The US Treasury on August 17, 2026 issued a proposed rule under section 3 of the GENIUS Act, the 2025 federal stablecoin law. It defines what it means to “issue a payment stablecoin in the United States” and to “offer or sell” one to a person in the United States. The proposal was published in the Federal Register on August 18, 2026, and comments are due by October 19, 2026.
What changed
- Proposeda new 12 CFR part 1523 defining issuance, offer and sale of payment stablecoins in the US
- Comments dueOctober 19, 2026
- January 18, 2027 (expected GENIUS Act effective date)issuing a payment stablecoin in the US generally requires a federal or state license
- July 18, 2028digital asset service providers generally may not offer or sell payment stablecoins to people in the US unless a licensed issuer issued them
Sources: Treasury press release, August 17, 2026 · Federal Register, August 18, 2026 · Checked on September 27, 2026
Why it matters
The rule decides which stablecoins US platforms can offer you after those deadlines. Under the proposal, examples of offering or selling to a person in the US include directly soliciting them, advertising a stablecoin as available to US buyers, and advising buyers how to evade location checks.
Foreign-issued stablecoins get a narrower path. From January 18, 2027, platforms generally may not make them available unless the foreign issuer can comply with lawful US orders and any reciprocal arrangement. Separate conditions, including registration with the OCC, apply to foreign issuers themselves. Nothing here is final: it is a proposal and can change.
What to do
- If you hold or send stablecoins, note the two dates above. Your platform, not you, carries the compliance duty, but it may change which coins it lists.
- Watch for notices from your exchange or wallet about delistings or conversions.
- Comments can be filed at regulations.gov until October 19, 2026.
For the basics of moving stablecoins between wallets, see stablecoin transfers.
This is news, not financial or legal advice.
