Does The Federal Reserve Regulate Cryptocurrency?

Key takeaways

The Federal Reserve exclusively keeps track on cryptocurrencies owned by banks in the United States since it oversees banks.
The introduction of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), a cryptocurrency equivalent of the dollar, is being evaluated by the top financial regulator in the United States.
Other state and federal agencies may regulate cryptocurrency exchanges and businesses.

As prices soared and investors became billionaires over night thanks to cryptocurrencies, they generated a lot of media attention. You may anticipate that authorities won’t be far behind whenever a significant event occurs in a U.S. financial market. The Federal Reserve, the American central bank, and a key financial regulator were among the organizations that were interested in the crypto revolution.

Here is what you should know if you plan to trade or invest in cryptocurrency, taking future regulatory changes into account.

Cryptocurrency 101

Here is a quick introduction of cryptocurrency for those who are unfamiliar. Digital currencies known as cryptocurrencies are controlled by decentralized computer networks. Each operates differently; some are created by volunteer programmers, while others are developed by businesses, ranging from Fortune 500 organizations to startups and everything in between.

Digital assets known as cryptocurrencies are unbacked by any sort of authority. Government-issued money, sometimes referred to as “fiat money,” is supported by the credit of the issuing nation or government institution, such as the Federal Reserve or European Central Bank. The only communities that add value to cryptocurrencies are those who do so.

Cryptocurrencies’ value might increase by 10 or 100 times, but it could also decrease to nothing. It’s crucial to exercise caution and refrain from making larger investments than you can afford to lose because the sector is rife with scammers.

How the Federal Reserve regulates cryptocurrency

Since the Federal Reserve is primarily concerned with overseeing banks and the US dollar, cryptocurrencies are typically outside of its purview. When banks include bitcoin as an asset on their balance sheets, crypto and the Fed intersect.

For the purpose of enabling home loans, credit cards, business loans, and investments, banks use the money from consumer bank deposits to generate revenue. In order to ensure that clients can quickly access their money if there is a spike in withdrawals, the Federal Reserve mandates banks to retain a specific proportion of deposits in secure assets and cash.

The Federal Reserve concluded that banks must declare cryptocurrency-related assets separately. Notification to the Federal Reserve is required for new cryptocurrency asset activity. The hazards of cryptocurrencies to banks’ asset portfolios are advised to be taken into account.

A new digital dollar?

The Federal Reserve has made an appearance in cryptocurrency headlines to discuss a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), also known as a digital dollar. In this instance, the Fed is considering developing a digital US dollar that is controlled by blockchain technology. China is one nation that is looking at implementing a CBDC.

At this time, the Fed published a study weighing the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a new CBDC and asked the public for input. Our money is now kept in digital ledgers by banks and credit unions. Dollars would be a part of a more open system if they were digital, but there are still many dangers and problems to be resolved before we can expect the Fed to move further.

Other agencies and cryptocurrency regulation

Government regulators other than the Federal Reserve are also interested in cryptocurrencies. Here is a quick overview of our other organizations and how they interact with cryptocurrency:

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC):The stock market and other securitized investments are governed by the SEC. In some circumstances, cryptocurrencies might be considered securities, and the SEC singled out the Ripple XRP currency as an example. Going ahead, it is investigating new cryptocurrency regulations.

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN):Financial crime prevention and detection are priorities for FinCEN. They especially examine how cryptocurrency may be used to spot financial crimes like money laundering.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC):Trading in commodities and futures is governed by the CFTC. These asset class categories allow for the trading of certain cryptocurrencies, placing them under CFTC regulation.

Future rules may become more extensive. One legislative proposal would order the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to look into how cryptocurrencies affect energy use.

State officials are also investigating, particularly in New York, where bitcoin mining is essentially prohibited and various currencies must be registered before being made available to residents of the state. Tether (USDT) and the associated exchange Bitfinex agreed to pay fines from the New York State Attorney General linked to deceiving investors in a well-known case.

Bottom Line

Cryptocurrencies are a distinct asset class that currently has little regulation. Many people in the government and the cryptocurrency sector favor more rules for cryptocurrencies in order to replace the Wild West we’ve lived in for the past ten years with guidelines and fences that would prevent mistakes.