banks

Stablecoin wallets challenge traditional bank accounts as main consumer money hub
Industry leaders debate whether digital dollar wallets will dismantle traditional bank accounts or simply modernize the underlying infrastructure.

DBS and Citi complete weekend USD payment via Swift’s Digital Ledger using tokenized deposits
The transaction is the second confirmed live use of Swift's blockchain ledger, coming as the network races to prove it can compete with digital payment rails that never close.

U.S. banking agency gives blockchain bank OpenReserve initial OK to operate
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted a provisional charter to the new full-service bank, adding it to the growing mix of crypto-native institutions.

U.S. state banking associations plan to launch their own nationwide blockchain network
The "BankChain Alliance" is aiming for a 2027 launch, and would foster stablecoins, payments and tokenized deposits inside the banking system's regulatory sphere.

Zerohash back for second effort at OCC trust bank charter
The crypto infrastructure firm failed to get approval when it first sought a U.S. charter, and the company is quickly back with what it said would be a narrower effort.

HSBC, Standard Chartered execute first live banking transaction on Swift’s 24/7 ledger
The cross-border transaction is Swift’s first in a pilot project as it tests settlement in its push to remain relevant as stablecoins and tokenized deposits become widely used worldwide.

The stablecoin yield clash that won't go away has banks, crypto battling over tradition
The bankers want people kept in lower-yield deposits for the good of the financial system as it's existed for generations, and their argument is gaining ground.

The 'long bitcoin, short the bankers' era is officially over as TradFi giants embrace digital assets
Financial firms are partnering with specialists to build infrastructure, blurring lines between traditional and decentralized finance into a unified sector.

Swiss mega-bank UBS ramps up its Bitcoin exposure with a massive 24-fold surge in ETF call options
Direct holdings of IBIT also rose 12% to 407,890 shares, while put option exposure dropped roughly 53% to 143,300 underlying shares during the quarter.

The ABA's case that crypto could drain community banks
CoinDesk's The Policy Protocol hosts Rebecca Rettig and Renato Mariotti open on the stalled CLARITY Act and how crypto's newness in DC stacks up against TradFi's decades-old relationships. They also dig into two hot topics: Erebor raising $1.5 billion at a valuation near $9.5 billion, and FlightAware's short-lived trademark lawsuit against prediction market Kalshi. Then they sit down with Brooke Ybarra, Head of Innovation at the American Bankers Association, who breaks down the yield compromise on payment stablecoins, makes the ABA's case that stablecoin growth could pull deposits away from community banks and shrink local lending, and explains how banks of all sizes are already experimenting with tokenized money and tokenized deposits. Plus, Rebecca and Renato debrief on the bipartisan holdouts and name SEC Chair Paul Atkins as their Person of the Week. NOTE (Aug. 14, 09:00 ET): this episode was recorded before the SEC canceled the open meeting originally scheduled for Friday. - This episode is brought to you by RealFi, a smarter stablecoin, backed by real-world assets. Find out more at realfi.co. - To view the ABA's recommended changes to legislative text of the Clarity Act, please see their Joint State Association Letter to the Senate: https://www.aba.com/advocacy/policy-analysis/Joint-Letter-to-the-Senate-on-the-Clarity-Act
