In a major policy shift, the Federal Reserve announced on Thursday that it will no longer require state-chartered member banks to notify the central bank before engaging in crypto-asset activities.
Previously, banks had to submit advance notice of plans to deal in digital assets. The Fed now says it will simply monitor these activities through its usual supervisory process, removing a major regulatory hurdle.
Alongside this move, the Fed also canceled its 2023 guidance that forced banks to obtain formal non-objection letters before offering services tied to dollar-backed tokens or stablecoins. The rollback gives banks more flexibility to experiment with digital dollar services, a growing sector that has faced heavy scrutiny in recent years.
In coordination with the FDIC and OCC, the Fed also withdrew two joint statements from 2023 that warned banks about crypto-related risks. The agencies say these changes reflect evolving market conditions and a renewed commitment to fostering innovation. While the Fed may issue updated rules in the future, it emphasized that current steps aim to create a more adaptable and innovation-friendly banking environment—especially in the digital asset space.
The UK government is tightening oversight on the digital asset industry, announcing that crypto platforms will be required to track and report detailed user activity starting January 1, 2026.
The White House is reportedly fast-tracking crypto regulation efforts, with President Donald Trump expected to sign a sweeping legislative package on digital assets before Congress breaks for summer recess in August.
Arizona’s latest attempt to integrate digital assets into its public finance system faced a mixed outcome this week.
Bitcoin may already be catching the attention of the world’s largest state-backed investors, but according to SkyBridge Capital’s Anthony Scaramucci, the real floodgates won’t open until Washington provides regulatory certainty.