<div id="readability-page-1"><h2>American Banker's 2025 On-Chain Finance Report</h2>The passing of the GENIUS Act has formally kicked off a digital asset race within the banking system, and executives are working to figure out what clients need most: information or products.American Banker's On-Chain Finance survey was fielded online during August and September 2025 among 142 employees of banks, credit unions and payments companies. All respondents are knowledgeable about their institution's plans for digital currencies, including cryptocurrencies and digital assets.Top findings from the report<ul><li>General information about crypto is the top ask from interested clients.</li><li>Public cryptocurrencies and stablecoins are likely permanent, but not NFTs.</li><li>Desired changes to the GENIUS Act involve interest and reserve standards. </li></ul>Results from the report are highlighted below using interactive charts. Mouse over each section for more detail, click on the chart labels to show or hide sections and use the arrows to cycle between chart views. This item is the latest in a series diving into new data from American Banker, so check back for the latest updates. <ul><li>Part one: Large banks lead the cryptocurrency pack, credit unions close behind</li><li>Part two: Five challenges banks face when they consider crypto services</li><li>Part three: Why some banks are saying yes to stablecoins, and others are saying no</li></ul><h2>Major asks from crypto-focused clients</h2>As banks and credit unions expand product suites to include cryptocurrency and digital-asset offerings, consumers by and large are asking to learn more.Forty-seven percent of respondents said that their institution's clients were asking for general information about these assets, followed by 35% who said clients were asking for the ability to make payments using cryptocurrencies. Twenty-seven percent said that clients were asking for institutionally provided custody of digital assets.About a quarter of respondents (25%) said customers are looking for guidance on managing crypto funds. Nearly one-fifth (19%) said customers are asking their bank if it could host an exchange platform. Twenty-six percent of respondents said their clients aren't asking for anything related to digital assets.Prior to the passage of the GENIUS Act in July, many bankers pumped the brakes on stablecoin and digital asset plans as they awaited further regulatory clarity.Gary Fan, chief operating officer at Royal Business Bank, told American Banker that his organization is monitoring the digital asset space, but is unlikely to make any significant moves this year.&#34;We have to see how the regulatory agencies play out,&#34; Fan said. &#34;We do have the regulatory agencies above us, and more or less those people are uncomfortable. It's very, very difficult for us to enter new areas like that. For us specifically, we're looking at it, but it's probably not one of the top one or two priorities that we're going to work on in the next 12 months.&#34;Broken down by institution type, banks with more than $10 billion of assets recorded the highest share of respondents that said clients are asking for more information about digital assets, coming in at 65%. Fifty percent of credit union respondents said their members were asking for general information about digital assets.In contrast, 42% of community banking respondents said their clients weren't asking for anything related to digital assets.Key takeaway: Clients looking to engage with digital assets are mostly asking for more information about the class from their financial institution of choice.<h2>Decoding the future of digital assets</h2>The popularity of digital assets has given rise to a host of skeptics wondering which are here to stay and which are on their way out.Sixty-four percent of respondents said public cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether are here to stay as an asset class in the financial markets, followed by 56% who said the same for stablecoins such as Tether and USD Coin.In September, U.S. Bancorp revived its play for bitcoin custody services after the walkback of regulatory guidance, suggesting crypto-related assets must be reported as liabilities.U.S. Bank's expanded offerings now include bitcoin exchange-traded funds, which allow the bank to &#34;provide full-service solutions for managers seeking custody and administration services,&#34; Stephen Philipson, vice chair and the head of wealth, corporate, commercial and institutional banking, said in a press release.Almost half (45%) of people surveyed predicted that tokenized deposits are here to stay; 42% said the same for tokenization of real world assets and 39% said the same for money market fund tokenization.Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and memecoins such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu drew the largest share of skeptics, with 42% and 57% of respondents respectively saying these asset classes are a passing fad.On an institutional level, respondents working at credit unions were the most likely to say that public cryptocurrencies would be a permanent fixture, at 78%. Seventy-two percent of regional and national bankers said the same, as did 52% of community bankers.Key takeaway: Bank and credit union executives say public cryptocurrencies and stablecoins are likely permanent, while NFTs and memecoins are on the chopping block.<h2>Changes to the GENIUS Act</h2>The recent passage of the GENIUS Act has laid the foundation for banks and credit unions to deepen their involvement in digital-asset markets. Executives are hoping that there is room for more change in future legislative efforts.The top issue for survey participants is that financial institutions currently can't pay interest on tokenized deposits and digital assets, while exchanges can.In a recent panel discussion at American Banker's Most Powerful Women in Banking conference last month, banking leaders expressed their frustration over the fluidity of the regulatory environment hampering investment pathways.Amanda Allexon, a partner at Simpson Thacher &amp; Bartlett who specializes in bank regulatory issues, said the Trump administration's embracing of digital assets is welcomed, so long as clear regulatory guidance comes with it.&#34;Finding the right balance between decreasing regulation and making sure that everything is appropriately accounted for with respect to these new technologies is really what's at stake,&#34; Allexon said. &#34;Reasonable people are going to disagree. I think the positives are that this administration is the most open to new charters, new technologies of any that we've seen the last several … which is a change from the last four years.&#34;Key takeaway: Bankers and credit union leaders identified changes around reserve requirements and interest payments as most important.<div> <div><div> <div> « PREVIOUS: Why some banks are saying yes to stablecoins, and others are saying no </div></div></div> </div></div>

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American Banker's On-Chain Finance Report reveals that banking executives view stablecoins and public cryptocurrencies as permanent fixtures in the industry. The report, based on a survey of 142 banking professionals, indicates a strong demand for general information about digital assets among clients. Key findings show that 64% believe public cryptocurrencies will remain relevant, while 56% feel the same about stablecoins. The report also highlights challenges banks face in adopting crypto services and the impact of the GENIUS Act on digital asset strategies.

Exclusive Research Bank execs say stablecoins, crypto here to stay