White House endorsed stablecoin interest payments by Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC) on April 11, 2026. The stance counters bank claims of threats to $18 trillion U.S. deposits, per FDIC data. Treasury officials called it pro-innovation.
Crypto firms seek rules for yields matching 5% Federal Reserve rates. Banks filed Federal Reserve complaints over unfair competition.
Stablecoin Interest Demand Surges
Stablecoin market cap hit $250 billion this week, CoinMarketCap data. USDT and USDC claim 90% share. Blockchain enables real-time settlements at lower costs than bank wires.
Federal Reserve proposed yield curbs last month to protect banks. Bank of America and JPMorgan led lobby efforts citing stability risks. Crypto counters with Etherscan transparency.
Treasury Drives Competition
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated: "Stablecoins drive payment innovation." Her view aligns with Executive Order 14067. Blockchain processes transactions in seconds for fractions of bank fees.
Coinbase and Binance.US filed Fed briefs noting user demand amid high rates. DeFi protocols offer 5-7% APY via lending pools.
Banks Defend Deposits
American Bankers Association CEO Rob Nichols told Congress: "Unregulated yields lure savers from banks." Banks provide 4.5% APY on savings, Bankrate data. Stablecoins use Treasury reserves.
FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg urged parity rules. Crypto lacks deposit insurance. Banks hold $18 trillion deposits fueling U.S. lending.
JPMorgan's Onyx unit handles $1 billion daily tokenized deposits but resists broader crypto yields.
Stablecoin Interest Mechanics
Stablecoins peg to $1 via U.S. Treasuries and cash. Tether earned $5.2 billion profit last quarter from reserves, audits show. Circle invests USDC in short-term Treasuries.
DeFi platforms like Aave and Compound use overcollateralized loans. Smart contracts cut counterparty risk. DeFi TVL hit $150 billion, DefiLlama.
Ethereum L2s like Base and Arbitrum drop fees to $0.01, boosting remittances and trading.
Market Reactions
Bitcoin rose to $72,852 (+1.3%); Ether to $2,240 (+2.2%), CoinDesk. JPMorgan shares fell 0.5% pre-market. Stablecoin volumes exceeded $100 billion daily.
Fear & Greed Index held at 15 amid flux. Stablecoin inflows jumped 20% week-over-week, CryptoQuant.
Financial Impacts
Stablecoin interest targets $800 billion remittances, World Bank. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire pushed inclusion. Industry spent $50 million lobbying, OpenSecrets.
Fed data shows $2 trillion shifted to money markets since 2022. Stablecoins add blockchain portability.
PayPal (PYUSD) and Ripple (RLUSD) pursue yields, blurring fintech-banking lines.
Regulatory Outlook
House Financial Services Committee hearings set for April 18, 2026. White House aims for Q3 stablecoin interest guidelines.
Bloomberg Intelligence predicts $500 billion market by 2028. Possible compromises: 5.5% yield caps or partnerships.
White House support gives crypto edge in stablecoin interest race. Regulators balance innovation and stability.
