The Bank of England relaxes stablecoin regulatory rules, lifting restrictions on individual holdings and setting a £40 billion issuance limit

On Monday, the Bank of England released the final policy statement and draft rules for systemic stablecoins, easing several previously proposed regulations. The bank removed the original plan to set a limit on individual holdings and instead established a temporary issuance cap for each type of stablecoin, with an initial limit set at £40 billion (approximately $52.8 million). Additionally, the Bank of England allowed issuers to hold up to 70% of reserve assets in short-term UK government bonds, higher than the previously proposed 60%, while the remaining portion must be deposited in interest-free accounts at the central bank. The related consultation will continue until September 22, and the rules are expected to be finalized by the end of 2026, with regulated stablecoin operations set to begin in the UK in 2027.