On January 6, a group of community bankers in the US urged Congress to amend the GENIUS Act.
They asked lawmakers to specifically block stablecoin issuers, as well as their affiliates and partners, from offering any interest or rewards. Although the law currently prevents stablecoin issuers from directly granting yield, some exchanges work with associated entities to continue providing such rewards.
This concern was outlined in a letter sent to the US Senate by the Community Bankers Council of the American Bankers Association (ABA), a group that includes over 200 community bank leaders.
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The bankers wrote that allowing stablecoin platforms to continue offering yield through partners could drive substantial funds away from traditional lenders. This outflow would make it harder for banks to support local loans to families, small businesses, agriculture, and home purchases.
The letter warned that exploiting gaps in current legislation could damage lending rooted in communities and reduce aid to local economies.
The council noted that stablecoin services generally do not offer FDIC-insured products. They emphasized that these platforms are not replacements for banks, particularly in supporting lending and helping the economy.
Their letter suggested that proposed legislative changes should clearly extend the ban on interest and rewards to include all stablecoin issuers’ affiliated entities and partners.
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