United Texas Bank CEO wants to ‘limit the issuance of US dollar-backed stablecoins to banks’

Scott Beck, chief executive officer of United Texas Bank, called on members of the state’s blockchain working group to recommend policy for leaving stablecoins to banks rather than crypto firms. Speaking before the Texas Work Group on Blockchain Matters in Austin on Friday, Beck suggested limiting the issuance of U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins to licensed banks rather than issuers like Circle. The United Texas Bank CEO cited a November report from the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, in which the group said stablecoin issuers should be held to the same…

Canadian Bank Regulator Details Crypto Liquidity, Backing Rules

“The scope of this advisory is limited to the capital and liquidity treatment of a FRFI’s exposures to crypto assets. The advisory does not address other issues, including whether a FRFI is permitted under the Bank Act, Insurance Companies Act or Trust and Loan Companies Act to issue any particular crypto asset, or to acquire or hold a controlling or substantial investment in entities that engage in this activity,” the guidance said. “This advisory sets out OSFI’s expectations as to when FRFIs should notify their lead supervisor if they intend…

South African Reserve Bank Supports Friendly Crypto Operations

According to the banking regulator, minimizing risk by disconnecting crypto-related consumers may represent a “threat” to financial integrity. The Reserve Bank of South Africa’s Prudential Authority advised its subsidiaries to avoid illegal activity, asking banks not to terminate all links with bitcoin. It implied that such an act might pose a higher risk in the long term. Prudential Authority CEO Fundi Tshazibana signed the formal notification. Certain South African banks have already severed links with crypto asset service providers (CASPs), as referred to in the letter, due to unclear laws…

South African Reserve Bank encourages friendly behavior with crypto

The Prudential Authority of the Reserve Bank of South Africa sent out guidelines to its subsidiaries in an effort to prevent illicit activities, encouraging banks not to cut all ties with cryptocurrency.  It suggested that such an act could cause greater risk in the long run. The official notice was signed by Prudential Authority CEO Fundi Tshazibana. In the past, certain South African banks had cut ties with crypto asset service providers (CASPs) — as they are called in the document — due to unclear regulations or a high-risk factor.…

Senator asks FDIC about allegations it discourages bank relations with crypto companies

Pat Toomey, ranking member of the United States Senate Banking Committee, has sent a letter to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) director and acting chairman Martin Gruenberg informing him of allegations made by a whistleblower concerning FDIC activities. The senator suspects the FDIC “may be improperly taking action to deter banks from doing business with lawful cryptocurrency-related (crypto-related) companies.”  Toomey wrote that there is corroboration of whistleblower allegations that “personnel in the FDIC’s Washington, D.C. headquarters are urging FDIC regional offices to send letters to multiple banks requesting that they…

European Central Bank addresses guidance on licensing of digital assets

The European Central Bank, or ECB, laid the foundation for the criteria it would be considering when harmonizing the licensing requirements for crypto in Europe. In a Wednesday statement, the ECB’s banking supervision division said it would be taking steps to regulate digital assets given “national frameworks governing crypto-assets diverge quite extensively” and seemingly differing approaches to harmonization following the passage of the Markets in Crypto-Assets, or MiCA, and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issuing guidelines for banks’ exposure to crypto. The ECB said it would apply criteria from…

Bank of China unveils new e-CNY smart contract test program for school education

According to local news outlet Sohu.com, on Tuesday, the state-owned Bank of China announced a new program to bridge primary school education with smart contracts. In a combined partnership with local education and financial authorities, parents residing in the city of Chengdu, located in China’s Sichuan province, will be able to enroll their children in after-school or extracurricular lessons using the digital yuan central bank digital currency, or e-CNY. Under the pilot test, parents start by paying a deposit to a private educational entity for a series of lessons. Afterward, a…