OCC: Comments Requested on Proposal to Implement GENIUS Act
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today issued a proposed rulemaking to implement the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The notice of proposed rulemaking generally sets forth, and seeks comment on, the regulations that would apply to permitted payment stablecoin issuers and foreign payment stablecoin issuers under…
ABA: Banking Trades Issue Statement on White House Crypto Market Structure Meeting
Following today’s meeting at the White House on crypto market structure legislation, the American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and Independent Community Bankers of America issued the following joint statement: “We want to thank the administration for hosting today’s constructive conversation and for recognizing the importance of the banking…
OCC: Agency Confirms Bank Authority to Engage in Riskless Principal Crypto-Asset Transactions
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today confirmed permissible bank activities related to riskless principal transactions in crypto-assets. The OCC published Interpretive Letter 1188 confirming that a national bank may engage in riskless principal crypto-asset transactions as part of the business of banking. Such transactions involve a bank acting as principal in…
OCC: Agency Confirms Bank Authority to Hold Certain Crypto-Assets as Principal for Purposes of Paying Crypto-Asset Network Fees
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today confirmed permissible bank activities related to paying crypto-asset network fees. The OCC published Interpretive Letter 1186 confirming that a national bank may pay network fees, sometimes referred to as “gas fees,” on blockchain networks to facilitate otherwise permissible activities and hold, as principal, amounts of…
Agencies Issue Joint Statement on Risk-Management Considerations for Crypto-Asset Safekeeping
Federal bank regulatory agencies today issued a joint statement in their continued efforts to provide clarity on banks’ engagement in crypto-asset-related activities. The statement highlights for banks potential risk-management considerations related to holding crypto-assets on their customers’ behalf, or crypto-asset safekeeping. The joint statement discusses existing risk-management principles that apply to crypto-asset safekeeping and reminds…