GENIUS Act flaw threatens local banks’ lending dynamics

The American Bankers Association’s Community Bankers Council said on Monday that it’s making efforts to address a flaw in the recently passed GENIUS Act. The council plans to close a supposed loophole that allows stablecoin issuers to indirectly fund payments to stablecoin holders via crypto exchanges.

The council members stated in a letter to the Senate that the GENIUS Act, passed last year, could limit deposits in local banks and disadvantage small businesses and households. The legislation banned stablecoin issuers from offering interest or yield to holders, since the initiative could put such digital assets in competition with bank savings accounts. 

GENIUS Act flaw threatens local banks’ lending dynamics

The group also believes that changing the flaw in the legislation could impact local banks’ ability to lend money and provide loans to their users. The Bank Policy Institute stated in August that the result will be greater deposit flight risk, especially in times of stress. The firm noted that a reduction in credit supply at banks could lead to higher interest rates, fewer loans, and increased costs for businesses.

The community of bankers acknowledged that the stablecoin legislation was not perfect from a community bank perspective, but a valid effort to bring regulation into the stablecoin market. However, the council believes that the bill’s restrictions on interest payments limit the new payment market from competing with bank deposits and also disrupts community-based lending in the industry.

ABA stated that removing interest payments in the GENIUS Act could incentivize customers to put all their funds in stablecoins. The council pointed to the U.S. Treasury’s estimation that about $6.6 trillion in bank deposits are at risk due to the interest payment limitations in the legislation. 

The group of more than 200 community bank leaders believes that some firms have exploited a perceived loophole and might disrupt the entire community bank lending industry. The council argued that digital asset exchanges and stablecoin issuers are not designed to fill the lending gap, and that they will also not be able to offer FDIC-insured products.

Some digital asset exchanges, including Coinbase and Kraken, already offer rewards to stablecoin holders. ABA plans to put a prohibition on stablecoin issuers that provide interest in the crypto market legislation.

The council also sought to change the supposed loophole in the legislation through a letter to lawmakers in August 2025. The Crypto Council for Innovation and the Blockchain Association stated in a letter to the Senate Banking Committee the same month that stablecoin payments are not meant to fund loans. They also agreed that the revision in the stablecoin bill would stifle innovation and consumer choice.

The Bank Policy Institute argued that, despite the GENIUS Act, illicit actors still have opportunities to exploit digital assets and the U.S. financial system. The firm believes that illicit actors could use unhosted and internationally hosted wallets to evade detection and access the U.S. financial system.

FDIC approves GENIUS Act application procedures for regulatory-approved banks

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board approved a proposal to implement the application of the stablecoin legislation on December 16. The agency confirmed that the bill allows financial institutions to issue stablecoin payments through a subsidiary and to engage in related activities.

The FDIC also maintained that a regulatory-approved U.S. bank seeking to issue stablecoin payments via a subsidiary is required to apply to the regulatory body to be approved as a legitimate stablecoin issuer. The agency added that the legislation requires it to receive and review applications, as well as to issue implementing regulations for the application process.

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