Bank capital rules for crypto assets due by year-end

The panel, made up of banking regulators from the world’s main financial centres, has proposed punitive capital charges on ‘unbacked’ cryptoassets like bitcoin.

It has proposed more lenient treatment of stablecoins, or cryptoassets backed by assets or a major currency, but the collapse of stablecoin TerraUSD in May questioned their apparent stability.

“On cryptoassets, members reiterated the importance of designing a robust and prudent regulatory framework for banks’ exposures to cryptoassets that promotes responsible innovation while preserving financial stability,” the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS) said in a statement.

“The GHOS tasked the Committee with finalising such a framework around the end of this year.”

GHOS also “unanimously” urged member countries to implement the final leg of Basel III, a suite of tougher capital requirements set up in response to the global financial crisis over a decade ago, as fast as possible and in full.

“The resurgence of inflation in many jurisdictions, coupled with a deteriorating macroeconomic outlook and tighter financial conditions, may expose vulnerabilities accumulated in the financial system,” GHOS said.