BIS warns dollar stablecoins could strain banks and policy

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) general manager, Pablo Hernández de Cos, called for tighter global coordination on stablecoins Monday, warning that US dollar-denominated tokens could have “material consequences” for financial stability and economic policy if they grow large enough to rival traditional money.

Speaking at a Bank of Japan seminar in Tokyo, he said current stablecoin arrangements fall short of what is needed for a widely used means of payment, even if they offer faster cross-border transfers and integration with smart contracts.

De Cos said the largest US dollar stablecoins, such as USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC), share characteristics with investment products rather than cash-like money, pointing to fees and conditions on primary market redemptions and episodes where their prices diverge from par in secondary markets.

In his view, these features make the tokens behave more like exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while still creating run and contagion risks because issuers hold short-term government debt and bank deposits as reserve assets. In a stress episode, he warned, rapid outflows from stablecoins could force sales of those reserves into already strained markets or transmit funding pressure to banks.

The warning comes as policymakers globally debate how to regulate fast-growing stablecoins and other tokenized money-like instruments.

Stablecoins: framing the debate. Source: BIS

He added that the use of public, permissionless blockchains and unhosted wallets means a significant share of activity sits outside conventional Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing controls, making stablecoins attractive for illicit use unless bespoke safeguards are implemented at on- and off-ramps.

Europe sharpens its stablecoin stance