The Federal Reserve Opens a New Chapter: Cryptocurrency Officially Included in the Washington Agenda

The U.S. payment system is preparing to integrate the assets and infrastructure you are already trading.

Written by: Crypto Unfiltered

Translated by: Block unicorn

Preface

On October 21, the Federal Reserve held its inaugural Payments Innovation Conference in Washington. The event lasted a full day, bringing together central bank governors from various countries, major asset management firms, leading banks, payment companies, and key crypto infrastructure teams. The agenda covered stablecoins, tokenized assets, DeFi, artificial intelligence in payments, and how to connect traditional ledgers to blockchains. The message from the event was simple: crypto technology is now part of the conversation in the payments sector.

Why This Time Is Different

For years, the U.S. approach to crypto has sounded like “regulate first, talk later.” This time, a Federal Reserve governor stated in the opening remarks that the goal is to embrace disruptive technologies in payments and learn from the experience of DeFi and crypto. This shift in tone is significant. It tells investors that the question has moved from whether this technology is applicable to how to integrate it into core systems safely.

The “Streamlined” Account Concept

The most concrete news is that the Federal Reserve is developing a limited-access payment account (often referred to as a “streamlined account”). Think of it as a simplified version of a master account, allowing certain non-bank entities that meet legal requirements to directly access the Fed’s payment services under strict supervision. This includes limits, no interest, no credit lines, and strict reporting requirements. Currently, many stablecoin issuers and crypto companies rely on commercial banks for settlement and key services. If limited-access Fed accounts become a reality, they could reduce single points of failure. This is not a free pass, nor will it happen overnight, but it is a clear direction of development.

Crypto Industry’s Advice to the Fed

To achieve true institutional scale, three challenges must be addressed. First, make traditional systems compatible with blockchains for auditing and compliance checks. Second, standardize the proofs and metadata carried by transactions to meet the needs of regulators and counterparties. Third, create “regulated DeFi” variants, where smart contracts automatically enforce compliance, identity verification, and cross-chain controls by default. None of these are just buzzwords. All of these are exactly what large capital pools require.

Why Stablecoins Are Central

Stablecoins are already one of the largest real-world use cases for crypto. Their biggest operational risk is reliance on key channels with partner banks. Direct, limited access to the Fed would set higher standards for reserves, reporting, and settlement, and reduce the likelihood of disruptions or de-banking events. This does not eliminate risk, but it does transform the system into a standardized, regulated framework that institutions can understand.

Tokenized Assets Enter the Plan

When the world’s largest asset managers, multinational banks, and crypto data providers gather with the Fed to discuss tokenized funds, tokenized cash, and on-chain settlement, what you see is a roadmap. Tokenization is not a gimmick. It is a way to accelerate the circulation of traditional assets, offering instant settlement, 24/7 markets, and programmable compliance. The longstanding obstacles have been standards, identity verification, and secure access to payment systems. These three are now top priorities.

Market Impact

Price volatility around such events can be significant. Bitcoin may drop several percentage points in a day, while Ethereum and Solana can also swing sharply up or down on headlines before reversing. Structural signals are stronger. The U.S. central bank is now openly exploring how to connect crypto rails to the payment core. When policy clarity increases, capital flows tend to concentrate first in assets best suited for institutional investors. Bitcoin remains the macro gateway. Ethereum is at the heart of stablecoins and tokenization. Solana continues to excel in speed and consumer applications. Chainlink positions itself as the data and compliance bridge between blockchains and institutions.

None of this guarantees prices will rise in a straight line. But it does determine where new mandates can be allocated when legal and operational mechanisms shift. This usually means Bitcoin first, then Ethereum, followed by a basket of large-cap assets with clear use cases. After that, if liquidity is strong and risk appetite returns, small-cap assets will start to rise. The same cyclical rhythm, but with different drivers.

Recent Catalysts

Stablecoin rulebooks, standardizing reserves and real-time reporting.

More tokenized cash products and government bonds, with built-in on-chain identity.

DeFi versions that hard-code counterparty checks, asset eligibility, and restrictions, so institutions can participate without changing their mandates.

Stories at the intersection of AI and crypto with real economic design, not just branding—especially as emissions tighten.

How to Position

Keep your plan simple and match it to your investment horizon. If investing, focus on assets that institutions can actually buy. For most, the core is Bitcoin and Ethereum, with moderate allocation to Solana, and a small reserve for infrastructure that bridges data and compliance across chains. If trading, assume volatility based on market dynamics, use isolated risk strategies, and set your stop-losses in advance.

Final Conclusion

The Federal Reserve has brought together crypto companies, banks, asset managers, and big tech firms to jointly plan a shared payment system, and has proposed a concrete path for direct, restricted access to the Fed’s payment system. Prices will fluctuate. This indicates that the U.S. payment system is preparing to integrate the assets and infrastructure you are already trading. Stay patient, assess risk, and focus on assets that institutions can truly hold as the payment gates open wider.