NPRM: GENIUS Act regulations on payment stablecoin issuance, offer and sale (91 FR 53368) (Part 2 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026)

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2026-08-18

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Research, not advice. Part of the Bitcoin research archive (October 2026). Claims labelled unverified, contested or fringe are reported, not endorsed; statuses of bills and rules are as of the date checked. Government, court and patent records are public domain; the research notes are CC BY 4.0.

stablecoin is outside the                     issued ‘‘in the United States’’ based on
                                                unambiguous line as to whether                          United States. Similar to proposed                    the location of the issuer and acquirer.
                                                payment stablecoins were issued in the                  § 1523.2(c), the reasonable belief                    For example, a nominally offshore
                                                United States that depends only on                      standard could be supported by                        issuance may be structured to place
                                                factually verifiable locations of the                   reasonably designed, implemented, and                 newly issued payment stablecoins into
                                                issuer and the person to whom the                       maintained policies, procedures, and                  U.S. circulation through an affiliate,
                                                payment stablecoins were issued. The                    controls, which may include customer                  distributor, market maker, platform, or
                                                lawful or unlawful nature of the                        identification and due diligence,                     other intermediary. Conversely, an
                                                issuance, therefore, would not depend                   account-opening information,                          issuance may involve a U.S.-organized
                                                on other facts and circumstances, such                  geographic access restrictions, device-               entity acting through non-U.S.
                                                as the level of due diligence performed                 or network-location tools, contractual                personnel, accounts, and operations for
                                                by the issuer.                                          representations, transaction monitoring,              non-U.S. customers, with no U.S.-
                                                   Treasury acknowledges that this                      and other controls reasonably designed                directed activity. More closely aligning
                                                outcome may be viewed as overly strict,                 to identify whether the person acquiring              with Regulation S may provide more

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                                                particularly where the issuer took                      the payment stablecoin is outside the                 clarity for certain financial institutions
                                                reasonable steps to ensure that the                     United States.                                        that are already familiar with this well-
                                                recipient was not located in the United                    Unlike proposed § 1523.2(c), when                  established framework and have
                                                States and reasonably believed that the                 the person acquiring the payment                      controls designed for it, though it may
                                                recipient was not located in the United                 stablecoin is a legal entity, if an                   provide more complexity for payment
                                                States at the time of the issuance.                     authorized employee places the                        stablecoin actors that are not already
                                                However, under this approach, the due                   acquisition request or other transaction              familiar with Regulation S. Treasury
                                                diligence steps that the issuer took or its             instruction while abroad, the                         requests comment on whether an

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                                                53380                  Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules

                                                offshore-transaction framework would                    standing alone? For example, should                   similar in language, structure and effect:
                                                better distinguish between those fact                   such conduct include legally required                 Both prohibitions declare it to be
                                                patterns, or whether the proposed                       notices with no promotional content;                  unlawful for a digital asset service
                                                approach, including the proposed                        factual communications to existing                    provider to engage in certain proscribed
                                                definition of ‘‘located in the United                   holders; processing conversion,                       activities related to a payment
                                                States’’ and proposed § 1523.2(b)–(d),                  redemption, or repurchase requests;                   stablecoin, unless the payment
                                                provides greater administrability and                   ordinary custody or safekeeping; and                  stablecoin is issued by a person meeting
                                                certainty.                                              ordinary technical support?                           certain criteria. The most obvious
                                                   Treasury also requests comment on                       Question 50: Are there additional                  differences between the two
                                                whether the alternative frameworks                      concepts, conditions, limitations,                    prohibitions are the date on which each
                                                would create undue complexity or                        interpretations, or exceptions from                   becomes applicable and the criteria that
                                                increase or decrease evasion risk or risk               Regulation S or other areas of law that               must be met for a digital asset service
                                                of flowback of large volumes of payment                 Treasury should consider incorporating                provider not to violate each prohibition.
                                                stablecoins to the U.S. market.                         into any offshore transaction framework                  Beyond these obvious differences,
                                                   Question 44: Should Treasury adopt                   for payment stablecoin issuance? For                  there are two more subtle differences
                                                the first alternative described above,                  example, should Treasury consider a                   between the prohibitions in sections
                                                wherein an issuance is per se unlawful                  category structure, distribution                      3(b)(1) and 3(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                if any payment stablecoins are issued to                compliance periods, offering                          5902(b)(1), (2)). First, whereas section
                                                persons located in the United States,                   restrictions, purchaser certifications,               3(b)(1) proscribes the ‘‘offer or [sale]’’ of
                                                where knowledge and procedures are                      transfer restrictions, notice or platform-            certain payment stablecoins, section
                                                relevant only for the secondary question                control requirements, special treatment               3(b)(2) proscribes the ‘‘offer, [sale], or
                                                of whether criminal penalties may                       for discretionary accounts or similar                 otherwise mak[ing] available’’ of certain
                                                attach?                                                 accounts held for the benefit or account              payment stablecoins. With respect to
                                                   Question 45: Should Treasury adopt                   of non-U.S. persons by others, such as                ‘‘make available,’’ Treasury
                                                an offshore transaction framework more                  fiduciaries, organizations, or affiliates?            acknowledges that different terms in a
                                                similar to Regulation S, such as the                    Should Treasury also incorporate anti-                statute are ordinarily presumed to have
                                                approach described in the second                        evasion principles, such as rules for                 different meanings, in which case,
                                                alternative above, under which a foreign                transactions specifically targeted at                 ‘‘make available’’ should be understood
                                                payment stablecoin issuer would be                      identifiable groups of U.S. persons                   to refer to a distinct set of activities that
                                                deemed not to issue a payment                           abroad, prearranged transactions with                 are not ‘‘offer’’ or ‘‘sale,’’ but that
                                                stablecoin in the United States for                     persons in the United States, or                      general rule is not dispositive.49 In this
                                                purposes of section 3(a) of the Act (12                 transactions that are formally offshore               case, the Act defines ‘‘offer’’ as ‘‘to make
                                                U.S.C. 5902(a)) if the issuance is made                 but part of a plan or scheme to evade                 available for purchase, sale, or
                                                in an offshore transaction and no                       section 3(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                    exchange.’’ 50 For this reason, Treasury
                                                directed selling efforts are made in the                5902(a))?                                             does not believe that the statutory terms
                                                United States by the issuer or any
                                                                                                        E. Payment Stablecoin Offer and Sale                  ‘‘offer,’’ ‘‘sell,’’ and ‘‘make available’’ are
                                                person acting on its behalf?
                                                   Question 46: Should any offshore                     (Proposed § 1523.3)                                   mutually exclusive, and they may
                                                transaction framework apply only to                        Proposed § 1523.3 implements the                   significantly overlap. Further, at least
                                                foreign payment stablecoin issuers?                     prohibitions in section 3(b) of the Act               for purposes of the proposed rule,
                                                Should such a framework replace                         (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)) on offers and sales               Treasury believes that the value of
                                                proposed § 1523.2(b)–(d), supplement                    of payment stablecoins by digital asset               reducing redundancy and promoting
                                                proposed § 1523.2(b)–(d), or be                         service providers. Proposed paragraphs                clarity to digital asset service providers
                                                structured as a safe harbor under                       (a) and (b) codify the statutory                      on the scope of prohibited activities
                                                § 1523.4?                                               prohibitions in sections 3(b)(1) and                  counsels against providing separate and
                                                   Question 47: Should a foreign                        3(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(1),             distinct examples of what constitutes
                                                payment stablecoin issuer be unable to                  (2)) with certain clarifications. Proposed            the ‘‘mak[ing] available’’ of a payment
                                                rely on offshore treatment if the issuer                paragraph (c) clarifies a digital asset               stablecoin, which may create confusion
                                                or any person acting on its behalf knows                service provider’s obligations with                   among the legal obligations that apply to
                                                that the transaction has been                           respect to a foreign payment stablecoin               digital asset service providers. For this
                                                prearranged with a person in the United                 issuer’s compliance with lawful orders                reason, proposed § 1523.3(d)
                                                States?                                                 and reciprocal arrangements. Proposed                 enumerates a single set of activities that,
                                                   Question 48: What conduct should                     paragraph (d) provides examples of                    when conducted by a digital asset
                                                Treasury identify as inconsistent with                  activities that constitute an offer or sale           service provider, would violate either
                                                offshore treatment or as evidence of                    of a payment stablecoin to a person in                section 3(b)(1) or section 3(b)(2), as
                                                directed selling efforts in the United                  the United States. Proposed paragraph                 applicable. Treasury notes that these
                                                States? For example, should such                        (e) describes when a digital asset service               49 See, e.g., William Eskridge, Interpreting Law
                                                conduct include advertising the                         provider will be deemed not to violate                (2016) (noting that the presumption against
                                                payment stablecoin as available to                      the prohibitions in section 3(b) of the               interpreting a provision of a statute in a way that
                                                persons in the United States, advising                  Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)).                              would render other provisions superfluous or
                                                persons how to evade location-detection                    In developing proposed regulations to              redundant ‘‘must give way when offset by other
                                                                                                                                                              evidence of statutory meaning’’); King v. Burwell,

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                                                or restriction mechanisms, providing                    implement section 3(b) of the Act (12
                                                                                                                                                              576 U.S. 473, 491 (2015) (noting with respect to a
                                                U.S.-directed liquidity incentives,                     U.S.C. 5902(b)), Treasury first                       particular statute that ‘‘rigorous application of the
                                                supporting U.S.-facing wallet or                        considered the relationship between the               canon does not seem a particularly useful guide to
                                                platform integrations, or facilitating                  prohibitions in section 3(b)(1) and                   a fair construction of the statute’’); Marx v. Gen.
                                                                                                        section 3(b)(2). As a preliminary matter,             Revenue Corp., 568 U.S. 371, 385 (2013) (observing
                                                U.S. merchant acceptance?                                                                                     that ‘‘[t]he canon against surplusage is not an
                                                   Question 49: What conduct should                     Treasury notes that the prohibitions in               absolute rule’’).
                                                Treasury identify as ordinarily not                     section 3(b)(1) and section 3(b)(2) of the               50 See section 2(21) of the Act (12 U.S.C.

                                                constituting directed selling efforts                   Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(1), (2)) are                   5901(21)).

