American Bankers Association: Supports the passage of the CLARITY Act, but the stablecoin reward provisions should be tightened

According to CoinDesk, Rob Nichols, President and CEO of the American Bankers Association (ABA), stated that the goal is to strengthen rather than block the passage of the CLARITY Act. He believes that the digital asset industry needs a clear regulatory framework, but a key provision in the bill regarding stablecoin rewards still needs to be tightened further. Nichols pointed out that the GENIUS Act, set for 2025, has already prohibited stablecoin issuers from paying interest or returns to holders, and the current controversy revolves around whether related parties, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, can offer similar interest-like rewards.

He believes that if stablecoin wallets attract bank deposits out through such mechanisms, it could weaken the funding base that banks use for small business loans, housing mortgages, and agricultural financing. The American Bankers Association suggests amending the relevant statements in the bill to prohibit stablecoin rewards that are "substantially similar" to interest payments and to remove certain wording that may cause ambiguity. Nichols stated that these modifications would not prevent crypto companies from offering other reward programs but could avoid the reward mechanism evolving into a disguised form of deposit interest.

He also mentioned that the American Bankers Association is pushing for senators to amend the relevant provisions before the vote in September and believes that the U.S. can be both a global banking center and a global crypto center, provided that clear and consistent regulatory rules are established.