Matthew Russell Morris

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As digital assets continue to reshape the financial landscape, regulatory clarity around stablecoins is increasingly vital. The GENIUS Act, signed into law by President Trump in July, establishes the first-ever federal regulatory system for stablecoins and aims to position the U.S. as the global leader in digital assets. This is a historic shift in U.S. digital asset policy, prioritizing consumer protection, financial stability, and national security, while aiming to cement America’s leadership in the global digital currency revolution.

On July 14, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) jointly issued a statement addressing the safekeeping of crypto-assets by banking organizations on behalf of their customers. This announcement clarifies how existing laws, regulations, and risk management principles apply to the safekeeping of crypto-assets by banks and does not create any new supervisory expectations. Importantly, the federal banking regulators clearly signal that banks can serve as custodians of digital assets including storing cryptographic keys.

On June 17, the U.S. Senate voted 68-30 to pass S.1582, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, known as the GENIUS Act (the Act). This represents a landmark effort by the U.S. Congress to establish a comprehensive federal framework for the regulation of payment stablecoins. Passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, the Act aims to provide regulatory clarity, enhance consumer protection, and safeguard national security in the rapidly growing stablecoin sector.

We are pleased to share with you our latest publication, “Navigating Change: First 100 Days under the Trump Administration,” authored by our Digital Assets + Blockchain team. This retrospective examines the pivotal developments in the digital assets industry during the initial phase of the Trump administration.

In this episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast, host Chris Willis is joined by Jesse Silverman and Matt Morris to explore the complexities of the CFPB’s nonbank registry rule. This regulation, introduced in 2024, has generated significant confusion due to its intricate requirements. They discuss the rule’s purpose, its impact on nonbank financial services, and the detailed steps companies must take to ensure compliance. Tune in to understand the key definitions, registration deadlines, and the broader implications for the industry.