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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules                                           53381

                                                examples are not exhaustive, and that                   stablecoin is issued by a permitted                   payment stablecoin issuer unless the
                                                other activities may constitute the offer,              payment stablecoin issuer. Proposed                   foreign payment stablecoin issuer has
                                                sale, or making available of a payment                  § 1523.3(a) implements section 3(b)(1) of             the technological capability to comply
                                                stablecoin.                                             the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(1)) and                    with, and will comply, with the terms
                                                   Second, section 3(b)(1) applies to the               provides that beginning on July 18,                   of any lawful order and any reciprocal
                                                offer or sale of certain payment                        2028, except in accordance with                       arrangement pursuant to section 18 of
                                                stablecoins ‘‘to a person in the United                 § 1523.4, it shall be unlawful for a                  the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).
                                                States,’’ but section 3(b)(2) applies to the            digital asset service provider to offer or               The text of proposed § 1523.3(b)
                                                offer, sale, or otherwise making                        sell a payment stablecoin to a person                 differs from the text of section 3(b)(2) of
                                                available ‘‘in the United States’’ of                   located in the United States unless the               the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(2)) in two
                                                certain payment stablecoins. As                         payment stablecoin is (i) issued by a                 respects. First, the inclusion of the
                                                discussed above, Treasury                               permitted payment stablecoin issuer, or               qualifying language ‘‘except in
                                                acknowledges that different terms in a                  (ii) issued by a foreign payment                      accordance with § 1523.4’’ makes clear
                                                statute are ordinarily presumed to have                 stablecoin issuer that meets the criteria             from the outset that certain exemptions
                                                different meanings. However, Treasury                   set out in section 18(a) of the Act (12               and safe harbors may apply. These
                                                believes that whatever the outer                        U.S.C. 5916(a)).                                      exemptions and safe harbors are
                                                boundaries of this phrase in section                       The text of proposed § 1523.3(a)                   addressed below in connection with
                                                3(b)(2), offering, selling, or otherwise                codifies the substance of section 3(b)(1)             proposed § 1523.4. Second, proposed
                                                making available a payment stablecoin                   of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(1)) without             § 1523.3(b) makes clear that, as
                                                ‘‘in the United States’’ must include                   change but Treasury has included                      discussed above, the statutory phrase
                                                offering or selling to a person located in              certain ministerial clarifications in the             ‘‘offer, sell, or otherwise make available
                                                the United States. Thus, in this respect,               regulatory text. First, proposed                      in the United States’’ includes offering
                                                section 3(b)(2) at least includes, if it is             § 1523.3(a) specifies that the prohibition            or selling to a person located in the
                                                not coextensive with, section 3(b)(1).                  in section 3(b)(1) becomes applicable on              United States.
                                                This reading is consistent with section                 July 18, 2028, which is the date that is                 Treasury considered whether section
                                                3(e) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(e)),                    three years after the date of enactment               3(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(2))
                                                which provides extraterritorial                         of the Act. Second, the inclusion of the              is applicable to a payment stablecoin
                                                treatment for conduct involving an offer                qualifying language ‘‘except in                       issued by a foreign payment stablecoin
                                                or sale of a payment stablecoin to a                    accordance with § 1523.4’’ makes clear                issuer meeting the criteria set out in
                                                ‘‘person located in the United States.’’                from the outset that certain exemptions               section 18(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                As noted above, Treasury believes that                  and safe harbors may apply. These                     5916(a)). Treasury does not believe that
                                                the value of promoting clarity and                      exemptions and safe harbors are                       sections 18(a) and 3(b), when read
                                                reducing redundancy counsels against                    addressed below in connection with                    together, were intended to relieve
                                                an overly complex proposed rule.                        proposed § 1523.4. Third, whereas                     foreign payment stablecoin issuers
                                                Accordingly, proposed § 1523.3(b)                       section 3(b)(1) merely cross-references               meeting the criteria in section 18(a) of
                                                specifies that the prohibition in section               section 18 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916)                the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916(a)) of the
                                                3(b)(2) extends to offers or sales to                   as providing an exemption, proposed                   obligations to comply with lawful
                                                persons located in the United States,                   § 1523.3(a) more clearly spells out that              orders and reciprocal arrangements, or
                                                and all of the examples enumerated in                   the prohibition does not apply to a                   to authorize the offer or sale of payment
                                                proposed § 1523.3(d) that would violate                 payment stablecoin issued by a foreign                stablecoins issued by non-compliant
                                                section 3(b)(1) or section 3(b)(2), as                  payment stablecoin issuer that meets the              issuers. Instead, Treasury believes that
                                                applicable, are activities conducted with               criteria set out in section 18(a) of the              sections 18(a) and 3(b), when read
                                                respect to persons located in the United                Act (12 U.S.C. 5916(a)).                              together, relieve foreign payment
                                                States.                                                                                                       stablecoin issuers meeting the criteria of
                                                   Question 51: Does Treasury’s                         2. Offer and Sale of Payment Stablecoins              section 18(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                interpretation of the relationship                      Issued by Foreign Payment Stablecoin                  5916(a)) from the general prohibition on
                                                between section 3(b)(1) and section                     Issuers (Proposed § 1523.3(b))                        offers and sales of their payment
                                                3(b)(2) reflect the best reading of the                    Section 3(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C.              stablecoins, while retaining the
                                                Act? In particular, does the phrase                     5902(b)(2)) provides that it shall be                 obligations to comply with lawful
                                                ‘‘make available’’ include activities not               unlawful for any digital asset service                orders and reciprocal arrangements.
                                                already covered by ‘‘offer’’ or ‘‘sell,’’ and           provider to offer, sell, or otherwise make            Treasury notes that these obligations of
                                                if so, what are specific examples of such               available in the United States a payment              foreign payment stablecoin issuers arise
                                                activities? Is offering or selling ‘‘in the             stablecoin issued by a foreign payment                under or are reinforced by other
                                                United States’’ meaningfully different                  stablecoin issuer unless the foreign                  provisions of the Act, namely section
                                                from offering or selling ‘‘to a person in               payment stablecoin issuer has the                     8(a)(1) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5907(a)(1))
                                                the United States’’?                                    technological capability to comply, and               (regarding lawful orders) and sections
                                                                                                        will comply, with the terms of any                    18(a) (12 U.S.C. 5916(a)) and 18(d) of
                                                1. Offer and Sale Activities On and After               lawful order and any reciprocal                       the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916(d)) (regarding
                                                July 18, 2028 (Proposed § 1523.3(a))                    arrangement pursuant to section 18 of                 reciprocity).
                                                   Section 3(b)(1) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916). Proposed
                                                5902(b)(1)) provides that, except as                    § 1523.3(b) implements section 3(b)(2)                3. Compliance With Lawful Orders and
                                                                                                                                                              Reciprocal Arrangements (Proposed

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                                                provided in section 3(c) (12 U.S.C.                     of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(2)) and
                                                5902(c)) and section 18 (12 U.S.C. 5916),               provides that, except in accordance with              § 1523.3(c))
                                                beginning on the date that is three years               § 1523.4, it shall be unlawful for a                     As described above, section 3(b)(2)
                                                after the date of enactment of the Act,                 digital asset service provider to offer or            and proposed § 1523.3(b) each refer to
                                                it shall be unlawful for a digital asset                sell to a person located in the United                limitations on digital asset service
                                                service provider to offer or sell a                     States, or otherwise offer, sell, or make             providers’ ability to offer, sell, or make
                                                payment stablecoin to a person in the                   available in the United States, a                     available in the United States a payment
                                                United States, unless the payment                       payment stablecoin issued by a foreign                stablecoin issued by a foreign payment

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                                                53382                  Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules

                                                stablecoin issuer. In particular, in order              payment stablecoin issuers in all cases                 stablecoin issuer’s noncompliance with,
                                                for the payment stablecoin to be                        because it would be impossible for the                  for example, a lawful order may be
                                                lawfully offered, sold, or made available               digital asset service provider to meet                  readily available from public or non-
                                                by a digital asset service provider, the                these exacting standards. Treasury                      public sources accessible to the digital
                                                foreign payment stablecoin issuer must                  believes this strict reading is not                     asset service provider, even when no
                                                have the technological capability to                    compelled by the text of the statute and                prohibition on secondary trading under
                                                comply, and will comply, with the                       would frustrate the purpose of the Act,                 section 8 is yet in effect. In such a
                                                terms of any lawful order and any                       which clearly contemplates the offer or                 situation, Treasury believes that a
                                                reciprocal arrangement pursuant to                      sale by digital asset service providers of              digital asset service provider should not
                                                section 18 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).                 payment stablecoins issued by foreign                   be able to rely on the foreign payment
                                                Recognizing the importance of                           payment stablecoin issuers, at least in                 stablecoin issuer’s representation. As
                                                providing clarity to digital asset service              some cases.                                             such, the proposed requirement that a
                                                providers on how to avoid unlawful                         Instead, Treasury proposes a more                    digital asset service provider must
                                                offers and sales of payment stablecoins                 practical approach that permits a digital               conduct reasonable due diligence is
                                                issued by foreign payment stablecoin                    asset service provider to rely in certain               intended to go beyond merely
                                                issuers, proposed § 1523.3(c) clarifies a               circumstances on a foreign payment                      confirming that no prohibition on
                                                digital asset service provider’s                        stablecoin issuer’s representation that                 secondary trading is in effect. Rather,
                                                obligations with respect to these                       the foreign payment stablecoin issuer                   the digital asset service provider should
                                                requirements. It provides that, for                     has the technological capability to                     consider all reasonably available
                                                purposes of proposed § 1523.3(b), a                     comply, and will comply, with the                       sources of information regarding the
                                                digital asset service provider may rely                 terms of any lawful order and any                       foreign payment stablecoin issuer.
                                                on a representation by a foreign                        reciprocal arrangement pursuant to                         Second, the digital asset service
                                                payment stablecoin issuer that the                      section 18 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).                 provider may not rely on a foreign
                                                foreign payment stablecoin issuer has                   To be entitled to rely on such a                        payment stablecoin issuer’s
                                                the technological capability to comply,                 representation, however, the digital                    representation if, based on such due
                                                and will comply, with the terms of any                  asset service provider must meet two                    diligence or other information
                                                lawful order and any reciprocal                         criteria.                                               reasonably available to it, the digital
                                                arrangement pursuant to section 18 of                      First, the digital asset service provider            asset service provider knows, has reason
                                                the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916), subject to two                may not rely on a foreign payment                       to know, or should know that the
                                                constraints. First, the digital asset                   stablecoin issuer’s representation unless               representation is false or that the foreign
                                                service provider may not rely on such                   it conducts reasonable due diligence on                 payment stablecoin issuer does not have
                                                                                                        the foreign payment stablecoin issuer.                  the technological capability to comply,
                                                representation unless it conducts
                                                                                                        Treasury acknowledges that what                         or will not comply, with the terms of
                                                reasonable due diligence regarding the
                                                                                                        constitutes a reasonable level of due                   any lawful order or any reciprocal
                                                representation. Second, the digital asset
                                                                                                        diligence may vary depending on the                     arrangement pursuant to section 18 of
                                                service provider may not rely on such
                                                                                                        facts and circumstances. In all cases,                  the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916). Treasury
                                                representation if, based on such due
                                                                                                        however, Treasury expects this due                      intends this language to include, in
                                                diligence or other information
                                                                                                        diligence to include confirming that no                 addition to actual knowledge of falsity,
                                                reasonably available to it, the digital
                                                                                                        prohibition on secondary trading                        a situation where the digital asset
                                                asset service provider knows, has reason
                                                                                                        pursuant to section 8 of the Act (12                    service provider is aware of facts that
                                                to know, or should know that the
                                                                                                        U.S.C. 5907) is in effect with respect to               would cause a reasonable person to
                                                representation is false or that the foreign             the foreign payment stablecoin issuer.                  conclude that the foreign payment
                                                payment stablecoin issuer does not have                 Section 8 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5907)                   stablecoin issuer does not have the
                                                the technological capability to comply,                 authorizes the Secretary to designate                   technological capability to comply, or
                                                or will not comply, with the terms of                   any foreign payment stablecoin issuer as                will not comply, with the terms of any
                                                any lawful order or any reciprocal                      noncompliant with the requirement that                  lawful order or any reciprocal
                                                arrangement pursuant to section 18 of                   the foreign payment stablecoin issuer                   arrangement pursuant to section 18 of
                                                the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).                               has the technological capability to                     the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).
                                                   In considering the requirements of                   comply and complies with the terms of                      Question 52: What due diligence
                                                section 3(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                   any lawful order.51 The Secretary’s                     should be required of a digital asset
                                                5902(b)(2)), Treasury notes that, as a                  designation is made public via the                      service provider in order for the digital
                                                practical matter, a digital asset service               process laid out in section 8 of the Act                asset service provider to be entitled to
                                                provider may not know, and may not be                   (12 U.S.C. 5907), including publication                 rely on the representation of a foreign
                                                able to ascertain without prohibitively                 in the Federal Register, along with a                   payment stablecoin issuer that the
                                                onerous inquiry, the full extent of a                   prohibition on secondary trading of the                 foreign payment stablecoin issuer has
                                                foreign payment stablecoin issuer’s                     foreign payment stablecoin issuer’s                     the technological capability to comply,
                                                technological capabilities to comply                    payment stablecoins in the United                       and will comply, with the terms of any
                                                with lawful orders and reciprocal                       States by digital asset service                         lawful order and any reciprocal
                                                arrangements. More significantly, a                     providers.52                                            arrangement pursuant to section 18 of
                                                digital asset service provider can never                   Treasury considered whether                          the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916)? Should the
                                                know with certainty whether a foreign                   confirming the absence of any                           rule be more prescriptive about the form

