Federal Reserve to host stablecoin and DeFi-focused conference amid regulatory progress

The US Federal Reserve (Fed) is set to host a conference on payments innovation next month to discuss stablecoin use cases, tokenization and the growing relationship between traditional finance and crypto.

Fed plans crypto-focused conference around stablecoins and tokenization

The US Federal Reserve announced in a statement on Wednesday that it will host a conference on payments innovation on October 21. The event will cover topics including stablecoin applications, the role of Artificial Intelligence in payments and the tokenization of financial products and services.

The central bank stated that the conference will bring stakeholders together to explore new approaches for innovating and strengthening payment systems. Officials will seek to highlight concerns and challenges around crypto payments and deliberate on ways to resolve them.

"I look forward to examining the opportunities and challenges of new technologies, bringing together ideas on how to improve the safety and efficiency of payments, and hearing from those helping to shape the future of payments," said Governor Christopher J. Waller in the statement.

The agency also stated that it will conduct panel discussions around the intersection of decentralized payments and traditional finance. "Innovation has been a constant in payments to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses," Waller added.

The Fed has increasingly shifted its stance towards crypto custody and usage in 2025, following a friendly regulatory environment under President Donald Trump.

The Fed withdrew guidance related to crypto activities involving banks in April, including requirements for entities to notify it ahead of their crypto activities.

The agency also ended its crypto activities supervision program in August, claiming it had gained proper knowledge of cryptocurrency management practices and related risks.

The move follows significant advancements in cryptocurrency regulations, including the passage of the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act in July, which became the first-ever official cryptocurrency regulation in the US.

The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins also revealed the Project Crypto initiative in July, with the aim of moving the US financial markets on-chain.