OCC Sets November Deadline for GENIUS Act Stablecoin Regulatory Framework
Stablecoins
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has set a November deadline to finalize its regulatory framework for payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act. Comptroller Jonathan Gould confirmed that the agency has completed its analysis of stakeholder feedback from its February proposal and aims to begin processing issuer applications by early 2027. This framework is critical for the RWA market as it establishes federal standards for reserve assets, redemption at par, and liquidity management for stablecoin issuers. The GENIUS Act, signed into law in July 2025, mandates a federal structure that replaces the previous regulatory ambiguity for digital assets. Despite missing the initial July 2026 deadline, the OCC is prioritizing this rule over other stalled legislation like the Clarity Act. The agency has seen an eightfold increase in digital asset chartering activity, with 13 applications currently under review from firms including Revolut and Payward. Establishing these clear federal guidelines is a foundational step for integrating stablecoins into the broader U.S. financial system and providing legal certainty for RWA tokenization projects.
Key points
- ▸OCC targets November for finalizing GENIUS Act stablecoin regulations.
- ▸Framework mandates reserve assets, par redemption, and liquidity standards for issuers.
- ▸Thirteen digital asset applications are currently under review by the OCC.
- ▸Regulatory framework becomes effective January 18, 2027, or 120 days post-publication.
Background
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that charters, regulates, and supervises all national banks and federal savings associations. It plays a pivotal role in the RWA ecosystem by determining how traditional banking institutions can interact with and issue tokenized assets and stablecoins.
Relevance
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