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                                                payment stablecoin issuer ‘‘will                        prohibition on secondary trading should                 of the representation, such as requiring
                                                comply’’ at all times in the future with                alone constitute a sufficient level of due              it to be in writing, contain certain
                                                the terms of any lawful order or any                    diligence on the part of a digital asset                language, or be updated with some
                                                reciprocal arrangement. Thus, a strict                  service provider. However, other                        frequency? Is the requirement to
                                                reading of these provisions of the Act                  evidence of a foreign payment                           conduct reasonable due diligence clear
                                                would effectively foreclose the offer or                                                                        and appropriate? Should the proposed
                                                sale by digital asset service providers of                51 See section 8(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5907(a)).   rule be more prescriptive about the
                                                payment stablecoins issued by foreign                     52 See section 8(b) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5907(b)).   specific steps a digital asset service

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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules                                         53383

                                                provider must take? For example,                        these prohibitions by enumerating                     regardless of the form of consideration
                                                should the rule address certain public                  examples of activities that constitute the            provided in return for the payment
                                                representations or advertisements made                  offer or sale of a payment stablecoin to              stablecoin or the timing of delivery of
                                                by foreign payment stablecoin issuers,                  a person located in the United States.                the payment stablecoin. Treasury
                                                such as that their payment stablecoins                  Treasury emphasizes that the proposed                 believes that a sale should be
                                                are resistant to freezing? Should the rule              examples are not intended to be                       considered to have occurred regardless
                                                require digital asset service providers to              exhaustive, and that other activities by              of the form of consideration provided in
                                                retain records of the representation and                digital asset service providers may                   return for the payment stablecoin or the
                                                due diligence, and if so, which records                 constitute a violation of proposed                    timing of delivery of the payment
                                                and for how long? For example, should                   § 1523.3(a) or proposed § 1523.3(b), as               stablecoin.
                                                a digital asset service provider be                     applicable, depending on the facts and                   Question 56: Are the proposed
                                                required to audit or examine smart                      circumstances.                                        examples of activities that, when
                                                contracts relating to a payment                           First, proposed § 1523.3(d)(1)                      conducted by a digital asset service
                                                stablecoin? If so, should a digital asset               provides that a digital asset service                 provider, constitute the offer or sale of
                                                service provider be required to verify the              provider offers or sells a payment                    a payment stablecoin to a person
                                                existence and/or efficacy of smart                      stablecoin to a person located in the                 located in the United States appropriate
                                                contract functions designed to comply                   United States if the digital asset service            and clear?
                                                with lawful orders, such as ‘‘seize,’’                  provider directly solicits a person                      Question 57: What additional
                                                ‘‘freeze,’’ and ‘‘burn’’ functions? Would               located in the United States to purchase              examples of activities that, when
                                                such requirement effectively prevent                    the payment stablecoin.                               conducted by a digital asset service
                                                digital asset service providers from                      Second, proposed § 1523.3(d)(2)                     provider, constitute the offer or sale of
                                                offering, selling or otherwise making                   provides that a digital asset service                 a payment stablecoin to a person
                                                available payment stablecoins whose                     provider offers or sells a payment                    located in the United States should be
                                                code is not fully open source?                          stablecoin to a person located in the                 provided?
                                                   Question 53: Is the proposed ‘‘knows,                United States if the digital asset service               Question 58: Should the scenarios
                                                has reason to know, or should know’’                    provider advertises the payment                       included in proposed § 1523.3(d) be an
                                                standard appropriate and clear?                         stablecoin as available for purchase by               exhaustive list of violations of proposed
                                                Alternatively, should digital asset                     persons located in the United States.                 § 1523.3(a) or proposed § 1523.3(b)
                                                service providers be held to a more                       Third, proposed § 1523.3(d)(3)                      rather than a non-exhaustive list of
                                                exacting standard—such as not having                    provides that a digital asset service                 examples?
                                                any reason to suspect that a foreign                    provider offers or sells a payment                       Question 59: Is an airdrop of a
                                                payment stablecoin issuer does not have                 stablecoin to a person located in the                 payment stablecoin considered an offer,
                                                the technological capability to comply,                 United States if the digital asset service            such as on the basis that the payment
                                                or will not comply, with the terms of any               provider responds to an unsolicited                   stablecoin is being made available for
                                                lawful order and any reciprocal                         inquiry from a person located in the                  exchange, even in the absence of a sale
                                                arrangement pursuant to section 18 of                   United States by indicating willingness               for consideration? Or are such airdrops
                                                the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916)—before being                   to sell the payment stablecoin. In this               outside the scope of proposed § 1523.3?
                                                entitled to rely on the foreign payment                 example, Treasury believes that an offer                 Question 60: How should the use of
                                                stablecoin issuer’s representation?                     has occurred because the digital asset                payment stablecoins in traditional
                                                   Question 54: Should the proposed due                 service provider has made a payment                   financial instruments and markets,
                                                diligence requirements be different for                 stablecoin available for purchase, sale,              including funds, implicate or not
                                                lawful orders vs. reciprocal                            or exchange, regardless of the                        implicate the provisions governing offer
                                                arrangements? For example, for                          circumstances that gave rise to the offer.            or sale of payment stablecoins by digital
                                                reciprocal arrangements, should the                       Fourth, proposed § 1523.3(d)(4)                     asset service providers? For example, if
                                                requirements specify the extent to which                provides that a digital asset service                 a financial instrument pays dividends in
                                                the digital asset service provider should               provider offers or sells a payment                    the form of payment stablecoins, should
                                                obtain and review the terms of any                      stablecoin to a person located in the                 the offer or sale of the underlying
                                                reciprocal arrangement with a                           United States if the digital asset service            instrument be considered the offer or
                                                jurisdiction that is the foreign payment                provider advises potential purchasers of              sale of a payment stablecoin? Should
                                                stablecoin issuer’s domicile?                           the payment stablecoin on how to evade                the answer depend on whether the
                                                   Question 55: Is there any difference in              generally applicable location detection               dividend has already been declared at
                                                the obligations of digital asset service                or restriction mechanisms that would                  the time the underlying instrument is
                                                providers with respect to lawful orders                 otherwise detect or block purchases by                offered or sold? Regardless of the
                                                or reciprocity agreements before or after               persons located in the United States,                 treatment of the offer or sale of the
                                                July 18, 2028, or with respect to                       such as IP address checkers. This                     underlying instrument, should the
                                                payment stablecoins issued by foreign                   example is intended to prevent digital                payment of the dividend itself be
                                                payment stablecoin issuers in                           asset service providers from evading the              considered an offer or sale of payment
                                                compliance with section 18(a) of the Act                Act by facilitating a potential                       stablecoins?
                                                (12 U.S.C. 5916(a))?                                    purchaser’s use of technology to evade                   Question 61: Is it clear how proposed
                                                                                                        the limitation on purchasers located in               § 1523.3 relates to participation in an
                                                4. Offer and Sale Activities Prescribed                 the United States.                                    issuance under proposed § 1523.2? In
                                                (Proposed § 1523.3(d))

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                                                                                                          Fifth, proposed § 1523.3(d)(5)                      what scenarios would a digital asset
                                                   Whereas proposed § 1523.3(a) and                     provides that a digital asset service                 service provider violate one, the other,
                                                proposed § 1523.3(b) aim generally to                   provider offers or sells a payment                    or both?
                                                codify the text of the statutory                        stablecoin to a person located in the
                                                prohibitions in section 3(b)(1) and                     United States if the digital asset service            5. Activities Deemed Not To Be Offers
                                                section 3(b)(2), respectively, proposed                 provider enters into a contract for the               or Sales (Proposed § 1523.3(e))
                                                § 1523.3(d) provides further clarity to                 sale of a payment stablecoin with a                      Whereas proposed § 1523.3(d) is
                                                digital asset service providers regarding               person located in the United States,                  intended to provide clarity to digital

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                                                53384                  Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules

