Democratic leaders, including Representative Maxine Waters, Senators Cynthia Lummis, and Kirsten Gillibrand, are leading attempts to regulate stablecoins and expand banking access for the marijuana industry.
Representative Maxine Waters, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, anticipates reaching a deal with Chairman Patrick McHenry on stablecoin regulation.Â
Meanwhile, this unexpected coincides with the introduction of bipartisan legislation by Senators Cynthia Lummis and Kirsten Gillibrand that seeks to regulate stablecoins.Â
This action highlights the growing sense of urgency within Congress to tackle the regulatory environment regarding digital currencies.
Waters underscores the criticality of federal regulation in protecting investors and guaranteeing that stablecoins are sufficiently collateralized with assets.Â
However, stakeholders, including Senate leaders, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, and the White House, have all contributed to the bill’s drafting process, aligning with this sentiment.Â
The CEO of Circle, Jeremy Allaire, concurs with this forecast, predicting that substantial legislation concerning stablecoins will be enacted in 2024, which could have consequences for the $135.3 billion cryptocurrency market.
Legislation Concerning Marijuana Banking Gains Momentum
Parallel to the endeavors to regulate stablecoins, Representative Maxine Waters espouses legislation surrounding marijuana financing.Â
This advocacy addresses the federal restrictions that impede the cannabis industry’s access to banking services.Â
Although cannabis has been legalized in several states, federal regulations have compelled establishments to operate exclusively with cash, which has presented difficulties in terms of security and financial transactions.
Waters articulates a sense of optimism concerning the potential overcoming of opposition to marijuana banking legislation through bipartisan support.Â
Significantly, the commitment of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to tackle this matter suggests the possibility of a policy shift at the federal level.
Potential Legislative Package Combines Stablecoin and Marijuana Banking Bills
Representative Maxine Waters and Chairman Patrick McHenry are contemplating consolidating legislation about stablecoins and marijuana banking and a bill concerning executive compensation at defunct lenders.Â
Moreover, this legislative approach aims to tackle various financial and regulatory concerns concurrently.
Legislators are considering the possibility of appending the proposed legislative package to the reauthorization measure for the Federal Aviation Administration.Â
Furthermore, this approach demonstrates a calculated endeavor to promote significant legislative objectives while capitalizing on legislation essential for achieving consensus among the two parties and tackling urgent challenges in the financial industry.