Bank of America says US banks are entering a multi-year transition toward blockchain-based operations, as regulators begin laying the groundwork for stablecoins and tokenized deposits.

A Monday report highlights that recent OCC approvals for five digital asset firms mark early federal acceptance of crypto custody and stablecoins—provided they meet fiduciary standards and risk controls.

The FDIC is also expected to propose rules this week for allowing its supervised banks to issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries. These rules, required under the GENIUS Act, must be finalized by July 2026 and take effect by January 2027.

Analysts led by Ebrahim Poonawala say these developments will open the door to regulated onchain payments and real-world asset tokenization across the banking sector.