Fed Chair Powell Says Crypto Requires New Rules, Citing ‘Threats’ To US Financial System

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell emphasized on Wednesday that technology transformation is here to stay in the financial sector and that new regulations will be required. Powell revealed some insight into how the United States would govern the market during a presentation at the Bank of International Settlements Innovation Summit on central bank digital currencies. The digital age was not taken into consideration when establishing our current regulatory structures, the Fed official said. “There will be revisions to current laws and regulations, as well as the creation of wholly new rules and structure, if central banks, stablecoins, and digital currencies are to be implemented,” he said during a roundtable discussion on CBDCs at the BISI Summit. Is There A Threat? Powell noted that emerging forms of digital money, like cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, pose threats to the US financial system and will necessitate the adoption of additional consumer protection measures. Powell reaffirmed his position that cryptocurrency should adhere to the “same activity, same regulation” premise. He proposed regulating stablecoin issuers, such as banks, in October 2021. “Stablecoins function similarly to money market funds. They’re similar to bank deposits… and it is reasonable for them to be controlled similarly, same activity, same regulation,” he concluded. Powell Says DeFi Can Improve F...