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Acting Chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Caroline Pham is in talks with regulated US crypto exchanges to launch leveraged spot crypto products as early as next month.
In a Sunday X post, Pham confirmed that she is pushing to allow leveraged spot crypto trading in the US and that she is in talks with regulated US crypto exchanges to launch leveraged crypto spot products next month.
Pham also confirmed that she continued meeting with industry representatives despite the government shutdown. The regulator is also currently considering issuing guidance for leveraged spot crypto products.
The news comes after the CFTC launched an initiative in early August to enable the trading of âspot crypto asset contractsâ on exchanges registered with the regulator. In an announcement at the time, Pham invited comment on the rules that governed âretail trading of commodities with leverage, margin, or financing.â
According to the Federal Register, the Commodity Exchange Act âprovides that a retail commodity transaction entered into with a retail person which is executed on a leveraged or margined basisâ is âsubject to the Commissionâs jurisdiction, unless the transaction results in actual delivery of the commodity within 28 days of the transaction.â Consequently, leveraged crypto spot positions would only be allowed if their duration were limited to 28 days or they would be illegal.
A US government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass an annual spending bill or a short-term continuing resolution, blocking much of the federal governmentâs spending. In such situations, non-essential services are paused, some workers are furloughed, and others work without pay.
The current shutdown started on Oct. 1. However, Sunday reports suggest that the shutdown is likely nearing its end as the Senate moves to consider a continuing resolution to fund the government.
The US Capitol, housing the US Congress. Source: Wikimedia
The report follows speculation about the impact of the government shutdown on progress in US crypto regulation. Early October reports noted that the SEC began its shutdown by announcing that it would ânot engage in ongoing litigation,â except for emergency cases.
The United Kingdomâs central bank is moving toward stablecoin regulation by publishing a consultation paper proposing a regulatory framework for the asset class.
The Bank of England (BoE) on Monday released a proposed regulatory regime for sterling-denominated âsystemic stablecoins,â or tokens it said are widely used in payments and therefore potentially pose risks to the UK financial stability.
Under the proposal, the central bank would require stablecoin issuers to back at least 40% of their liabilities with unremunerated deposits at the BoE, while allowing up to 60% in short-term UK government debt.
The consultation paper seeks feedback on the proposed regime until Feb. 10, 2026, with the BoE planning to finalize the regulations in the second half of the year.
Holding limits, backing and oversight
As part of the proposal, the central bank suggested capping individual stablecoin holdings at 20,000 British pounds ($26,300) per token, while allowing exemptions from the proposed 10,000 pound ($13,200) for retail businesses.
âWe propose that issuers implement per-coin holding limits of 20,000 GBP for individuals and 10 million pounds for businesses,â the BoE stated, adding that businesses could qualify for exemptions if higher balances are needed in the course of normal operations.
Timeline for regulation on sterling-denominated stablecoins by the Bank of England. Source: BoE
Regarding stablecoin backing, the BoE suggested that issuers that are considered systemically important could be allowed to hold up to 95% of their backing assets in UK government debt securities as they scale.
âThe percentage would be reduced to 60% once the stablecoin reaches a scale where this is appropriate to mitigate the risks posed by the stablecoinâs systemic importance without impeding the firmâs viability,â it added.
The BoE noted that His Majestyâs Treasury determines which stablecoin payment systems and service providers are deemed systemically important. Once designated, these systems would fall under the proposed regime and the BoEâs supervision.
A growing demand for US dollar-tied crypto stablecoins could help push down the interest rate, says US Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran.
The Donald Trump-appointed Miran told the BCVC summit in New York on Friday that the dollar-pegged crypto tokens could be âputting downward pressureâ on the neutral rate, or r-star, that doesnât stimulate or impede the economy.
If the neutral rate drops, then the central bank would also react by dropping its interest rate, he said.
The total current market cap of all stablecoins sits at $310.7 million according to CoinGecko data, and Miran suggested that Fed research found the market could grow to up to $3 trillion in value in the next five years.
Stephen Miran speaking at a conference in New York on Friday. Source: BCVC
âMy thesis is that stablecoins are already increasing demand for US Treasury bills and other dollar-denominated liquid assets by purchasers outside the United States and that this demand will continue growing,â Miran said.
âStablecoins may become a multitrillion-dollar elephant in the room for central bankers.â
Organizations, including the International Monetary Fund, have warned that stablecoins pose a threat to traditional financial assets and services, as they could potentially compete for customers. US banking groups have also urged Congress to tighten oversight of stablecoins with yield, arguing they could attract would-be bank users.
During his speech, Miran praised the GENIUS Act for setting out clear guidelines and consumer protections, as he indicated that the regulatory framework will play a key role in spurring broader adoption of stablecoins.Â
âWhile I tend to view new regulations skeptically, Iâm greatly encouraged by the GENIUS Act. This regulatory apparatus for stablecoins establishes a level of legitimacy and accountability congruent with holding traditional dollar assets,â he said, adding:Â
âFor the purposes of monetary policy, the most important aspect of the GENIUS Act is that it requires U.S.-domiciled issuers to maintain reserves backed on at least a one-to-one basis in safe and liquid US dollarâdenominated assets.â