SEC's Atkins: Tokenized deposits could be available next year
SEC leadership signals a shift toward blockchain-based deposits, promising faster settlements and lower costs for merchant financing programs.
Curated by Financing Your Way from original reporting by American Banker — Top News. Summary is AI-assisted and editorially reviewed — see our editorial standards.
The SEC is signaling a major shift in how money moves through the banking system, with tokenized deposits expected to go live as early as next year. For retailers and operators, this means the 'plumbing' of consumer financing is about to get faster and cheaper. Currently, when a customer uses financing, the settlement process between the lender, the bank, and your business can take days and involve multiple middlemen. Tokenization turns those deposits into digital assets on a blockchain, allowing for near-instant settlement 24/7. This technology bridges the gap between traditional banking and digital efficiency. It isn't about volatile cryptocurrency; it is about using the technology behind crypto to make US dollars move more effectively. For your business, this could eventually mean lower transaction fees for financing programs and getting your funds into your account the moment a customer signs their agreement, rather than waiting for standard ACH windows. SEC Chair Paul Atkins is currently coordinating with banking agencies to finalize the rules, suggesting that the regulatory path for these digital tools is finally clearing. While you won't need to change your point-of-sale system tomorrow, this sets the stage for a new generation of real-time lending products that could significantly improve your cash flow and reduce the cost of credit.
Source: American Banker — Top News
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