Coinbase’s chief publicly accused big banks of trying to choke off parts of a law meant to clear the rules for stablecoins and other crypto products. Brian Armstrong said banks were pushing terms that would make the law less useful to crypto firms, a charge that has widened into a political spat that now involves the White House.
Banks And Crypto Firms Clash
US President Donald Trump’s public comments this week stepped into that fight. He used his social feed to complain that banking interests were trying to “kill” the GENIUS Act, and warned that heavy-handed limits could push crypto firms overseas. According to Bloomberg reporting, the dispute centers on so-called yield rules — whether stablecoin holders should be allowed to earn interest and, if so, how banks would be involved.
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Reports say the stalled negotiations have traced back to a Senate markup that failed to move forward. The chair of the Senate Banking Committee paused consideration after industry pushback and complex bargaining over who gets regulatory control. That delay created space for sharp messaging from both sides: crypto leaders warning of lost competitiveness, and banks pressing for protections they say are needed to limit risk.
Industry Pushback And Stakes
The back-and-forth grew louder after the exchange CEO’s remarks. Coinbase did not retract the claim that banks are seeking to shape rules to their benefit. Reports indicate other crypto companies have voiced similar complaints privately. Banks, for their part, argue they want strong oversight and limits on how digital-asset firms can operate inside the financial system.
Officials said the key sticking point is custody and yield: whether nonbank firms can offer deposit-like returns or whether that activity should remain inside federally regulated banks. Short, clear answers have been hard to find. Negotiators are sorting through technical language that will determine where risk sits and who enforces the rules. That language matters for startups and large firms alike.
Truth Social And Public Pressure
Trump amplified the issue on his platform, drawing public attention and turning a policy squabble into a broader political fight. Truth Social posts framed the banks as obstructionist, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle picked up the debate in calls and interviews. Reports note the rhetoric is making it harder for negotiators to quietly tweak language without scrutiny.
Bitcoin and other crypto firms have warned that unclear or onerous rules would push talent and capital to other jurisdictions. Officials in the negotiating teams have not released a timetable for action. Data shows regulatory certainty can influence where businesses choose to base key operations, and that factor now seems central to the bargaining.
Featured image from Holmatro, chart from TradingView