                                                asset service providers about what offer                to be reasonably designed if they are                 also considering several alternative
                                                and sale activities violate the                         static; rather, Treasury expects digital              approaches for § 1523.3. First, Treasury
                                                prohibitions in section 3(b)(1) and                     asset service providers to periodically               is considering an alternative approach
                                                3(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(1),               review and update their policies,                     under which proposed § 1523.3 would
                                                (2)), proposed § 1523.3(e) describes                    procedures, and controls as the payment               deem any offer or sale of a payment
                                                when a digital asset service provider                   stablecoin market matures, technology                 stablecoin that is not issued by a
                                                will be deemed not to offer or sell a                   evolves, as the digital asset service                 permitted payment stablecoin issuer or
                                                payment stablecoin to a person located                  provider gains experience in offering                 a foreign payment stablecoin issuer that
                                                in the United States, and will be                       and selling payment stablecoins, and in               meets the criteria set out in section 18(a)
                                                deemed not to offer, sell, or otherwise                 response to any identified instances of               of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916(a)) to a
                                                make available in the United States a                   offers or sales to persons located in the             person who is located in the United
                                                payment stablecoin. In this way,                        United States.                                        States to be unlawful, regardless of
                                                proposed § 1523.3(e) is intended to                        Finally, the digital asset service                 whether the digital asset service
                                                provide clarity and promote compliance                  provider must not engage in advertising               provider knew or should have known
                                                with the Act by describing what a                       or solicitation activities that target, or            that the recipient or offeree was actually
                                                digital asset service provider must do to               could be reasonably expected to have                  located in the United States. Such an
                                                avoid potentially violating section 3(b)                the effect of targeting, any person                   alternative would involve narrowing or
                                                of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)).                         located in the United States. Treasury                removing proposed § 1523.3(e). This
                                                Significantly, a digital asset service                  believes this condition is necessary to               alternative approach would provide a
                                                provider that meets the requirements of                 avoid a situation where a digital asset               clear, unambiguous line that depends
                                                proposed § 1523.3(e) will not be                        service provider is not knowingly                     only on factually verifiable location of
                                                considered to have violated section 3(b)                offering, selling, or making payment                  the person to whom the payment
                                                of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)) even if the              stablecoins available to a person located             stablecoins were offered or sold. The
                                                digital asset service provider’s activities             in the United States, but is engaged in               lawful or unlawful nature of the offer or
                                                would otherwise constitute, for                         activities that could foreseeably have                sale, therefore, would not depend on
                                                example, the inadvertent sale of an                     this result.                                          other facts and circumstances, such as
                                                unregistered payment stablecoin to a                       Like proposed § 1523.2(c), proposed                the level of due diligence performed by
                                                person located in the United States.                    § 1523.3(e) incorporates certain                      the digital asset service provider.
                                                   To benefit from the protection of                    concepts that are similar to concepts                    Treasury acknowledges that this
                                                proposed § 1523.3(e), a digital asset                   reflected in Regulation S under the                   outcome may be viewed as overly strict,
                                                service provider must meet three                        Securities Act, but would operate                     particularly where the digital asset
                                                conditions. First, the digital asset                    within the proposed definition of                     service provider took reasonable steps to
                                                service provider must reasonably                        ‘‘located in the United States’’ and                  ensure that the recipient was not located
                                                believe that the person to whom the                     would not adopt Regulation S’s                        in the United States and reasonably
                                                payment stablecoin is offered, sold, or                 offshore-transaction framework.                       believed that the recipient was not
                                                otherwise made available is not located                    Question 62: What policies,                        located in the United States at the time
                                                in the United States. Treasury                          procedures, or controls should support                of the offer or sale.
                                                acknowledges that what constitutes a                    a reasonable belief that the acquiring                   As a second alternative, Treasury is
                                                reasonable belief on the part of the                    person is outside the United States?                  considering whether to align proposed
                                                digital asset service provider may                      Should Treasury identify specific                     § 1523.3 more directly to the territorial
                                                depend on the facts and circumstances.                  controls, such as customer identification             concepts reflected in Regulation S under
                                                Similar to the proposed due diligence                   and due diligence, account-opening                    the Securities Act by adopting a broader
                                                requirements in proposed § 1523.3(c),                   information, geographic access                        offshore transaction framework. Under
                                                however, Treasury intends this                          restrictions, device- or network-location             this alternative, for example, the term
                                                requirement to exclude situations where                 checks, contractual representations,                  ‘‘located in the United States’’ would
                                                the digital asset service provider knows                transaction monitoring, or other                      not be defined based on an individual’s
                                                or has reason to know, based on the                     controls? Would this diligence take the               or entity’s status (e.g., residency or
                                                representations of the person to whom                   form of self-attestations, IP address                 jurisdiction of organization), and a
                                                the payment stablecoin is offered, sold,                checking, identification document                     digital asset service provider would be
                                                or otherwise made available or other                    checking, or something else? Should the               deemed not to offer or sell a payment
                                                information reasonably accessible to the                policies, procedures, and controls be                 stablecoin to a person located in the
                                                digital asset service provider, that the                reviewed and updated on a particular                  United States if (i) the offer or sale is
                                                person is located in the United States.                 cadence?                                              made in an offshore transaction and (ii)
                                                   Second, the digital asset service                       Question 63: Are there other                       no directed selling efforts are made in
                                                provider must have adopted and                          situations covered by proposed § 1523.3               the United States by the digital asset
                                                implemented policies, procedures, and                   for which Treasury should also not                    service provider or any person acting on
                                                controls reasonably designed to avoid                   deem an offer or sale to a person located             its behalf. Proposed § 1523.3(e) similarly
                                                offering, selling, or making available the              in the United States to have occurred in              incorporates certain Regulation S-like
                                                payment stablecoin to any person                        furtherance of the purposes of this Act?              concepts, but it would not adopt
                                                located in the United States. Treasury                  For example, should offers or sales                   Regulation S’s offshore-transaction
                                                emphasizes that these policies,                         resulting from certain types of reverse               framework nor its specific definitions.

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                                                procedures, and controls must not only                  solicitations involving payment                          In such an alternative, an offshore
                                                be adopted in form, but actually                        stablecoins issued by foreign payment                 transaction could be defined to require
                                                implemented in the digital asset service                stablecoin issuers not be deemed to                   that no offer be made to a person in the
                                                provider’s operations, in order for the                 violate the prohibition?                              United States and that, at the time the
                                                digital asset service provider to benefit                                                                     acquisition request or other transaction
                                                from proposed § 1523.3(e). In addition,                 6. Alternative Approaches                             instruction is originated, the person
                                                Treasury believes that policies,                           As with payment stablecoin issuance,               acquiring the payment stablecoin is
                                                procedures, and controls cannot be said                 discussed in section II.D.5, Treasury is              outside the United States, or the digital

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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules                                           53385

                                                asset service provider and any person                   may better address certain cross-border                  Question 68: What conduct should
                                                acting on its behalf reasonably believe                 fact patterns than the proposed                       Treasury identify as inconsistent with
                                                that the person acquiring the payment                   approach. More closely aligning with                  offshore treatment or as evidence of
                                                stablecoin is outside the United States.                Regulation S may provide more clarity                 directed selling efforts in the United
                                                Similar to proposed § 1523.3(e), the                    for certain financial institutions that are           States? For example, should such
                                                reasonable belief standard could be                     already familiar with this well-                      conduct include advertising the
                                                supported by reasonably designed,                       established framework and have                        payment stablecoin as available to
                                                implemented, and maintained policies,                   controls designed for it, though it may               persons in the United States, advising
                                                procedures, and controls, which may                     provide more complexity for payment                   persons how to evade location-detection
                                                include customer identification and due                 stablecoin actors that are not already                or restriction mechanisms, providing
                                                diligence, account-opening information,                 familiar with Regulation S. Treasury                  U.S.-directed liquidity incentives,
                                                geographic access restrictions, device-                 requests comment on whether an                        supporting U.S.-facing wallet or
                                                or network-location tools, contractual                  offshore-transaction framework would                  platform integrations, or facilitating
                                                representations, transaction monitoring,                better distinguish between those fact                 U.S. merchant acceptance?
                                                and other controls reasonably designed                  patterns, or whether the proposed                        Question 69: What conduct should
                                                to identify whether the person acquiring                approach, including the proposed                      Treasury identify as ordinarily not
                                                the payment stablecoin is outside the                   definition of ‘‘located in the United                 constituting directed selling efforts
                                                United States.                                          States’’ and proposed § 1523.3(b)–(e),                standing alone? For example, should
                                                   Unlike proposed § 1523.3(e), when                    provides greater administrability and                 such conduct include legally required
                                                the person acquiring the payment                        certainty.                                            notices with no promotional content;
                                                stablecoin is a legal entity, if an                        Treasury also requests comment on                  factual communications to existing
                                                authorized employee places the                          whether the alternative frameworks                    holders; processing conversion,
                                                acquisition request or other transaction                would create undue complexity or                      redemption, or repurchase requests;
                                                instruction while abroad, the                           increase or decrease evasion risk or risk             ordinary custody or safekeeping; and
                                                requirement that the person acquiring                   of flowback of large volumes of payment               ordinary technical support?
                                                the payment stablecoin be outside the                   stablecoins to the U.S. market.                          Question 70: Are there additional
                                                United States would be satisfied,                                                                             concepts, conditions, limitations, or
                                                                                                           Question 64: Should Treasury adopt
                                                regardless of the place of incorporation                                                                      exceptions from Regulation S or other
                                                                                                        the first alternative described above,
                                                or principal place of business of the                                                                         areas of law that Treasury should
                                                                                                        wherein an offer or sale is per se
                                                entity.                                                                                                       consider incorporating into any offshore
                                                                                                        unlawful if any payment stablecoins are
                                                   As compared to proposed § 1523.3(e),                                                                       transaction framework for payment
                                                                                                        offered or sold to persons located in the
                                                the alternative would more directly                                                                           stablecoin offer and sale? For example,
                                                                                                        United States, where knowledge and
                                                incorporate the concept of directed                                                                           should Treasury consider a category
                                                                                                        procedures are not relevant? Does this                structure, distribution compliance
                                                selling efforts from Regulation S, which
                                                could be defined as any activity                        alternative reflect the better reading of             periods, offering restrictions, purchaser
                                                undertaken for the purpose of, or that                  the statute?                                          certifications, transfer restrictions,
                                                could reasonably be expected to have                       Question 65: Should Treasury adopt                 notice or platform-control requirements,
                                                the effect of, conditioning the market in               an offshore transaction framework more                special treatment for discretionary
                                                the United States for the payment                       similar to Regulation S, such as the                  accounts or similar accounts held for
                                                stablecoin. In applying that concept to                 approach described in the second                      the benefit or account of non-U.S.
                                                payment stablecoins, Treasury could                     alternative above, under which a digital              persons by others, such as fiduciaries,
                                                consider whether activity is undertaken                 asset service provider would be deemed                organizations or affiliates? Should
                                                for the purpose of, or could reasonably                 not to offer or sell a payment stablecoin             Treasury also incorporate anti-evasion
                                                be expected to have the effect of,                      in the United States for purposes of                  principles, such as rules for transactions
                                                promoting, soliciting, or creating                      section 3(b) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                    specifically targeted at identifiable
                                                demand in the United States for the                     5902(b)) if the offer or sale is made in              groups of U.S. persons abroad,
                                                payment stablecoin. Such activity could                 an offshore transaction and no directed               prearranged transactions with persons
                                                include advertising or solicitation                     selling efforts are made in the United                in the United States, or transactions that
                                                directed at the United States, liquidity                States by the digital asset service                   are formally offshore but part of a plan
                                                incentives directed at U.S. use,                        provider or any person acting on its                  or scheme to evade section 3(b) of the
                                                merchant-enablement activity in the                     behalf?                                               Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(b))?
                                                United States, U.S.-facing wallet or                       Question 66: Should any offshore
                                                                                                        transaction framework apply only to                   F. Exemptions and Safe Harbors
                                                platform integrations, or other
                                                                                                        payment stablecoins issued by foreign                 (Proposed § 1523.4)
                                                ecosystem-development activity
                                                intended to facilitate the use or                       payment stablecoin issuers, only to                      Proposed § 1523.4 implements
                                                circulation of the payment stablecoin in                offshore digital asset service providers,             various provisions of the Act that
                                                the United States, even if the formal                   or only to some other subset of payment               provide for exemptions and safe harbors
                                                issuance occurs outside the United                      stablecoins or digital asset service                  from section 3(a)’s limitation on
                                                States.                                                 providers? Should such a framework                    payment stablecoin issuance and
                                                   While informed by Regulation S                       replace proposed § 1523.3(e),                         section 3(b)’s prohibition on payment
                                                concepts, such an approach need not                     supplement proposed § 1523.3(e), or be                stablecoin offers or sales. Proposed

