OCC Finalizes Stablecoin Rules Under the GENIUS Act

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Wednesday issued its final rule implementing the GENIUS Act. As reported by Decrypt, citing the regulator, the rule sets the requirements stablecoin issuers will have to meet when the law takes effect on January 18, 2027.

Who is covered

The rule applies to payment stablecoin issuers under OCC jurisdiction: subsidiaries of national banks and federal savings associations, federally approved nonbank issuers and some state-qualified issuers. It also covers foreign issuers and certain custody activities at OCC-supervised firms.

Most requirements are in a new section of the OCC's regulations. It addresses reserve assets, redemption, risk management, audits and reporting, custody, applications, supervision of foreign issuers, and a capital and operational backstop. The rule also describes how state-qualified issuers move to the federal framework and when the OCC can revoke an issuer's approval.

Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering and sanctions rules are not included. They will come in a separate rulemaking with the Treasury Department.

Reaction and context

Comptroller Jonathan Gould said the rule provides a "clear, practical framework" for stablecoin innovation. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent compared the GENIUS Act to the National Currency Act of 1863. The OCC received hundreds of comments from crypto firms, community bankers, trade groups and academics. Citing the industry's youth, the agency said it will monitor the sector and adjust its framework where necessary.

The law was signed in July 2025, and regulators missed its earlier July deadline for finalizing the rules.

For people who use USDT exchange services, this is another step toward clearer U.S. stablecoin rules.