Trump Signs Crypto-Payment EO and the Fed Updates Its 'Skinny' Master Account Proposal in the Same Week!

Two parallel moves last week pushed crypto's integration with the federal payments system meaningfully forward. President Trump signed an executive order directing federal regulators to review existing rules that may block fintech and crypto firms from partnering with regulated financial institutions — and separately ordered the Fed to re-examine how uninsured depository institutions access payment accounts. The very next day, the Federal Reserve published an updated version of its 'skinny' master account proposal, laying out in greater detail how it envisions granting crypto and fintech firms access to its payment rails without requiring a full OCC bank charter.

A second Trump executive order, focused on Bank Secrecy Act enforcement, directed Treasury to issue guidance targeting illicit cross-border financial flows.