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                                                import Regulation S wholesale. For                      structured as a safe harbor under                     paragraph (a) codifies the exemption in
                                                example, Regulation S’s category                        § 1523.4?                                             section 5(f) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5904(f))
                                                structure, distribution compliance                         Question 67: Should a digital asset                applicable to certain persons with a
                                                periods, and offering restrictions may                  service provider be unable to rely on                 pending application to become a
                                                not be necessary.                                       offshore treatment if it or any person                permitted payment stablecoin issuer.
                                                   Similar to the alternative considered                acting on its behalf knows that the                   Proposed paragraph (b) addresses those
                                                and described in section II.D.5 above,                  transaction has been prearranged with a               limited safe harbors that the Secretary
                                                Treasury recognizes that this alternative               person in the United States?                          may provide in unusual and exigent

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                                                53386                  Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules

                                                circumstances pursuant to section                       scope. As such, the relief recognized in                 accordance with section 3(c)(2) of the
                                                3(c)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)).              proposed § 1523.4(a) would apply only                    Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)).
                                                Proposed paragraph (c) codifies the                     for the period of the waiver. Further,                      Treasury believes that the textual
                                                exemptions for specific transactions in                 such waiver provides an exemption                        differences between the safe harbor
                                                section 3(h)(1) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                   from proposed § 1523.2 or § 1523.3 only                  authorities in section 3(c)(1) and section
                                                5902(h)(1)).                                            to the extent such waiver by its terms                   3(c)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(c)(1),
                                                                                                        waives section 3(a) or 3(b) of the Act (12               (2)) indicate that the latter paragraph
                                                1. Safe Harbor for Pending Applications                                                                          authorizes the Secretary to adopt safe
                                                (Proposed § 1523.4(a))                                  U.S.C. 5902(a), (b)), respectively.
                                                                                                                                                                 harbors in unusual and exigent
                                                   Section 5(f) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                     Question 71: Should proposed                           circumstances other than by
                                                5904(f)) provides that the primary                      § 1523.4(a) provide any additional                       rulemaking. In particular, section
                                                Federal payment stablecoin regulators                   guidance regarding the effect on section                 3(c)(1)’s general grant of authority to the
                                                may waive the application of the                        3 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902) of any                     Secretary to adopt safe harbors specifies
                                                requirements of the Act for a period not                waivers granted by the Federal payment                   that such safe harbors must be issued by
                                                to exceed 12 months beginning on the                    stablecoin regulators pursuant to                        regulation, but there is no similar
                                                effective date of the Act with respect to               section 5(f) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                       specification in section 3(c)(2) of the Act
                                                the subsidiary of an insured depository                 5904(f))?                                                (12 U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)). Further, Treasury
                                                institution, if the insured depository                                                                           believes that it would frustrate the
                                                                                                        2. Limited Safe Harbors in Unusual and
                                                institution has an application pending                                                                           purpose of section 3(c)(2) of the Act (12
                                                for the subsidiary to become a permitted                Exigent Circumstances (Proposed
                                                                                                                                                                 U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)) to allow Treasury to
                                                payment stablecoin issuer on that                       § 1523.4(b))
                                                                                                                                                                 rapidly respond to unusual and exigent
                                                effective date, or a Federal qualified                     Section 3(c) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                    circumstances if the Secretary were
                                                payment stablecoin issuer with a                        5902(c)) authorizes the Secretary to                     required to provide such safe harbors by
                                                pending application on that effective                   adopt limited safe harbors from section                  notice-and-comment rulemaking. While
                                                date. Proposed § 1523.4(a) implements                   3(a)’s limitation on payment stablecoin                  proposed § 1523.4(b) does not specify
                                                this provision and provides that the                    issuance in two circumstances. First,                    the exact procedural mechanism by
                                                prohibitions in proposed § 1523.2                                                                                which Treasury would provide limited
                                                                                                        section 3(c)(1) (12 U.S.C. 5902(c)(1))
                                                (relating to payment stablecoin                                                                                  safe harbors in unusual and exigent
                                                                                                        authorizes the Secretary to issue
                                                issuance) and § 1523.3 (relating to                                                                              circumstances, Treasury generally
                                                                                                        regulations providing safe harbors that
                                                payment stablecoin offer and sale) shall                                                                         expects to provide such limited safe
                                                not apply to a subsidiary of an insured                 are consistent with the purposes of the
                                                                                                                                                                 harbors by order.
                                                depository institution or a person                      Act, limited in scope, and apply to a de                    Question 72: The prohibition on offers
                                                applying to be a Federal qualified                      minimis volume of transactions.                          and sales in section 3(b)(1) of the Act
                                                payment stablecoin issuer with a                        Second, section 3(c)(2) of the Act (12                   (12 U.S.C. 5902(b)(1)) states that it is
                                                pending application to become a                         U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)) authorizes the                        ‘‘except as provided in subsection (c),’’
                                                permitted payment stablecoin issuer on                  Secretary to provide limited safe harbors                but the text of subsection (c) itself only
                                                the effective date of the Act, but only if              if the Secretary determines that unusual                 expressly references safe harbors from
                                                a waiver is granted by the primary                      and exigent circumstances exist.53                       subsection (a). Is section 3(c) (12 U.S.C.
                                                Federal payment stablecoin regulator                    Proposed § 1523.4(b) implements                          5902(c)) best read to authorize
                                                under section 5(f) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                section 3(c)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                    standalone safe harbors for offer and
                                                5904(f)), and only to the extent such                   5902(c)(2)) and provides that the                        sale unrelated to an issuance of
                                                waiver by its terms waives the                          prohibitions in proposed § 1523.2 and                    payment stablecoins? Or is it best read
                                                provisions of section 3 of the Act (12                  proposed § 1523.3 shall not apply to the                 to only authorize safe harbors for offer
                                                U.S.C. 5902).                                           extent that the Department of the                        and sale incidental to issuance?
                                                   Treasury believes that the authority                 Treasury determines that unusual and                        Question 73: Should Treasury issue
                                                granted to the primary Federal payment                  exigent circumstances exist in                           any regulatory safe harbors under
                                                stablecoin regulators in section 5(f) of                                                                         section 3(c)(1) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                the Act (12 U.S.C. 5904(f)) authorizes                     53 Prior to issuing a limited safe harbor, Treasury   5902(c)(1)) at this time? If so, how would
                                                those regulators to waive the provisions                must submit to the chairs and ranking members of         Treasury determine that those safe
                                                of section 3 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902)                the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban             harbors were limited to a de minimis
                                                                                                        Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
                                                for pending applicants. The statutory                   Financial Services of the House of Representatives       volume of transactions? For example,
                                                phrase ‘‘the requirements of this Act’’                 a justification for the determination of the unusual     should any safe harbors be time based
                                                plainly encompasses all of the                          and exigent circumstances, which may be contained        (e.g., providing safe harbors for all
                                                requirements of the Act, including                      in a classified annex. See section 3(c)(2)(B) of the     issuances for some period of time
                                                                                                        Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)(B)). For the avoidance of
                                                section 3’s requirements regarding the                  doubt, the determination that ‘‘unusual and exigent      following the effective date of the Act or
                                                issuance, offer, and sale of payment                    circumstances’’ exist for purposes of section 3(c)(2)    providing safe harbors for all offers and
                                                stablecoins.                                            of the GENIUS Act and any associated regulations,        sales for some period of time following
                                                   Although such waivers granted by the                 orders, justifications, or interpretations do not        July 18, 2028)? Alternatively, should any
                                                                                                        constitute a determination or interpretation for
                                                primary Federal payment stablecoin                      purposes of other provisions of law that reference
                                                                                                                                                                 safe harbors be transaction size limited
                                                regulators could be viewed as self-                     unusual or exigent circumstances. For example, the       (e.g., providing safe harbors for all
                                                executing, Treasury believes that                       context for the Secretary’s determination that           issuances, offers, and sales below a
                                                                                                        ‘‘unusual and exigent circumstances’’ exist for

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                                                expressly recognizing these waivers in                                                                           certain volume of transactions, such as
                                                                                                        purposes of section 3(c)(2) of the GENIUS Act (12
                                                proposed § 1523.4(a) would promote                      U.S.C. 5902(c)(2)) is distinct from the Secretary’s
                                                                                                                                                                 $1 million dollars per year)? Or instead
                                                clarity for the industry and for potential              approval of any program or facility established          should any safe harbors be limited to
                                                purchasers of payment stablecoins                       under section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act (12       particular industries or use cases?
                                                during the period of any such waiver.                   U.S.C. 343). Any interpretation of ‘‘unusual and         Should any safe harbors apply only to
                                                                                                        exigent circumstances’’ for purposes of section
                                                Treasury emphasizes, however, that                      3(c)(2) of the GENIUS Act would not constitute an
                                                                                                                                                                 transactions in payment stablecoins
                                                such waivers are intended to be                         interpretation of that term under section 13(3) of the   issued by domestic issuers, foreign
                                                temporary in duration and limited in                    Federal Reserve Act.                                     issuers, or both? What are the costs and

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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules                                                    53387

