Basel banking regulator delays crypto asset rules for banks until 2026

The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS), the governing body of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, met on May 13. GHOS postponed the implementation of the new rules for banks’ crypto assets by one year to January 1, 2026. In April, Coinbase and Circle were proposing stricter standards for a proposal by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to provide preferential regulation for banks’ stablecoin exposure. The committee issued a consultation report in December last year, recommending that banks conduct due diligence to ensure that they “fully understand the stability mechanisms of their stablecoin exposures.” The proposed requirements determine whether stablecoins qualify for the “Group 1b category,” which grants preferential regulatory treatment. According to the consultation document, certain criteria must be met, including low volatility and sufficient liquidity. The deadline for submitting comments on the document is March 28. In response to the above requirements, Coinbase said: "Many of the requirements are not based on the risks of these assets to banks, but reflect other policy objectives that the Committee does not typically include in capital requirements. The Committee's choices indicate that it wants to strictly limit banks' holding and use of stablecoins." Circle criticized the Committee's handling of permissionless blockchains.