A $360 billion U.S. banking revenue stream faces pressure as lawmakers revisit stablecoin rewards, a move Coinbase warns could reshape dollar payments, ignite competition in fees, and accelerate commerce moving onchain across the U.S. financial system.
Stablecoin Rewards Aren’t a Banking Crisis—They’re a Payments Revolution
Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad shared on social media platform X on Jan. 7 a warning that a $360 billion U.S. banking revenue machine is under threat as lawmakers reopen the fight over stablecoin rewards and the future of U.S. dollar payments moving onchain.
“The Senate Banking Committee marks up the Market Structure bill next week, and stablecoin rewards remain under debate,” he began, adding:
Congress already settled this in GENIUS—reopening it now only creates uncertainty and risks the future of the US dollar as commerce moves onchain.
Shirzad framed resistance as economically motivated, writing: “It’s no mystery why big banks want rewards banned.” He detailed that U.S. banks generate about $176 billion per year from roughly $3 trillion held at the Federal Reserve and another $187 billion annually from card swipe fees, bringing total revenue from payments and deposits to more than $360 billion each year.
The Coinbase chief policy officer asserted that “ stablecoin rewards threaten those margins—not because it reduces banks’ ability to lend, but because they introduce real competition in payments,” arguing that lower payment costs could translate into billions in savings for consumers and businesses and support broader economic growth.
Stablecoin Market Takes a Breather After December’s $310B Peak
Addressing financial stability concerns, Shirzad pointed to academic findings, writing: “Independent research from Cornell confirms it: stablecoin adoption does not reduce bank lending.” He emphasized that “rewards would need to approach 6% to meaningfully affect deposits,” a threshold far above current offerings.
The Coinbase policy chief also highlighted the strategic implications for incumbents, stating:
The irony is that stablecoins present a huge transformational opportunity for banks.
Concluding the thread, Shirzad summarized his position, noting: “Bottom line: banks oppose rewards not out of prudential concern, but because competition threatens protected revenue streams.” He argued that protecting the GENIUS Act and preserving the ability to offer rewards would result in lower costs, more consumer choice, and a more competitive U.S. payments system as commerce increasingly moves to blockchain rails.
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