Fed Governor: Banks and non-banks should be able to issue stablecoins

Fed Governor Christopher Waller believes there should be a framework that allows banks and non-banks to issue regulated stablecoins.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, Waller stated that stablecoins have the potential to expand the reach of the U.S. dollar on an international scale. However, the scale and utility of stablecoins will depend on a clear set of regulations.

In a conference in San Francisco, Waller said the stablecoin market requires a regulatory framework that encompasses stablecoin risks “directly, fully, and narrowly” before financial institutions will be able to issue them.

“This framework should allow both non-banks and banks to issue regulated stablecoins and should consider the effects of regulation on the payments landscape,” said Waller.

Stablecoins are digital currencies known for their steady value because they are typically pegged to fiat currencies, most commonly the U.S. dollar or Treasury bills. Two of the largest stablecoins by market cap, USDT (USDT) and USDC (USDC), are both pegged to the U.S. dollar.

Waller’s remarks echo those of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in February last year. Powell expressed wholehearted support for the creation of a stablecoin framework in a meeting with the House Financial Services Committee, reiterating the Fed’s commitment to developing stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies in the U.S.

More recently, Rep. Maxine Waters, the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, introduced a proposal for stabelcoin oversight involving the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Federal Reserve.

Earlier this month, Republican Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, French Hill, had submitted a draft bill for stablecoin regulation, co-sponsored by Rep. Bryan Steil. In contrast to Water’s proposal, Hill’s bill grants stablecoin oversight to the OCC instead of the Federal Reserve.

This means that both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have introduced stablecoin regulations under the Trump administration.