Basel Committee to issue second consultation on crypto

The global standard setter for banking regulation want to finalize its treatment of crypto assets near the end of this year.

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) published an update related to its May 27 meeting today. During that meeting, it says it made progress on a second consultation paper on the "prudential treatment of banks' cryptoasset exposures."

The body published a first consultation paper last year, proposing to strict capital requirements for banks that have exposure to crypto in addition to applying the existing framework to crypto and issuing guidance to fill in any gaps. It received feedback on the public consultation from external stakeholders, which the following consultation will build on. It plans to release that paper "over the coming month, with a view to finalising the prudential treatment around the end of this year," it said in its update.

"Recent developments have further highlighted the importance of having a global minimum prudential framework to mitigate risks from cryptoassets."

In recent weeks, crypto markets have seen a significant downturn, and the algorithmic stablecoin UST lost its peg. The first consultation paper addressed credit and market risk requirements for stabilization mechanisms in tokens, among other concerns.

 In addition to its crypto plans, the body also addressed climate-related financial risks, risks and vulnerabilities to the global banking system following the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict and the treatment of cross-border exposures within the European Banking Union.

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Aislinn Keely is a reporter on The Block's policy team holding down the legal beat. She covers court decisions, bankruptcies, regulatory actions and other key moments in the legal sphere, putting them in context for the wider crypto industry. Before The Block, she lent her voice to the NPR affiliate WFUV and helmed Fordham University's student newspaper. Send tips or thoughts on all things policy and legal to [email protected] or follow her on Twitter for updates @AislinnKeely.