Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister of India and the current G20 president, announced on Tuesday that the Group of Twenty (G20) has endorsed the recommendations from the Financial Stability Board (FSB) concerning crypto asset activities and global stablecoin arrangements. This decisive nod from the G20 comes after an eventful year in the crypto sphere marked by scandals and allegations of misconduct, prompting the FSB to call for stricter regulations around client asset protection and conflict of interest avoidance.
This acceptance was made during the third Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting, held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, in eastern India. Discussions about India’s presidency note on crypto reportedly stretched into the early hours of Tuesday, but details of the note are yet to be disclosed. Sitharaman indicated that the note, expected to summarize the work done by various countries and institutions, would be a crucial input towards establishing a comprehensive global policy and regulatory framework.
Strengthening the crypto asset ecosystem
The FSB’s new recommendations are a response to the crypto community’s calls for stronger controls, despite warnings from leading exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase that stringent rules could stifle innovation. The FSB’s plan focuses on robust governance, risk management, and clear disclosures to keep customer funds separate from company assets.
A joint synthesis paper from the FSB and International Monetary Fund (IMF), focusing on the global macro implications of crypto, will be presented to the G20 in September, marking the final stance of the G20 on crypto during India’s presidency.
India’s central bank governor, Shaktikanta Das, highlighted the potential for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) to facilitate smoother cross-border transactions. He further noted that digital versions of fiat currencies could lead to significant changes in the currency system, echoing a recent study by the Bank for International Settlements, predicting that around 15 retail CBDCs could be in circulation by 2030.
The G20’s endorsement comes at a time when Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are making a comeback, with Bitcoin reaching 13-month highs. While the European Union has already approved the world’s first comprehensive set of rules for crypto asset markets, the FSB’s ‘global baseline’ standards are designed to cater to jurisdictions looking for more stringent regulations.
The FSB’s recommendations are expected to be enhanced by additional measures from global banking and securities watchdogs, the Basel Committee, and IOSCO, reflecting a globally coordinated move towards stronger crypto asset regulation.
