The American Bankers Association is concerned that stablecoin yields would lead to mass deposit outflows from smaller community banks. The American Bankers Association (ABA) has criticized a White House report that claimed banning stablecoin yields would only have a negligible impact on banks, arguing that the conclusion was reached by asking the “wrong question.” The White House’s Council of Economic Advisers claimed in a research paper on Wednesday, on the “Effects of Stablecoin Yield Prohibition on Bank Lending,” that under a baseline scenario, banning stablecoin yield may only increase bank lending by $2.1 billion, representing a marginal net increase of about 0.02%. ABA chief economist Sayee Srinivasan and vice president for banking and economic research Yikai Wang said in a statement on Monday that the “live policy concern” is not whether prohibiting yield on stablecoins would impact bank lending but whether allowing yield on stablecoins would encourage deposit outflows, particularly from community bank...
Reuters reported that White House staff were warned against using confidential information after suspicious Iran-linked oil futures bets and fresh scrutiny of prediction markets. The White House warned staff against improperly using confidential information to place bets in futures markets after suspicious oil trades ahead of President Donald Trump’s March 23 Iran announcement drew scrutiny, according to Reuters. Reuters reported on Thursday that the White House sent the internal email on March 24, a day after Trump ordered a five-day delay in attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure. The warning followed a roughly $500 million bet on Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude futures placed in a one-minute burst shortly before Trump’s March 23 announcement, according to Reuters calculations based on exchange data. Oil prices fell about 15% after the policy shift. Read more
White House economists say banning stablecoin yield would add little to bank lending while imposing significant costs on users. A White House report found that banning yield on stablecoins would have a marginal impact on bank lending while creating clear economic downsides. According to the Council of Economic Advisers, a three-member agency within the Executive Office of the President tasked to offer the president economic advice, moving funds from stablecoins back into bank deposits would not translate into significant new lending. Under its baseline scenario, total bank lending would increase by about $2.1 billion, roughly 0.02% of the $12 trillion loan market. The report, published Wednesday, says that community banks would see even smaller gains. Lending at these institutions would increase by roughly $500 million, or about 0.026%. Read more
The proposal includes a startup exemption, a fundraising exemption and an investment contract safe harbor for issuers. US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins has revealed that a key crypto market safe harbor proposal has landed at the White House for review. Speaking at the Digital Assets and Emerging Technology Policy Summit on Monday, Atkins said the Regulation Crypto Assets proposal — outlined by the SEC in mid-March — has now been submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. "We will have reg crypto that we will be proposing here shortly. It's in fact at OIRA right now, which is the next step before being published," he said. Read more
A White House review has cleared a Labor Department proposal that could widen the path for crypto-linked exposure in 401(k) retirement plans. The White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has completed its review of a Department of Labor (DOL) proposal that could reshape how 401(k) fiduciaries evaluate alternative assets, including digital-asset exposure. The OIRA’s website shows the review concluded on March 24, with the action marked “consistent with change” and the proposal classified as “economically significant.” The DOL is now expected to publish the proposed rule for a standard 60-day public comment period, which is usually followed by revisions and the issuing of a final rule. The proposal follows President Donald Trump’s Aug. 7, 2025, executive order directing federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, including exposure to digital assets through certain investment vehicles. Read more
The financial regulator’s plan to reinterpret how federal securities laws apply to crypto assets is ”pending review” by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has forwarded its proposal to have most crypto assets not treated as securities under federal law to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. According to information available through the US General Services Administration, on Friday the SEC sent two proposed rules to the White House for review, including its interpretative notice from last week regarding which digital assets the agency could consider a security under federal law. As of Monday, government records showed the proposal as “pending review” by the White House, potentially changing how the SEC handles regulation and enforcement of digital assets. Read more
The deal reportedly focuses on stablecoin yield and interest-bearing stable tokens, a major pain point for the banking industry. Rumors are circulating that a tentative deal has been struck between the White House and US lawmakers on stablecoin yield, potentially moving the CLARITY crypto market structure bill forward. Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senator Angela Alsobrooks, both members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, have reached an “agreement in principle,” according to a Friday Politico report. “I think what it will do is to allow us to protect innovation, but also gives us the opportunity to prevent widespread deposit flight,” Alsobrooks said, adding that the deal prohibits stablecoin yield on “passive balances.” Read more
The legislative recommendations highlight six policy areas, including copyright, energy and workforce development, while signaling a lighter regulatory stance. The Trump administration has released a national AI legislative framework for the United States, calling on Congress to establish a unified federal framework and warning that a patchwork of state laws could hinder innovation and competitiveness. The framework is structured around six core policy areas: protecting children and empowering parents, strengthening communities, intellectual property and creator rights, free speech protections, accelerating AI innovation and workforce development. At the center of the proposal is a push for a unified federal approach, with the administration urging Congress to preempt state-level AI laws it says could burden developers. Read more
White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt reportedly refocused crypto and bank lobby talks on a crypto bill to allow stablecoin rewards tied to transaction activity. The White House has reportedly refocused talks between crypto and bank lobbyists on limiting how stablecoin rewards should be paid in the third meeting between the two groups over a crypto market structure bill. Crypto and banking industry representatives met at the White House on Thursday for the third time in 16 days to discuss stablecoin provisions that have stalled the crypto bill, which the Senate is looking to pass. No agreement was reached on Thursday, but executives at Coinbase and Ripple said progress was made, as one of the White House’s crypto advisers urged a trade-off that would let third parties, such as exchanges, offer stablecoin rewards only on transaction activity, not on balances. Read more