                                                benefits, including any incentive effects,              assets between two individuals acting                 to be located in the United States as
                                                of such safe harbors?                                   on their own behalf and for their own                 defined in proposed § 1523.1(c), and
                                                   Question 74: Should Treasury issue                   lawful purposes, without the                          when a payment stablecoin is
                                                any regulatory safe harbors relating to,                involvement of an intermediary; (ii) any              considered to have been issued in the
                                                or otherwise address, State qualified                   transaction involving the receipt of                  United States as described in proposed
                                                payment stablecoin issuers that are                     digital assets by an individual between               § 1523.2.
                                                licensed in a State for some period prior               an account owned by the individual in                    Proposed Interpretation 2 considers
                                                to the State submitting a certification to              the United States and an account owned                the airdropping of a new payment
                                                the Stablecoin Certification Review                     by the individual abroad that are offered             stablecoin absent any sale.54 The
                                                Committee under section 4(c) of the Act                 by the same parent company; and (iii)                 interpretation is intended to illustrate
                                                (12 U.S.C. 5903(c)) or while such a                     any transaction by means of a software                when a payment stablecoin is
                                                certification is pending? Should                        or hardware wallet that facilitates an                considered to have been issued in the
                                                Treasury issue any regulatory safe                      individual’s own custody of digital                   United States as described in proposed
                                                harbors relating to, or otherwise                       assets.                                               § 1523.2.
                                                address, State qualified payment                           Question 77: Are the categories of                    Proposed Interpretation 3 considers a
                                                stablecoin issuers that are licensed in a               transactions exempt from section 3 of                 situation in which a digital asset service
                                                State that may fail to submit the                       the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902) pursuant to                  provider that operates an exchange
                                                certification or annual recertification                 section 3(h)(1) (12 U.S.C. 5902(h)(1))                coordinates with an issuer to list a
                                                required under section 4(c) of the Act                  clear?                                                newly issued payment stablecoin for
                                                (12 U.S.C. 5903(c)) in a timely manner                                                                        sale. The interpretation is intended to
                                                                                                        G. Severability (Proposed § 1523.5)
                                                or have a certification or recertification                                                                    illustrate how the digital asset service
                                                that is denied by the Stablecoin                           Proposed § 1523.5 provides that the                provider’s activities may be viewed for
                                                Certification Review Committee under                    provisions of this part are separate and              purposes of proposed Part 1523.
                                                section 4(c) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                      severable from one another. If any                       Proposed Interpretation 4 considers a
                                                5903(c))? Would any such safe harbors                   provision, clause, or phrase of this part             digital asset that is not redeemable by
                                                be consistent with the purposes of the                  is stayed or determined to be invalid, it             the issuer for a period of time after
                                                Act, limited in scope, and apply to only                is Treasury’s intention that the                      issuance. The interpretation is intended
                                                a de minimis volume of transactions?                    remaining provisions shall continue in                to illustrate when a payment stablecoin
                                                Should the issuance, offer, or sale of                  effect.                                               is considered to have been issued as
                                                payment stablecoins issued by such a                       Treasury is proposing to include a                 described in proposed § 1523.2(b).
                                                State qualified payment stablecoin                      severability clause so that in the event                 Question 78: Is the inclusion of
                                                issuer be deemed unlawful under                         any particular provision of the proposed              interpretations useful?
                                                section 3 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902) if                rule is held to be invalid, the remainder                Question 79: Should the
                                                the State qualified payment stablecoin                  of the rule would remain in effect,                   interpretations be codified in Appendix
                                                issuer does not obtain a Federal license                providing clarity for all participants in             A to Part 1523 as proposed, or should
                                                or a license in another State within a                  the payment stablecoin market. In                     the interpretations be published in
                                                certain period of time?                                 particular, even if the portions of this              another location or format?
                                                   Question 75: What effect, if any, will               rule regarding issuance were held to be                  Question 80: Should Treasury adopt
                                                Treasury’s interpretation of the                        invalid, the restrictions on offer and sale           other interpretations that illustrate the
                                                prohibitions under section 3 (12 U.S.C.                 would generally operate independently                 application of other aspects of proposed
                                                5902) have on the ability of U.S.                       and continue to function as intended, as              Part 1523, and if so, which aspects?
                                                financial institutions to participate in                the former is directed at the conduct of
                                                cross-border payments or other bona                     issuers and the latter is directed at the             III. Regulatory Matters
                                                fide foreign exchange transactions that                 conduct of digital asset service                      A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
                                                include foreign-issued, foreign currency-               providers more broadly. Similarly, even
                                                                                                                                                                The Regulatory Flexibility Act
                                                denominated payment stablecoins?                        if the portions of this rule regarding
                                                                                                                                                              (RFA) 55 requires an agency to consider
                                                What changes could support this use                     offer and sale were held to be invalid,
                                                                                                                                                              the impact of its proposed rules on
                                                case by U.S. financial institutions, while              the restrictions on payment stablecoin
                                                                                                                                                              small entities. In connection with a
                                                still preserving foreign jurisdiction and               issuance would generally operate
                                                                                                                                                              proposed rule, the RFA generally
                                                issuer interest in achieving                            independently and continue to function
                                                                                                                                                              requires an agency to prepare an Initial
                                                comparability under Section 18 of the                   as intended. This regulation would have
                                                                                                                                                              Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA)
                                                Act (12 U.S.C. 5916)?                                   been proposed independently of any
                                                   Question 76: Should proposed                                                                               describing the impact of the rule on
                                                                                                        provision that may be determined to be
                                                § 1523.4(b) provide any additional                                                                            small entities, unless the head of the
                                                                                                        invalid.
                                                guidance regarding the effect of any safe                                                                     agency certifies that the proposed rule
                                                harbors adopted by the Secretary on                     H. Interpretations (Proposed Appendix                 will not have a significant economic
                                                section 3 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902)?                  A)                                                    impact on a substantial number of small
                                                                                                          In addition to the provisions of                    entities and publishes such certification
                                                3. Exempt Transactions (Proposed                        proposed Part 1523 discussed above,                   along with a statement providing the
                                                § 1523.4(c))                                            Treasury is proposing to include in                   factual basis for such certification in the
                                                   Section 3(h)(1) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                Appendix A interpretations of proposed                Federal Register. Treasury’s preliminary
                                                                                                                                                              view is that the proposed rule would

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                                                5902(h)(1)) provides that section 3 (12                 Part 1523 to further clarify and illustrate
                                                U.S.C. 5902) shall not apply to three                   the application of various aspects of the             not have a significant economic impact
                                                categories of exempt transactions.                      proposed rule.                                        on a substantial number of small
                                                Proposed § 1523.4(c) implements this                      Proposed Interpretation 1 considers a
                                                                                                                                                                54 While proposed interpretation 2 does not
                                                provision nearly verbatim and provides                  U.S. resident who is issued a payment
                                                                                                                                                              address offer and sale, note that the definition of
                                                that the prohibitions in proposed                       stablecoin while on vacation in a foreign             offer includes making a payment stablecoin
                                                § 1523.2 and proposed § 1523.3 shall not                country. This interpretation is intended              available for exchange.
                                                apply to (i) the direct transfer of digital             to illustrate when a person is considered               55 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.

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                                                53388                   Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules

                                                entities, but requests comment on the                   the respondent required to respond to,                continue U.S. issuance, but concluded
                                                impact of its proposed rule on small                    an information collection unless it                   that this safe harbor would result in
                                                entities. Additional analysis about the                 displays a currently valid Office of                  delayed benefits (e.g., consumer
                                                effect of the proposed rule on small                    Management and Budget (OMB) control                   protection) that far exceed the reduced
                                                entities is available in the regulatory                 number. Treasury’s preliminary view is                transition and other costs. Treasury next
                                                impact analysis which will be posted to                 that this proposed rule does not contain              considered a more stringent approach
                                                the docket on the website                               any information collections within the                (e.g., removing the proposed § 1523.2(c)
                                                www.regulations.gov.                                    meaning of the Paperwork Reduction                    and § 1523.3(e) clarifications,
                                                                                                        Act, but requests comment on whether                  elimination of the residency prong of
                                                B. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act                         any aspect of the proposal raises                     the located in the United States
                                                  Treasury has analyzed the proposed                    information collection burdens.                       definition, or removing the ‘‘reasonable
                                                rule under the factors in the Unfunded                                                                        belief’’ standard for DASPs), but
                                                                                                        E. Regulatory Planning and Review
                                                Mandates Reform Act of 1995                                                                                   concluded that the additional
                                                (UMRA).56 Under this analysis,                             The Office of Information and                      compliance burden and offshore-
                                                Treasury considered whether the                         Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in OMB has                  migration risk exceed the marginal gains
                                                proposed rule includes a Federal                        determined that this proposed rule is a               from broader regulatory coverage.
                                                mandate that may result in the                          significant regulatory action under                   Finally, Treasury considered an
                                                expenditure by State, local, and tribal                 section 3(f)(1) of Executive Order 12866              approach that was more similar to
                                                governments, in the aggregate, or by the                and, therefore, is subject to review                  Regulation S, as described in the
                                                private sector, of $100 million or more                 under Executive Order 12866.                          previous sections, but concluded that
                                                in any one year (adjusted annually for                  Treasury’s analysis conducted in                      such an approach would provide
                                                inflation). Pursuant to section 202 of the              connection with Executive Order 12866                 substantially less regulatory clarity and
                                                UMRA,57 if a proposed rule meets this                   is summarized below and Treasury’s                    would be more difficult to administer
                                                UMRA threshold, Treasury would need                     detailed regulatory impact analysis will              and enforce.
                                                to prepare a written statement that                     be posted to the docket on the website                   Treasury requests comment on all
                                                includes, among other things, a cost-                   www.regulations.gov. This proposed                    aspects of the regulatory impact
                                                benefit analysis of the proposal. This                  rule is not anticipated to be an E.O.                 analysis, including the data,
                                                requirement does not apply to                           14192 regulatory action.                              assumptions, methods, and estimates
                                                regulations to the extent they                             As described in more detail in the                 used to assess the costs, benefits,
                                                incorporate requirements specifically                   detailed regulatory impact analysis, the              transfers, distributional effects, and
                                                set forth in law.58                                     proposed rule’s estimated benefits                    alternatives associated with the
                                                  Treasury’s cost-benefit analysis of this              substantially exceed the estimated costs.             proposed rule.
                                                proposal is summarized in section III.E                 The quantified benefits of this proposal                 Question 81: Does the regulatory
                                                below and described in more detail in                   comprise: regulatory clarity and avoided              impact analysis use an appropriate
                                                the regulatory impact analysis which                    depegging losses and consumer                         baseline for evaluating the effects of the
                                                will be posted to the docket on the                     protection from avoided issuer failures.              proposed rule? In particular, does the
                                                website www.regulations.gov.                            Non-quantified benefits include                       analysis appropriately distinguish
                                                                                                        preservation of dollar dominance in                   between effects attributable to the
                                                C. Providing Accountability Through                     digital payment markets, enhanced                     GENIUS Act itself and effects
                                                Transparency Act of 2023                                market integrity and investor                         attributable to the proposed rule?
                                                   The Providing Accountability                         confidence, innovation incentives from                   Question 82: What data, studies, or
                                                Through Transparency Act of 2023, 5                     clear regulatory ‘‘rules of the road’’, and           other information should Treasury
                                                U.S.C. 553(b)(4), requires that a notice of             improved U.S. competitive positioning                 consider to assess the costs and benefits
                                                proposed rulemaking include the                         in global digital payments.                           of section 3 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902)
                                                internet address of a summary of not                       The direct costs of this proposed rule             as proposed in part 1523?
                                                more than 100 words in length of a                      are expected to be primarily                             Question 83: What are the potential
                                                proposed rule, in plain language, that                  transitional: market concentration costs              costs and benefits of the
                                                shall be posted on the website                          and switching costs. The analysis also                implementation of section 3 of the Act
                                                www.regulations.gov.                                    contemplates annual digital asset                     (12 U.S.C. 5902) as proposed in part
                                                   Treasury is proposing to issue                       service provider compliance costs, and                1523, beyond costs and benefits
                                                regulations to implement section 3 of                   requests comment on whether issuer                    imposed by the Act itself? Are
                                                the Guiding and Establishing National                   compliance costs should be quantified                 Treasury’s estimates of costs and
                                                Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins                         separately, given the overlap described               benefits appropriate? To what extent
                                                (GENIUS) Act (12 U.S.C. 5902),                          throughout this proposal among issuers                does Treasury have discretion within
                                                regarding the statutory prohibitions and                and digital asset service providers, as               the boundaries of the Act to further
                                                limitations on payment stablecoin                       well as among issuance, offer, and sale.              reduce costs or increase benefits?
                                                issuance, offer, and sale in the United                 Qualitative costs include reduced                        Question 84: Are the potential costs
                                                States. The proposal and the required                   product choice.                                       and benefits of the implementation of
                                                summary can be found at https://                           As described in the previous sections              section 3 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902) as
                                                www.regulations.gov.                                    and in the more detailed regulatory                   proposed in part 1523 sufficiently
                                                                                                        impact analysis, Treasury also                        analyzed as distinct from the costs and
                                                D. Paperwork Reduction Act

lotter on DSK8BHNXB4PROD with PROPOSALS1
                                                                                                        considered several alternatives to the                benefits of other sections of the Act and
                                                  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                   proposed rule. In particular, Treasury                associated current or expected
                                                (44 U.S.C. 3501–3521) states that no                    considered a less stringent extended                  regulatory proposals, such as the
                                                agency may conduct or sponsor, nor is                   transition period (e.g., 36 months) with              registration and prudential regulatory
                                                                                                        a safe harbor permitting unregistered                 frameworks proposed by the primary
                                                  56 2 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.                              foreign-issued stablecoins with a de                  Federal payment stablecoin regulators,
                                                  57 2 U.S.C. 1532.                                     minimis volume (e.g., less than $1                    FinCEN, and OFAC? To what extent
                                                  58 2 U.S.C. 1532.                                     billion in U.S.-held capitalization) to               should Treasury consider these costs

