House Republicans push forward on stablecoin regulation with new draft bill

House Financial Services Committee Republican Chair French Hill, R-Ark., released draft legislation to regulate stablecoins as U.S. lawmakers forge ahead on rules for those assets. 

Hill, alongside Rep. Bryan Steill, R-Wis., posted a discussion draft for stablecoins on Thursday, which builds on work done over the years in the House Financial Services Committee. Steil leads that committee's digital asset-focused panel. Hill and Steil are seeking feedback on the draft, which will be brought up in a hearing next week in the House Financial Services Committee.

“By implementing a clear regulatory structure for payment stablecoins, we can support continued innovation, bolster the U.S. dollar’s position as the world’s reserve currency, and protect consumers and investors," Steil said in the statement. "I look forward to getting feedback from consumers, issuers, and stakeholders on this draft legislation as we work to provide clear rules of the road for this innovative technology.”

Lawmakers have been working to pass a stablecoin bill for years, with work focused primarily in the House. Now retired former House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., was working with top Democrat Maxine Waters, D-Calif, to create a regulatory framework for stablecoins since 2022. A sticking point for that bill was a provision that allows state regulators to approve stablecoin issuances without Federal Reserve input.

The discussion draft differs slightly from the previous stablecoin bill. For example, it gives the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency the authority to "approve and supervise federally qualified nonbank payment stablecoin issuers " instead of including a federal path through the Federal Reserve for "payment stablecoin issuers."

Work on the Senate side

Earlier in the week, Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced a bill to regulate stablecoins called the "Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins" ahead of a press conference on Tuesday where lawmakers announced they would be forming a working group to write rules for crypto and stablecoins. That working group included members from the House Financial Services Committee, Senate Agriculture Committee, House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Banking Committee. 

Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., highlighted the need to keep innovation in the U.S. while protecting consumers and working on financial inclusion. 

"That’s why I’ve led stablecoin legislation with my colleagues in the Senate, and I look forward to working with Chairman Hill and our House counterparts to advance a solution to President Trump’s desk," Scott said. 

The discussion draft is not a companion to Hagerty's bill, but Hill and Steil said both show an effort among Republicans to work on key issues.

"Both approaches represent an effort among Republicans to provide the robust protections and transparency consumers expect, provide for federal and state pathways for stablecoin issuance, and secure the United States as the leader in digital finance," they said.