Stablecoins
How are banks approaching dollar-backed digital assets (stablecoins)?
Stablecoins have moved from the edge of the
Banks are testing stablecoins for cross-border payments, liquidity management, and digital wallets. Some are also exploring how stablecoins can support interbank transactions or be issued directly by regulated institutions. As the landscape takes shape, stablecoins are starting to look less like an experiment and more like infrastructure.
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David Marcus spent more than 15 years climbing the ranks in the mobile sector before becoming PayPal’s president and then moving onto Facebook, where he now leads the blockchain team that launched the controversial Libra cryptocurrency project.
August 6
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Walmart has filed a patent application for a digital currency that, like Facebook's Libra, would be a stablecoin backed by traditional currencies. And it envisions a very specific use case where its coin could stand in for cash — or even for a bank account.
August 2
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Revolut Ltd.’s chief executive officer said the digital bank is in talks with Martin Gilbert, vice chairman of Standard Life Aberdeen Ltd., about joining the board.
August 1 -
Bitcoin Hyper is working with a Latin American payment processor to bring acceptance of its high-speed cryptocurrency to multi-channel payment terminals and mobile apps in the U.S. and Latin America.
July 30 -
While traditional payment processors conquered bitcoin in the first battle, the disruptive potential of blockchain technology remains a potent threat and incumbent payment processors should prepare for a healthy new challenge.
July 30
Baker Botts -
The former state banking superintendent weighs in on some of the toughest questions bank regulators are grappling with and the lawsuit (still ongoing) that she filed against the OCC.
July 29
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Gone are the Wild West days of Facebook, when the company could do whatever it wanted with little worry of regulatory or earnings repercussions. And as the social network embarks on its Libra currency project, its toughest days loom ahead.
July 24
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Libra and Facebook’s huge impact on the conversation around blockchain and cryptocurrency is giving fuel to other blockchain companies that portray their models as alternatives to Facebook’s controversial plans.
July 24
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Visa’s decision on how or if it will participate in Facebook’s cryptocurrency project will be based on how the social network handles the mountain of criticism and requirements that global regulators and lawmakers are heaping upon it.
July 23
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WeChat Pay and Alipay have huge markets, but China's lack of openness makes a Facebook Libra-style move unlikely, argues Utrust's Filipe Castro
July 23 Utrust
The first three months of the year coincide with the start of President Donald Trump's second term in office. Investors are likely to be more interested in banks' outlooks amid swings in tariff policy than the first-quarter results.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How are banks approaching dollar-backed digital assets (stablecoins)?
Stablecoins have moved from the edge of the crypto, world to the center of policy and banking conversations. As regulators and banks weigh their role in payments, settlement, and reserves, this page follows the developments — from early pilots to proposed legislation.
Banks are testing stablecoins for cross-border payments, liquidity management, and digital wallets. Some are also exploring how stablecoins can support interbank transactions or be issued directly by regulated institutions. As the landscape takes shape, stablecoins are starting to look less like an experiment and more like infrastructure.
Why are banks paying attention to stablecoins?
Stablecoins are increasingly viewed as a potential upgrade to legacy payments systems. Banks are evaluating them for settlement, remittances, cross-border transactions, and tokenized deposit models.Are banks issuing their own stablecoins?
Some are exploring the option. Institutions like JPMorgan (with JPM Coin) and new entrants like PayPal are piloting bank-issued stablecoins, while others are watching regulatory developments before moving forward.How do stablecoins impact compliance and risk?
Issues include KYC/AML enforcement, cybersecurity, operational risk, and how reserve assets are held and reported. Banks exploring stablecoin activity must weigh both technological benefits and regulatory scrutiny.How are regulators responding to stablecoin innovation?
Congress is debating stablecoin-specific bills focused on reserve backing, issuer licensing, and oversight. The Federal Reserve, OCC, and state regulators are also shaping how bank involvement in stablecoin activity is supervised.How are banks using stablecoin?
Banks are using stablecoins to speed up cross-border payments, manage liquidity across global branches in real time, and test new forms of settlement between institutions. Some are integrating stablecoins into retail-facing digital wallets, while others are exploring interbank networks built on tokenized payments. These efforts are less about crypto speculation and more about making money move faster, with greater transparency and fewer intermediaries.- Real-time cross-border payments
- Internal liquidity management
- Retail-facing digital wallets
- Interbank tokenized payment networks
Top banks investing in stablecoin
List of institutions with greatest investment in stablecoin:- JPMorgan Chase – JPM Coin
- Custodia Bank – Avit Tokens
- Citigroup - Citi Token Services
- Societe Generale - USD CoinVertible
- Bank of America - Name yet to be released
- Fifth Third - Name yet to be released
- U.S. Bancorp - Name yet to be released