By Joe Casali, AAP, AFPP, APRP, Executive Vice President, NEACH
Welcome to the January 2026 issue of the Innovating Payments Executive Summary—Will 2026 be the Year of Stablecoins? With the GENIUS Act paving the way, stablecoins are already topping several 2026 trends-to-watch lists, begging the question: Will 2026 be the year of stablecoins?
In other news, President Trump has proposed eliminating state-specific artificial intelligence regulation in favor of establishing a unified national standard. Additionally, the Federal Reserve Board has requested public input on a “payment account” that eligible financial institutions could use solely for clearing and settling payments. Finally, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has conditionally approved five national trust bank charter applications.
Read on to learn more.
Top Headlines
Stablecoin Policy
The Year of Stablecoins?
“President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, creating rules for stablecoin use,” reports Payments Dive. “The law’s most important practical impact might be giving financial institutions the confidence to understand the rules of trading digital assets, according to industry insiders.”
Jeremy Zhang, a16z crypto engineering partner, pointed out that stablecoins accounted for an estimated $46 trillion in transaction volume last year, consistently hitting new all-time highs. “To put that into perspective: That’s more than 20x the volume of PayPal; close to 3x the volume of Visa (one of the largest payment networks in the world); and rapidly approaches the volume of ACH, the electronic network for financial transactions in the United States,” he wrote for 16zcrypto.
Penny Lee, CEO of the Financial Technology Association, told the publication: “There’s a regulatory structure around what a stablecoin is, and more acceptance in the banking community to be able to move and change stablecoins to fiat currency.”
Related, MSN reported that the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, scheduled for Senate review next week, as told to the news outlet by U.S. Senator Tim Scott, aims to offer the U.S. crypto industry even greater regulatory clarity. The House of Representatives approved the legislation in July 2025. If the Senate passes it without amendments, it will not need to return to the House and can proceed directly to U.S. President Donald Trump for final approval.
Additionally, Nacha just announced that stablecoin has earned its own track at Smarter Faster Payments 2026. In recent Nacha podcast, Stephanie Prebish, AAP, AFPP, APRP, CTP, Nacha Senior Managing Director, of Association Services put it this way: “I like to think about the stablecoin movement as where we were six or seven years ago with instant payments. We knew that it was going to be big, and that’s how we feel about stablecoin right now,” noting that she sees so many opportunities for all of the financial institutions out there.”
Nacha: Understanding Stablecoins: The Steady Side of Crypto Released
Nacha’s Payments Innovation Alliance also recently released, Understanding Stablecoins: The Steady Side of Crypto.
Nacha explains stablecoins as cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value by pegging their worth to reserve assets such as the U.S. dollar or gold. Unlike decentralized digital currencies such as Bitcoin, stablecoins are managed by businesses and financial institutions. Their stability, supported by reserves in U.S. dollars or short-term U.S. Treasury securities, makes them useful for daily transactions, remittances, and storing value.
The guide also includes an overview of how stablecoins work, their use cases, and suggestions on where to find more information.
You can download the guide here.
AI Policy
President Trump Proposes National AI Framework
In an Executive Order, President Donald Trump proposed eliminating state-specific artificial intelligence regulations in favor of a unified national standard. Specifically, the Executive Order indicates that, “It is the policy of the United States to sustain and enhance the United States’ global AI dominance through a minimally burdensome national policy framework for AI.”
It goes on to say:
United States leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI) will promote United States national and economic security and dominance across many domains…I companies must be free to innovate without cumbersome regulation. But excessive State regulation thwarts this imperative. First, State-by-State regulation by definition creates a patchwork of 50 different regulatory regimes that makes compliance more challenging, particularly for start-ups. Second, State laws are increasingly responsible for requiring entities to embed ideological bias within models. For example, a new Colorado law banning “algorithmic discrimination” may even force AI models to produce false results in order to avoid a “differential treatment or impact” on protected groups. Third, State laws sometimes impermissibly regulate beyond State borders, impinging on interstate commerce.
My Administration must act with the Congress to ensure that there is a minimally burdensome national standard — not 50 discordant State ones.
Click here to read the Executive Order in its entirety.
At the time of publication, NEACH notes that it’s unclear if states will wait and defer to the Federal Government or begin carving out additional compliance requirements
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors and Policy
Fed Seeks Comments on Skinny Accounts
The Federal Reserve Board has requested public input on a “payment account” that eligible financial institutions could use for the limited purpose of clearing and settling payments.