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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules                                           53389

                                                and benefits or avoid double counting in                intended to have extraterritorial effect if           the United States is merely temporary;
                                                its analysis of proposed part 1523?                     conduct involves the offer or sale of a               or
                                                   Question 85: How should Treasury                     payment stablecoin to a person located                   (2) With respect to a partnership,
                                                evaluate the costs and benefits of the                  in the United States.                                 company, corporation, association,
                                                alternatives discussed in this proposal,                   (c) For purposes of this part, the                 trust, estate, cooperative organization, or
                                                including a per se location-based                       following definitions apply:                          other business entity, the entity:
                                                approach, an offshore-transaction                          Act or GENIUS Act means the                           (i) Is organized or incorporated under
                                                framework modeled more closely on                       Guiding and Establishing National                     the laws of the United States or a State;
                                                Regulation S, more or less prescriptive                 Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (12               or
                                                due diligence requirements, and                         U.S.C. 5901 et seq.).                                    (ii) Has its principal place of business
                                                additional safe harbors? Are there other                   Digital asset has the meaning set forth            in the United States.
                                                alternatives that should be considered,                 in section 2(6) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                    Offer has the meaning set forth in
                                                and what are their respective costs and                 5901(6)).                                             section 2(21) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                benefits?                                                  Digital asset service provider has the             5901(21)). For the avoidance of doubt,
                                                   Question 86: What is the estimated                   meaning set forth in section 2(7) of the              the term includes making available for
                                                impact on compliance efficiency,                        Act (12 U.S.C. 5901(7)). For the                      purchase, sale, or exchange a payment
                                                market participation, and demand for                    avoidance of doubt, a person that, for                stablecoin that has not yet been issued.
                                                payment stablecoins due to clearer                      compensation or profit, engages in the                   Monetary value has the meaning set
                                                regulatory guidance?                                    business in the United States of issuing              forth in section 2(17) of the Act (12
                                                   Question 87: Are there information                   payment stablecoins is a digital asset                U.S.C. 5901(17)).
                                                collection burdens associated with the                  service provider.                                        Payment stablecoin has the meaning
                                                proposed rule that Treasury has not                        Federal qualified payment stablecoin               set forth in section 2(22) of the Act (12
                                                identified? If so, what entities would                  issuer has the meaning set forth in                   U.S.C. 5901(22)).
                                                bear those burdens, and what would be                   section 2(11) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                      Permitted payment stablecoin issuer
                                                the estimated time and cost associated                  5901(11)).                                            has the meaning set forth in section
                                                with them?                                                 Foreign payment stablecoin issuer has              2(23) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5901(23)).
                                                                                                        the meaning set forth in section 2(12) of                Person has the meaning set forth in
                                                List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 1523                                                                          section 2(24) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                                                                        the Act (12 U.S.C. 5901(12)).
                                                  Banks, banking, Consumer protection,                     Insured depository institution has the             5901(24)).
                                                Digital assets, Digital asset service                   meaning set forth in section 2(15) of the                Primary Federal payment stablecoin
                                                provider, Non-bank entity, Payment                      Act (12 U.S.C. 5901(15)).                             regulator has the meaning set forth in
                                                stablecoins, Permitted payment                             Issue means the first transfer of a                section 2(25) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                stablecoin issuer, State and local                      payment stablecoin by the issuer, except              5901(25)).
                                                governments, State qualified payment                    as required by a lawful order, whether                   State has the meaning set forth in
                                                stablecoin issuer, foreign payment                      directly or indirectly, including by                  section 2(28) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                stablecoin issuer.                                      crediting an account, that results or will            5901(28)).
                                                  For the reasons stated in the                         result in a person other than the issuer                 Subsidiary has the meaning set forth
                                                preamble, the Department of the                         having the right to use or transfer the               in sections 2(32) and 2(33) of the Act (12
                                                Treasury proposes to amend 12 CFR                       payment stablecoin or to have the                     U.S.C. 5901(32), (33)), as applicable.
                                                                                                                                                                 United States means each of the
                                                chapter XV subchapter C by adding part                  payment stablecoin converted,
                                                                                                                                                              several States, the Indian lands (as that
                                                1523 to read as follows:                                redeemed, or repurchased. For the
                                                                                                                                                              term is defined in the Indian Gaming
                                                SUBCHAPTER C—REGULATION OF
                                                                                                        avoidance of doubt, after a payment
                                                                                                                                                              Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. 2703(4)), and
                                                PAYMENT STABLECOINS                                     stablecoin has been converted,
                                                                                                                                                              the Insular Possessions of the United
                                                                                                        redeemed, repurchased, or otherwise
                                                                                                                                                              States.
                                                PART 1523—PAYMENT STABLECOIN                            reacquired by the issuer, the first
                                                OFFER, SALE, AND ISSUANCE                               subsequent transfer of the payment                    § 1523.2   Payment Stablecoin Issuance.
                                                                                                        stablecoin by the issuer that otherwise                  (a) Except in accordance with
                                                Sec.                                                    satisfies this definition is considered a
                                                1523.1 Scope, Applicability, and                                                                              § 1523.4, it shall be unlawful for any
                                                     Definitions.
                                                                                                        new issuance, whether or not the                      person to issue a payment stablecoin in
                                                1523.2 Payment Stablecoin Issuance.                     transfer is characterized as a reissuance,            the United States unless the person is:
                                                1523.3 Payment Stablecoin Offer and Sale.               except as required by a lawful order.                    (1) A permitted payment stablecoin
                                                1523.4 Exemptions and Safe Harbors.                        Issuer means a person who (i) is                   issuer; or
                                                1523.5 Severability.                                    obligated to convert, redeem, or                         (2) A foreign payment stablecoin
                                                   Authority: 12 U.S.C. 5901 et seq.                    repurchase the payment stablecoin for a               issuer that meets the criteria set out in
                                                                                                        fixed amount of monetary value, and (ii)              section 18(a) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                § 1523.1 Scope, Applicability, and                      represents that the person will maintain,             5916(a)).
                                                Definitions.                                            or creates the reasonable expectation                    (b) A person will be considered to
                                                  (a) This part is issued by the U.S.                   that the person will maintain, a stable               have issued a payment stablecoin in the
                                                Department of the Treasury to                           value relative to the value of a fixed                United States only if, at the time of
                                                implement section 3 of the Guiding and                  amount of monetary value.                             issuance:
                                                Establishing National Innovation for                       Lawful order has the meaning set forth                (1) The person is located in the

lotter on DSK8BHNXB4PROD with PROPOSALS1
                                                U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act (12                       in section 2(16) of the Act (12 U.S.C.                United States; or
                                                U.S.C. 5902) regarding the statutory                    5901(16)).                                               (2) The person issues the payment
                                                prohibitions and limitations on issuing,                   Located in the United States means:                stablecoin to a person located in the
                                                offering, selling, and otherwise making                    (1) With respect to an individual, the             United States.
                                                available payment stablecoins in the                    individual is physically present in the                  (c) Notwithstanding any other
                                                United States.                                          United States, unless the individual is               provision of this section, a person will
                                                  (b) Consistent with section 3(e) of the               not a resident of the United States and               be deemed not to issue a payment
                                                Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(e)), this part is                   the individual’s physical presence in                 stablecoin in the United States, if:

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                                                53390                  Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules

                                                   (1) The person is not located in the                 of any lawful order and any reciprocal                  (1) The digital asset service provider
                                                United States;                                          arrangement pursuant to section 18 of                 reasonably believes that the person to
                                                   (2) The person reasonably believes                   the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).                             whom the payment stablecoin is offered,
                                                that each person to whom the payment                       (c) For purposes of paragraph (b) of               sold, or otherwise made available is not
                                                stablecoin is issued is not located in the              this section, a digital asset service                 located in the United States;
                                                United States;                                          provider may rely on a representation                   (2) The digital asset service provider
                                                   (3) The person has adopted and                       by a foreign payment stablecoin issuer                has adopted and implemented policies,
                                                implemented policies, procedures, and                   that the foreign payment stablecoin                   procedures, and controls reasonably
                                                controls reasonably designed to avoid                   issuer has the technological capability               designed to avoid offering, selling, or
                                                issuing the payment stablecoin to any                   to comply with, and will comply, with                 making available the payment
                                                person located in the United States; and                the terms of any lawful order and any                 stablecoin to any person located in the
                                                   (4) The person does not engage in                    reciprocal arrangement pursuant to                    United States; and
                                                advertising or solicitation activities that             section 18 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916),                 (3) The digital asset service provider
                                                target, or could be reasonably expected                 provided that:                                        does not engage in advertising or
                                                to have the effect of targeting, any                       (1) The digital asset service provider             solicitation activities that target, or
                                                person located in the United States.                    may not rely on such representation                   could be reasonably expected to have
                                                   (d) The following are examples of                    unless it conducts reasonable due                     the effect of targeting, any person
                                                activities that, when conducted by a                    diligence regarding the representation;               located in the United States.
                                                person in connection with the issuance                  and
                                                of a payment stablecoin that violates                      (2) The digital asset service provider             § 1523.4   Exemptions and Safe Harbors.
                                                paragraph (a), constitute participation                 may not rely on such representation if,                 (a) The prohibitions in § 1523.2 and
                                                by the person in the violation for                      based on such due diligence or other                  § 1523.3 shall not apply to a subsidiary
                                                purposes of the penalty in section 3(f)                 information reasonably available to it,               of an insured depository institution or a
                                                of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5902(f)):                         the digital asset service provider knows,             person applying to be a Federal
                                                   (1) The person incurs an obligation to               has reason to know, or should know that               qualified payment stablecoin issuer
                                                a third party to convert, redeem, or                    the representation is false or that the               with a pending application to become a
                                                repurchase a payment stablecoin,                        foreign payment stablecoin issuer does                permitted payment stablecoin issuer on
                                                including a secondary obligation to                     not have the technological capability to              the effective date of the Act, but only if
                                                convert, redeem, or repurchase on                       comply, or will not comply, with the                  a waiver is granted by the primary
                                                behalf of the original issuer;                          terms of any lawful order or any                      Federal payment stablecoin regulator
                                                   (2) The person coordinates with the                  reciprocal arrangement pursuant to                    under section 5(f) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                issuer to facilitate key steps in the                   section 18 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 5916).               5904(f)), and only to the extent such
                                                issuance, such as soliciting customers or                  (d) The following are non-exhaustive               waiver by its terms waives the
                                                minting the payment stablecoins; or                     examples of activities that constitute an             provisions of section 3 of the Act (12
                                                   (3) The person acts as market maker                  offer or sale of a payment stablecoin to              U.S.C. 5902).
                                                for the newly issued payment                            a person located in the United States:                  (b) The prohibitions in § 1523.2 and
                                                stablecoin, distributes the newly issued                   (1) Directly soliciting a person located           § 1523.3 shall not apply to the extent
                                                payment stablecoin to purchasers of the                 in the United States to purchase the                  that the Department of the Treasury
                                                newly issued payment stablecoin, or                     payment stablecoin;                                   determines that unusual and exigent
                                                otherwise makes the newly issued                                                                              circumstances exist in accordance with
                                                                                                           (2) Advertising the payment
                                                payment stablecoin available for                                                                              section 3(c)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                                                                        stablecoin as available for purchase by
                                                secondary market trading.                                                                                     5902(c)(2)).
                                                                                                        persons located in the United States;
                                                § 1523.3   Payment Stablecoin Offer and                    (3) Responding to an unsolicited                     (c) The prohibitions in § 1523.2 and
                                                Sale.                                                   inquiry from a person located in the                  § 1523.3 shall not apply to:
                                                  (a) Beginning on July 18, 2028, except                United States by indicating willingness                 (1) The direct transfer of digital assets
                                                in accordance with § 1523.4, it shall be                to sell the payment stablecoin;                       between two individuals acting on their
                                                unlawful for a digital asset service                       (4) Advising potential purchasers of               own behalf and for their own lawful
                                                provider to offer or sell a payment                     the payment stablecoin on how to evade                purposes, without the involvement of an
                                                stablecoin to a person located in the                   generally applicable location detection               intermediary;
                                                United States unless the payment                        or restriction mechanisms that would                    (2) Any transaction involving the
                                                stablecoin is:                                          otherwise detect or block purchases by                receipt of digital assets by an individual
                                                  (1) Issued by a permitted payment                     persons located in the United States,                 between an account owned by the
                                                stablecoin issuer; or                                   such as IP address checkers; or                       individual in the United States and an
                                                  (2) Issued by a foreign payment                          (5) Entering into a contract for the sale          account owned by the individual abroad
                                                stablecoin issuer that meets the criteria               of a payment stablecoin with a person                 that are offered by the same parent
                                                set out in section 18(a) of the Act (12                 located in the United States, regardless              company; and
                                                U.S.C. 5916(a)).                                        of the form of consideration provided in                (3) Any transaction by means of a
                                                  (b) Except in accordance with                         return for the payment stablecoin or the              software or hardware wallet that
                                                § 1523.4, it shall be unlawful for a                    timing of delivery of the payment                     facilitates an individual’s own custody
                                                digital asset service provider to offer or              stablecoin.                                           of digital assets.

