New U.S. Stablecoin Regulations Imminent as FDIC Finalizes GENIUS Act Guidelines

The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is preparing to publish its first formal proposal outlining how stablecoin issuers will operate under the GENIUS Act, according to acting chairman Travis Hill.

The rulemaking package is expected to be submitted to the House Financial Services Committee before the end of December, marking a major step toward implementing the country’s new federal stablecoin framework.

FDIC Nears First Draft of GENIUS Act Stablecoin Rules

The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act), signed into law in July, created a multi-agency oversight system for payment stablecoins.

Under the law, only licensed issuers are allowed to offer stablecoins to U.S. users, with oversight divided between the FDIC, Federal Reserve, Treasury, and other regulators.

Hill said the FDIC has been developing application procedures and prudential standards that will apply to stablecoin-issuing subsidiaries of FDIC-supervised institutions.

These standards include capital requirements, liquidity expectations, and reserve asset diversification rules designed to ensure issuers can meet redemptions during periods of stress.

The agency also expects to release a separate proposal early next year detailing the financial and operational requirements stablecoin issuers must meet once approved.

Regulators Outline Broader Digital-Asset Responsibilities

Hill noted that the FDIC has taken a cautious but constructive approach toward banks exploring digital-asset services, ensuring activities remain “safe and sound.” Part of the agency’s ongoing work includes responding to recommendations from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets.

One area receiving particular attention is tokenized deposits, digital representations of bank deposits issued on blockchain networks. Hill confirmed that new guidance is being drafted to clarify how these instruments fit within existing banking rules, reflecting growing industry interest in tokenization for payments and settlement.

Other regulators are advancing their own responsibilities under the GENIUS Act. Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman stated that the central bank is collaborating with banking agencies to establish capital, liquidity, and diversification standards for stablecoin issuers.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has also played a central role in implementing the GENIUS Act.

In September, it released an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking public feedback on its stablecoin oversight approach. The comment period, which ran through early November, invited input from industry participants, academics, and consumer groups.

The Treasury stated that the consultation aims to strike a balance between innovation and financial stability concerns. Public submissions will help build the final proposals, which will govern non-bank stablecoin issuers and related digital asset activities.

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With the FDIC’s first proposal now nearing completion, federal agencies are entering the next phase of what is expected to be a multi-month rulemaking process. Once draft rules are released, they will undergo public review before final guidelines are adopted and phased in across the stablecoin market.

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