Federal Reserve Ends Oversight of Banks’ Cryptocurrency Activities

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve announced the termination of its oversight program for new types of bank activities, including cryptocurrency operations.

The regulator has completely rescinded its 2023 letter, which required financial institutions to obtain permission for stablecoin operations. It also mandated risk management practices concerning cybersecurity, liquidity, consumer compliance, and anti-illicit financing measures.

The Federal Reserve will return to monitoring activities under its “normal procedure.”

“Since the launch of the oversight program for certain bank activities related to cryptocurrencies and fintech, the board has strengthened its understanding of these activities, the associated risks, and the practices for managing them,” noted the Federal Reserve.

This move continues the Federal Reserve’s easing of policy towards digital assets. In April 2025, the regulator rescinded guidelines for banks that required financial institutions to provide prior notice of plans or current operations involving cryptocurrencies.

However, at that time, Senator and cryptocurrency advocate Cynthia Lummis stated that the Federal Reserve’s actions were not indicative of real regulatory progress. In her view, “the battle is far from over.”

In January 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission opened the door for banks to custody digital assets.

In March, the FDIC permitted supervised financial institutions to engage in “cryptocurrency-related activities” without the need for prior agency approval.