US Fed Signals Regulatory Evolution with Pro-Crypto Stance at Blockchain Symposium

Federal Reserve officials struck a decidedly optimistic tone on decentralized finance during Wyoming's 2025 Blockchain Symposium, aligning with former President Trump's crypto-friendly policies. Governor Christopher Waller dismissed mainstream anxieties about DeFi technologies, framing them as natural progressions in financial infrastructure rather than threats to stability.

"Smart contracts and distributed ledgers should inspire curiosity, not fear," Waller asserted during his Wednesday address. His remarks particularly championed stablecoins as vehicles for dollar hegemony, noting their potential to service unbanked populations through real-time dollar transactions.

Vice Chair Michelle Bowman escalated the rhetoric on Tuesday, calling for regulators to shed their historical conservatism. Her endorsement of blockchain's efficiency gains for payment systems and title transfers—referencing active work on the GENIUS Act framework—signals concrete regulatory adaptations may be forthcoming.