they are doing business with a bank, and whether their funds are protected by deposit insurance. For example, the final rule clarifies that FDIC–associated terms or images may not be used in marketing and advertising materials to inaccurately imply or represent that any uninsured financial product or non–bank entity is insured or guaranteed by the FDIC.

The final rule complements the FDIC’s recently launched “ Know your Risk. Protect your Money. ” public awareness campaign, which is aimed at helping consumers better understand deposit insurance and how it protects their money.

The amendments made by the final rule will take effect on April 1, 2024, with an extended compliance date of January 1, 2025.