Brian Knight

Director of Innovation and Governance and Senior Research Fellow

Mercatus Center, George Mason University

Brian Knight

Director of Innovation and Governance and Senior Research Fellow

Mercatus Center, George Mason University

Brian Knight is the Director of Innovation and Governance and a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Brian’s research focuses on numerous aspects of financial regulation, including the creation of pro-innovation regulatory environments, the role of federalism in fintech regulation, the use of digital assets for financial transactions, the role of regulation for credit markets and consumer protection, and the provision of capital to businesses.

Prior to joining Mercatus, Brian worked for the Milken Institute, where he headed up the FinTech and Capital Access programs. He has experience working for a broker-dealer with a focus on the emerging online private-placement market and was the co-founder of CrowdCheck, a company providing due-diligence and disclosure services to companies and intermediaries engaged in online private offerings.

Brian received his law degree from the University of Virginia and his bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary.

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Contributions

Deep Dive Episode 159 – Countering the Politicization of Financial Services: Is the Cure Worse than the Disease?

January 28, 2021

This live podcast explores the issues surrounding the politicization of financial services, including the OCC rulemaking and other recent initiatives.

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When Banks Act as Regulators within a Regime of Privilege

Brian Knight

November 8, 2019

Banks receive benefits because they are believed to be essential for a functioning economy, but it is also likely that these benefits supplement the market power banks enjoy. Does that make banks trying to de facto regulate other industries by withholding services, in effect trying to impede lawful commerce, problematic?

Read this article

We Three Kings: Lacking Representation in Index Fund Corporate Governance

Brian Knight

September 4, 2019

In his new article, Prof. Caleb N. Griffin discusses the challenge of how to make index funds reflect the preferences of actual investors when it comes to corporate governance issues.

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The Financial Frontier: Financial Freedom, Payday Lending, & “Operation Choke Point”

February 4, 2019

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice decided to investigate banks across the country, looking into the business they did with payday lenders. While payday loans are controversial, they are legal in most circumstances. Proponents of this campaign celebrate the push as crucial for consumer protection. Critics claim it sets a dangerous precedent by unfairly targeting lawful businesses. Jamie Fulmer (Advance America), Chris Peterson (The University of Utah), and Brian Knight (Mercatus Center) explore the questions behind “Operation Choke Point”.

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Deep Dive Episode 37 – Fintech Licensing and the OCC Charter

January 10, 2019

Brian Knight (Mercatus Center) and Margaret Liu (Conference of State Bank Supervisors) discuss the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s move to offer some non-depository fintech firms the opportunity to obtain a federal bank charter, and the possible challenges and tensions the move may pose for federalism.

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