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                                                sell to a person located in the United                     (e) Notwithstanding any other
                                                States, or otherwise offer, sell, or make               provision of this section, a digital asset            § 1523.5   Severability.
                                                available in the United States, a                       service provider will be deemed not to                  The provisions of this part are
                                                payment stablecoin issued by a foreign                  offer or sell a payment stablecoin to a               separate and severable from one
                                                payment stablecoin issuer unless the                    person located in the United States, and              another. If any provision is stayed or
                                                foreign payment stablecoin issuer has                   will be deemed not to offer, sell, or                 determined to be invalid, it is Treasury’s
                                                the technological capability to comply                  otherwise make available in the United                intention that the remaining provisions
                                                with, and will comply, with the terms                   States a payment stablecoin, if:                      shall continue in effect.

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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / Proposed Rules                                         53391

                                                Appendix A to Part 1523:                                stablecoins. However, depending on the facts          ADDRESSES: You may send comments,
                                                Interpretations                                         and circumstances, the digital asset service          using the procedures found in 14 CFR
                                                                                                        provider may have participated in the                 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following
                                                   1. While vacationing in a foreign country,           issuance as described in § 1523.2(d) and may
                                                a U.S. resident is issued a payment                                                                           methods:
                                                                                                        be offering or selling the payment stablecoins
                                                stablecoin by an issuer that (a) is both                as described in § 1523.3.
                                                                                                                                                                 • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
                                                incorporated under the laws of and has its                 4. An issuer mints and transfers a digital         regulations.gov. Follow the instructions
                                                principal place of business in the foreign              asset to a person located in the United States.       for submitting comments.
                                                country and (b) does not meet the criteria set          The digital asset is designed to be used as a            • Fax: 202–493–2251.
                                                out in section 18(a) of the GENIUS Act (12              means of payment or settlement, and the                  • Mail: U.S. Department of
                                                U.S.C. 5916(a)). Has the issuer violated                issuer represents that it will maintain a stable      Transportation, Docket Operations, M–
                                                § 1523.2(a)?                                            value relative to the value of a fixed amount         30, West Building Ground Floor, Room
                                                   No. As described in § 1523.2(b), a person            of monetary value. However, the issuer                W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
                                                will be considered to have issued a payment             provides (by smart contract or otherwise) that
                                                stablecoin in the United States only if, at the                                                               Washington, DC 20590.
                                                                                                        the digital asset is not redeemable by the               • Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail
                                                time of issuance, the person issuing the                issuer until a future date. Has a payment
                                                payment stablecoin is located in the United             stablecoin been issued within the meaning of
                                                                                                                                                              address above between 9 a.m. and 5
                                                States, or the person issues the payment                § 1523.2?                                             p.m., Monday through Friday, except
                                                stablecoin to a person located in the United               Yes. As described in § 1523.1(c), an issuer        Federal holidays.
                                                States. The foreign payment stablecoin issuer           is considered to have issued a payment                   AD Docket: You may examine the AD
                                                is not located in the United States because it          stablecoin if the first transfer of the payment       docket at regulations.gov under Docket
                                                is not organized or incorporated under the              stablecoin will result in a person other than         No. FAA–2026–7237; or in person at
                                                laws of the United States or a State and does           the issuer having the right to redeem a               Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and
                                                not have its principal place of business in the         payment stablecoin, even if the redemption            5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
                                                United States. Similarly, at the time of the            obligation does not mature until some period
                                                issuance, the U.S. resident is not located in                                                                 Federal holidays. The AD docket
                                                                                                        after the transfer.
                                                the United States because he or she is not                                                                    contains this NPRM, any comments
                                                physically present in the United States.                Rachel Miller,                                        received, and other information. The
                                                   Although the foreign payment stablecoin              Executive Secretary.                                  street address for Docket Operations is
                                                issuer has not violated § 1523.2(a) in this             [FR Doc. 2026–16796 Filed 8–17–26; 8:45 am]           listed above.
                                                scenario, foreign payment stablecoin issuers                                                                     Material Incorporated by Reference:
                                                                                                        BILLING CODE 4810–AK–P
                                                should take care to avoid offers or sales to                                                                     • For Boeing material identified in
                                                U.S. residents while such residents are                                                                       this proposed AD, contact Boeing
                                                located in the United States. For example, if                                                                 Commercial Airplanes, Attention:
                                                the foreign payment stablecoin issuer directly          DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
                                                solicited the U.S. resident (while he or she
                                                                                                                                                              Contractual & Data Services (C&DS),
                                                was physically located in the United States)                                                                  2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110–SK57,
                                                                                                        Federal Aviation Administration                       Seal Beach, CA 90740–5600; telephone
                                                to purchase the payment stablecoin, this
                                                conduct would likely violate § 1523.3, unless                                                                 562–797–1717; website
                                                the conditions in § 1523.3(e) were satisfied.
                                                                                                        14 CFR Part 39                                        myboeingfleet.com.
                                                   2. As part of its marketing strategy for a           [Docket No. FAA–2026–7237; Project                       • You may view this material at the
                                                new payment stablecoin, an issuer, for no               Identifier AD–2025–01425–T]                           FAA, Airworthiness Products Section,
                                                consideration and without previously                                                                          Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South
                                                advertising the payment stablecoin, mints               RIN 2120–AA64                                         216th St., Des Moines, WA. For
                                                and airdrops a payment stablecoin to a U.S.
                                                resident who is physically present in the
                                                                                                                                                              information on the availability of this
                                                                                                        Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing                  material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195.
                                                United States. Following the airdrop, the U.S.          Company Airplanes
                                                resident has or will have the right to transfer,                                                              It is also available at regulations.gov
                                                use, or redeem the payment stablecoin. Has              AGENCY: Federal Aviation                              under Docket No. FAA–2026–7237.
                                                a payment stablecoin been issued in the                 Administration (FAA), DOT.                            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                United States for purposes of § 1523.2(a)?                                                                    Michael Closson, Aviation Safety
                                                   Yes, because the airdrop meets the                   ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
                                                                                                        (NPRM).                                               Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St.,
                                                definition of ‘‘issue’’ in § 1523.1(c), and
                                                                                                                                                              Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206–
                                                because, as described in § 1523.2(b), a
                                                payment stablecoin has been issued in the               SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a                  231–3973; email: Michael.P.Closson@
                                                United States because the person to whom                new airworthiness directive (AD) for                  faa.gov.
                                                the payment stablecoin was issued was                   certain The Boeing Company Model 737                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                located in the United States at the time of             -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes.
                                                issuance.                                               This proposed AD was prompted by                      Comments Invited
                                                   3. A digital asset service provider that             reports of nuisance stick shaker                         The FAA invites you to send any
                                                operates an exchange coordinates with an                activation while accelerating to cruise
                                                issuer to list newly issued payment
                                                                                                                                                              written relevant data, views, or
                                                                                                        speed at the top of a climb due to frozen             arguments about this proposal. Send
                                                stablecoins on the digital asset service
                                                provider’s exchange for purchase by persons
                                                                                                        angle of airflow (AOA) sensor vanes.                  your comments using a method listed
                                                located in the United States. The digital asset         This proposed AD would require                        under the ADDRESSES section. Include
                                                service provider does not have an obligation            installing new external case heaters                  ‘‘Docket No. FAA–2026–7237; Project
                                                to convert, redeem, or repurchase the                   (ECHs) on the left and right AOA                      Identifier AD–2025–01425–T’’ at the
                                                payment stablecoins. Has the digital asset              sensors, performing repetitive

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                                                                                                                                                              beginning of your comments. The most
                                                service provider issued the payment                     functional tests and applicable                       helpful comments reference a specific
                                                stablecoins within the meaning of                       corrective actions, and accomplishing                 portion of the proposal, explain the
                                                § 1523.2(a)?                                            applicable concurrent actions. The FAA
                                                   No. The digital asset service provider is not
                                                                                                                                                              reason for any recommended change,
                                                                                                        is proposing this AD to address the                   and include supporting data. The FAA
                                                considered the issuer as defined in
                                                § 1523.1(c) because the digital asset service
                                                                                                        unsafe condition on these products.                   will consider all comments received by
                                                provider does not have an obligation to                 DATES: The FAA must receive comments                  the closing date and may amend this
                                                convert, redeem, or repurchase the payment              on this proposed AD by October 2, 2026.               proposal because of those comments.

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