Crypto Markets Jump on OCC Approval for Banks to Use Blockchains

Banks and financial firms are planning to release commercial-grade blockchain services within the next two years, two surveys published today by IBM show. In total, 200 banks and financial markets operators, respectively, were surveyed about the current status of their work with the technology, and 15% of banks interviewed indicated that they see commercial-scale services coming online sometime before the end of 2017. Of the financial markets operators asked the same question, 14% suggested that they would have their own services online by that date. "In effect, 2017 looks to be the....

The top banking regulator in the U.S. has announced that national banks and savings associations in the country can use public blockchains and stablecoins for payment activities. Experts say this is good for bitcoin and its importance should not be understated. Banks Can Use Public Blockchains and Stablecoins The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published an interpretive letter on Monday “clarifying national banks’ and federal savings associations’ authority to participate in independent node verification networks (INVN) and use stablecoins to conduct....

While the OCC's new stablecoin guidance doesn't have an impact on JPM Coin, it could lead to crypto payments if there's demand During JP Morgan Chase’s Q4 2020 earnings call, CEO Jamie Dimon and CFO Jennifer Piepszak weighed in on the OCC’s recent approval of banks using stablecoins for payments, as well as whether or not the approval will have any impact on the development of JPM Coin. During the question-and-answers portion of the call, Portales Partners analyst Charles Peabody asked about the approval from the OCC for banks to use public blockchain networks for payments. “That guidance....

The latest OCC statement, which opens the door for banks to use blockchains to validate payments, hints at more than just better services.

In many recent articles, Bitcoin Magazine reported the trend toward private, "permissioned" non-Bitcoin blockchains, supported by Accenture and Digital Asset Holdings CEO Blythe Masters, among others. Permissioned blockchain developments for banks and financial operators have been started by giant Swiss bank UBS, Bitcoin exchange itBit and more. Permissioned blockchains would offer the advantages of digital currencies powered by public blockchains - fast and cheap transactions permanently recorded in a shared ledger - without the troublesome openness of the Bitcoin network where anyone can....