Will the cap on UK stablecoins impact its status as a financial hub? Brian Armstrong warns that tightening regulations and soaring profits may create a hedge.

On February 25, the CEO of the United States’ largest compliant CEX, Brian Armstrong, publicly opposed the Bank of England’s proposed stablecoin holding limit policy, stating that the related rules could weaken the UK’s competitiveness in the global digital asset and stablecoin markets and suppress the development of the crypto innovation ecosystem. He said on social media that if current regulatory directions restrict stablecoin size and use cases, capital and blockchain companies may migrate to more friendly jurisdictions.

Under the proposed framework, the Bank of England plans to set a limit of approximately £20,000 for individual stablecoin holdings, impose higher limits for businesses, and require 40% of reserves to be held in non-interest-bearing central bank accounts. Some industry insiders interpret this design as a direct constraint on stablecoin liquidity and yield models, which could impact core applications such as stablecoin payments, tokenized assets, and on-chain settlements. Several UK lawmakers also warned that excessive restrictions could weaken fintech innovation and reduce institutional participation.

Meanwhile, the stablecoin-related revenue of this CEX is rapidly growing. The company expects stablecoin business revenue to reach $1.35 billion in 2025, significantly higher than $911 million in the previous year, with particularly strong contributions in the fourth quarter. Analysts note that as stablecoin revenue sharing, on-chain settlement demand, and USD stablecoin adoption increase, stablecoins are gradually shifting toward a role as “basic financial infrastructure” rather than just a single crypto product.

Bloomberg industry research suggests that if the US GENIUS Act establishes a federal stablecoin regulatory framework and allows offering yield incentives to holders, related revenue could multiply several times. However, banking lobbies are concerned that interest-bearing stablecoins could divert traditional deposits, leading to efforts to limit stablecoin yields in the CLARITY Act, which could also impact the platform’s interest-sharing model with Circle.

Notably, Brian Armstrong has previously withdrawn support for some regulatory drafts, believing that unreasonable stablecoin regulations could be more destructive than a lack of legislation. Currently, US regulators, banking representatives, and the crypto industry are still negotiating on stablecoin yields, risk management, and market structure. The policy direction will directly influence the stablecoin regulatory framework, the competition landscape of USD stablecoins, and the development path of global crypto compliance markets.

View Original
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to Disclaimer.

Related Articles

Aave Founder: RWA is the biggest opportunity in DeFi recently, but caution is needed as institutions may use DeFi as an exit liquidity channel

Aave founder Stani.eth pointed out that the private credit market is under pressure due to Federal Reserve rate hikes, with rising borrowing costs leading to stock price declines and redemption pressures for many funds. He mentioned that risk scenarios and DeFi investors should be cautious of high-yield RWA risks, emphasizing that on-chain private credit can offer transparency and security advantages that traditional finance cannot provide.

GateNews3h ago

Raoul Pal: Global liquidity and BTC correlation reach 90%, and the market is in a historically oversold state

Raoul Pal stated on March 8th that global liquidity is a key macro factor, highly correlated with BTC and NDX since 2012, with an annual growth of about 10%. He pointed out that liquidity remains loose and predicted that the US will further cut interest rates to stimulate disposable income. The crypto market is currently oversold, and the next two weeks will be a critical period to watch.

GateNews7h ago

U.S. financial regulators bypass Basel Accords to promote the development of tokenized securities, with several major financial institutions launching pilot programs

The U.S. financial regulatory agencies led by Trump are bypassing the Basel Accords to promote the development of tokenized securities, believing that technology-neutral regulatory strategies should be provided. Several financial institutions have taken this opportunity to initiate related pilot projects.

GateNews8h ago

South African Economist Flags Authoritarian Risks in CBDCs

Economist Dawie Roodt has issued a warning that central bank digital currencies could become tools for authoritarian control due to their “programmable” nature. The Authoritarian Risk South African economist Dawie Roodt warned that central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, could become

Coinpedia11h ago

The Wall Street Journal: International situation and employment data put the Federal Reserve in a dilemma, and it may remain on the sidelines in the short term

The Wall Street Journal reporter Timiraos analyzed that recent employment reports have intensified the Federal Reserve's dilemma between combating inflation and protecting jobs. Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari warned against repeating the mistakes of 2021, predicting that the Fed will not rush to adjust interest rates in the short term. If the unemployment rate rises, rate cuts may resume around mid-year, but if inflation risks increase, internal opposition voices will grow. Overall, the central bank faces a difficult choice.

GateNews14h ago

U.S. CLARITY Act Sparks Controversy: White House Crypto Official and Banking Industry Clash Over Stablecoin Incentives

On March 8th, the discussion of the U.S. CLARITY Act sparked debates between the banking industry and White House officials. The president of the Texas Independent Bankers Association stated that a compromise would impact the local economy, while White House advisors warned that no compromise could lead to disastrous consequences.

GateNews16h ago
Comment
0/400
No comments