The Federal Reserve welcomes a new regulatory chief, is the last hawkish stronghold about to loosen?

Author: ChandlerZ, Foresight News

Recently, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Michelle Bowman as the Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve with a vote of 48 in favor and 46 against. The Republican from Kansas will succeed Michael Barr and will hold the highest position in the Federal Reserve's regulatory field, directly overseeing the regulation of stablecoin issuers and crypto-related institutions.

Michelle Bowman: From Board Member to Head of Supervision

Michelle Bowman was born and raised in Kansas. She holds a bachelor's degree in Advertising and Journalism from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law. She is a registered attorney in New York. Early in her career, she held various positions in the U.S. Congress, serving in the office of Senator Bob Dole and as legal counsel for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Government Reform and Oversight Committee. Since 2002, she has been part of the federal government, serving as the Director of Congressional and Government Affairs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and later as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Policy Advisor at the Department of Homeland Security, providing policy support to the first Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge.

After her time in the federal government, Bowman moved to London to establish and run a government and public affairs consulting firm. She returned to her hometown in 2010 and joined Farmers & Drovers Bank in Kansas as Vice President for seven years, gaining deep insights into the operations of community banks. In 2017, she was appointed as the Kansas Bank Commissioner, responsible for regulating the state's banking institutions, and joined the Federal Reserve Board in 2018.

During her tenure at the Federal Reserve, Bowman has been known for her focus on small and medium-sized banks and her emphasis on balancing regulation with innovation. She has repeatedly stressed the need to avoid using banking regulatory tools to achieve non-financial policy goals, advocating for the maintenance of a robust banking system while encouraging innovation. As Vice Chair for Supervision, she will lead the regulatory policies regarding stablecoins, crypto assets, and fintech companies, and is seen as one of the key figures in a potential shift in the Federal Reserve's stance.

She has often questioned central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and warned about the risks that stablecoins may pose in the absence of clear rules. At the April hearing, Michelle did not explicitly state her policy preferences regarding crypto assets.

The position of Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve was established after the 2008 financial crisis to separate the Fed's monetary policy and regulatory responsibilities. Upon taking office, Michelle will have direct influence over the entry and regulation of crypto businesses and stablecoin standards. She has also recently indicated that the Federal Reserve will revise its regulatory rules for the largest and most complex banks in the country, revealing that the Fed will soon launch several initiatives aimed at easing requirements and simplifying regulation in areas long criticized by the banking industry.

Possible Shift in Regulatory Attitude

Against the backdrop of a generally warming regulatory environment for crypto in the U.S., the Federal Reserve has remained the most cautious entity. Historically, the Fed, along with the Treasury's OCC and FDIC, has restricted access to banking services for crypto companies. Even after the political environment changed, the Federal Reserve has maintained a vigilant stance towards cryptocurrencies.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has previously stated that Congress should advance "a larger regulatory framework around cryptocurrencies" to address the potential risks of stablecoins. This cautious position stands in stark contrast to the more open attitudes of other regulatory agencies. Although the Fed has recently relaxed some restrictions, the overall regulatory environment remains unclear.

In April, the Federal Reserve Board announced that it would withdraw previous guidance regarding banks' activities with crypto assets and dollar tokens, adjusting expectations to ensure alignment with evolving risks while further supporting innovation in the banking system. Specific measures include rescinding the 2022 regulatory letter, no longer requiring state member banks to notify ahead of crypto asset activities, and instead monitoring through regular regulatory processes; rescinding the 2023 letter regarding the non-opposition process for state member banks engaging in dollar token activities; and jointly with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, rescinding two joint statements issued by federal banking regulators regarding banks' crypto asset activities and risk exposures in 2023.

Michelle Bowman has repeatedly stated in public that regulation should not be a reason for banks to "close their doors" to services. She believes that regulatory agencies should not use rules to exclude legitimate businesses from accessing financial services, especially not to serve unrelated policy goals. These remarks directly address the long-standing dissatisfaction of the crypto industry with "de-banking."

At her confirmation hearing, Michelle committed to promoting a safe and sound banking system through pragmatic regulatory approaches, establishing a transparent and tailored banking regulatory framework to encourage innovation. This pragmatic and innovation-friendly rhetoric is not commonly seen under the strict regulatory style of her predecessor, Michael Barr. Based on her current statements, her evidence-based regulatory approach is expected to improve bank access for crypto companies and introduce balanced regulation for stablecoins, contrasting with the Federal Reserve's previous cautious stance.

Policy Change at a Critical Juncture

From the overall policy orientation of the Trump administration, Michelle's appointment is just part of a crypto-friendly policy. The Senate Agriculture Committee plans to consider Trump's nomination of Brian Quintenz as chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on June 10.

However, changes in regulatory policy still require time and consideration of Congress and other regulatory agencies' attitudes. Currently, the regulation of stablecoins in the U.S. is overseen by multiple agencies, leading to confusion and complexity. The GENIUS Act attempts to establish a federal framework while allowing state regulatory laws to continue. Republican efforts aim to limit the Federal Reserve's jurisdiction over stablecoin issuers, while Democrats advocate for broader regulation, including oversight of non-bank issuers. This inconsistency highlights the urgent need for a unified regulatory approach, and Bowman may play a key role in this fragmented regulatory environment, determining how the Federal Reserve effectively interacts with and guides the stablecoin market.

Overall, Michelle Bowman's appointment could indeed loosen the Federal Reserve's last hawkish stronghold. With the overall crypto environment in the U.S. already quite friendly, a change in the Fed's attitude may eliminate the final barriers to industry development. However, the specific policy effects remain to be observed in her actual performance.