Key Senate committees have postponed markups of a comprehensive crypto market structure bill, citing the need for more bipartisan negotiation. The latest draft attempts to address contentious issues like decentralized finance (DeFi) and stablecoin yields, proposing a compromise that would allow transaction-based rewards but prohibit passive interest payments. Significant disagreements
Data confirms that 2025 was one of the most active years for bank mergers and acquisitions in recent history, driven by a significantly more favorable regulatory environment. Regulators have rescinded restrictive 2024 merger policy statements, approval timelines have shortened, and supervisory focus has shifted away from subjective factors like reputation
The FDIC has released its first major rule proposal under the Genius Act, outlining how FDIC-supervised banks can apply to issue payment stablecoins through a subsidiary. The proposal establishes a “tailored application process” requiring a detailed letter application, financial projections, redemption policies, and compliance plans. The FDIC aims to decide on
Banking trade groups are actively lobbying Congress to explicitly prohibit interest or “reward” payments on stablecoins. They argue that such yields could draw deposits away from traditional banks, threatening the local lending that fuels community economies. While last year’s Genius Act set a framework for stablecoins, a debate persists over whether its
FDIC Stablecoin Proposal The FDIC issued a proposed rule for public comment establishing prudential requirements for payment stablecoin issuers that are subsidiaries of FDIC-supervised banks. The proposal mirrors the OCC’s February framework in key respects: it adopts the Genius Act’s ban on paying yield to stablecoin holders and presumes that