According to a news release:
In recent years, rapid developments in the payments industry have led to innovative approaches to banking, and financial institutions with new business models are seeking access to Federal Reserve payments services. To support innovation and promote a safe and efficient payment system, the new payment account would be tailored to meet the limited needs of eligible financial institutions seeking payments and settling services. This tailoring could result in lower risk to the payment system and, as a result, requests for payment accounts could generally receive a streamlined review.
The comment period will close 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
To learn more and to view related resources, click on the link below:
Fed Seeks Input on Check Usage and Preferences
The Federal Reserve Board has requested public input on the impact of potential strategic changes to check services provided by the Fed, as well as check usage and preferences.
According to a news release, potential future changes could include:
- Foregoing investments in the Reserve Banks' check infrastructure to keep operating costs at existing levels with reduced reliability of check services over time;
- Investing in the Reserve Banks' check infrastructure to maintain and potentially improve check services with higher operating costs; or
- Significantly reducing check services, or alternatively, substantially winding them down, both resulting in reduced operating costs.
Comments are due within 90 days after publication in the Federal Register.
For additional information, click on the links below:
Miscellaneous
OCC Announces Conditional Approvals for Five National Trust Bank Charter Applications
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has conditionally approved five national trust bank charter applications, according to a news release. The approvals include:
Upon meeting the OCC's conditions, these institutions will join around 60 other national trust banks under OCC supervision.
“New entrants into the federal banking sector are good for consumers, the banking industry and the economy,” said Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan V. Gould in the release. “They provide access to new products, services and sources of credit to consumers, and ensure a dynamic, competitive and diverse banking system. The OCC will continue to provide a path for both traditional and innovative approaches to financial services to ensure the federal banking system keeps pace with the evolution of finance and supports a modern economy.”
Nevertheless, this perspective is not universally shared.
For instance, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) opposes the OCC’s approval of these five national trust charter applications. According to a news release:
ICBA has repeatedly said in letters to the OCC that the agency lacks statutory authority to expand trust powers under Interpretive Letter #1176 and that the sudden influx of applications demonstrates nonbank fintechs are seeking the benefits of a U.S. bank charter without satisfying the full scope of U.S. bank regulations — threatening consumers and the financial system.
The OCC's move to approve new national trust bank charters aims to increase innovation and competition in the federal banking sector. However, it has also sparked significant debate. The differing viewpoints highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing regulatory flexibility with maintaining a stable financial system. As the financial landscape continues to evolve, regulatory agencies will need to balance these competing interests to ensure our banking system remains resilient and secure.
NEACH
With so many changes underway, it’s more important than ever to make the most of the resources NEACH provides.
A good place to start is NEACH’s Industry Update 1: 2026 ACH Rules Changes webinar.
In 2026, the ACH Network is undergoing significant changes, including the phased implementation of Nacha’s new Fraud Monitoring Rules. Nacha is also introducing standardized Company Entry Descriptions, such as “PAYROLL” and “PURCHASE,” to improve clarity and consistency across ACH Entries. In this webinar, NEACH staff will share insights gathered over the past year, offering a forward-looking perspective on what’s coming—and what might be—into the ACH Network.
Also, don’t miss NEACH’s Industry Update 2: Preparing for 2026 Compliance and Payments Changes webinar. Whether your role is in payments operations, compliance oversight, or strategic planning, this update will equip you with timely insights to guide decisions and strengthen your institution’s resilience in the year ahead.
Also, be sure to check out NEACH’s podcast, Wrestling Payments, a podcast for professionals working at banks, credit unions, and FinTechs responsible for managing ACH and payment operations. In each episode, NEACH members guide conversations to help professionals examine the challenges of modernizing payment operations. Ultimately, the stories uncovered through guest interviews and solo episodes will highlight industry trends and identify how organizations can build their payment operations for the future.
And, as always, NEACH’s Payments Hotline at 855-NEACHQA is available to answer your most pressing questions.
Let’s work together to make 2026 your most successful year yet.
NEACH - New England Automated Clearing House Association is a neutral, member-focused advocate. Our role is to give you the intelligence, context, and connections you need to make informed strategic decisions. We bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators so you can evaluate innovation through the lens of your institution’s mission and market strategy. For more information, visit neach.org.