Crypto vs. Banks: The White House Throws a Financial Fistfight

Oh, the White House. That grand, marble-clad stage where the world’s most pressing issues are debated-or, more accurately, where grown adults argue over who gets to keep the Monopoly money. This time, it’s the third (yes, third) high-stakes meeting to resolve the ongoing dispute over stablecoin yields. Because nothing says “progress” like a room full of lawyers and bankers squabbling over digital pocket change.

Top legal minds from the cryptocurrency industry-those wizards of blockchain and buzzwords-are set to face off against representatives from the traditional banking sector, who still think a ledger is something you keep in a dusty binder. At 9:00 A.M. ET, a select group of these titans will gather to negotiate a compromise that could unblock major U.S. crypto legislation. Or, more likely, they’ll just agree to disagree and order more coffee.

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Who’s Bringing the Snacks?

The crypto industry is sending its A-team, or at least the people who can afford the Uber ride to the White House. Among them are Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s chief legal officer (who probably has a PowerPoint ready), Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s chief legal officer (who’s still explaining what a DAO is to his mom), and Miles Jennings, general counsel at a16z Crypto (who’s definitely wearing a hoodie under his suit).

The meeting will focus on the burning question: Should cryptocurrency platforms and stablecoin issuers be allowed to pass on the interest earned from underlying reserves directly to consumers? Or, as the banks see it, “Should we let these upstarts steal our lunch money?”

Thanks to this dispute, key legislation has been stalled in the Senate, where it’s been gathering dust like an old copy of the tax code. Traditional banks have lobbied heavily against yield-bearing stablecoins, arguing that they create an uneven playing field. Because, you know, it’s not fair if regular people can earn more than 0.01% interest on their savings. That’s practically socialism.

Meanwhile, crypto executives insist that stablecoin yields are a core consumer benefit. Prohibiting these rewards, they say, will stifle domestic innovation and push capital toward offshore alternatives. Or, as one executive put it, “If you’re not paying us, we’re taking our blockchain and going home.”

As reported by U.Today, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse previously predicted that the legislation could pass by the end of April. Which, let’s be honest, is about as likely as a bank admitting it made a mistake. But hey, stranger things have happened. Like a White House meeting that actually accomplishes something.

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2026-02-19 19:32