The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has posted its final rules for stablecoin regulation under the GENIUS Act, which became law in 2025. The OCC falls under the domain of the US Department of the Treasury, which has been working closely on the payment stablecoin rules.
The final rule sets out requirements for “payment stablecoins,” typically digital assets that represent fiat currency, including foreign currencies. The rules outline areas under the OCC’s jurisdiction. Other federal agencies are doing the same. The agency said it will address rules under its remit, such as the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering, and Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions, in the future.
The OCC noted that it received hundreds of comments in response to the proposal.
The requirements address the following areas:
- Activities
- Reserve assets
- Redemption
- Risk management
- Audits, reports, and supervision
- State-qualified payment stablecoin issuers transitioning to the federal regulatory framework
- Custody
- Applications and registrations for permitted payment stablecoin issuers subject to OCC jurisdiction
- Examination and supervision of foreign issuers
- Revocation or rescission of approval of a permitted payment stablecoin issuer in certain instances
- Capital and operational backstop
- Updates to the capital adequacy requirements
The OCC will have regulatory authority over certain payment stablecoin issuers, including subsidiaries of national banks or federal savings associations, and federal qualified payment stablecoin issuers and state qualified payment stablecoin issuers. Oversight will also include foreign payment stablecoin issuers.
The final rule is effective January 18, 2027.
Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said the rule provides a practical framework with clear rules that will support stablecoin innovation while protecting against systemic or usage risk.
“The OCC is drawing on its longstanding supervisory expertise to support responsible growth and innovation for this new industry.”
The GENIUS Act is expected to support the US dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency while boosting government bond purchases as issuers are required to hold certain risk free assets. Over time, a payment stablecoin will be far easier to access and use than cash, and these qualities will appeal to jurisdictions experiencing high inflation.
The GENIUS Act marks a watershed moment in American finance, further cementing the United States as the crypto capital of the world. Just as President Abraham Lincoln’s National Currency Act of 1863 established a national framework for bank-issued currency, the GENIUS Act establishes a federal framework for payment stablecoins in the digital age.
The @USOCC’s final rule carries that landmark legislation forward, providing a clear, practical foundation for private-sector innovation, competition, and American leadership in digital assets.
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) October 21, 2026
