Reserve Bank Publishes Literature Review on Cryptocurrency Regulatory and Operational Frameworks

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. — Reserve Bank today announced the publication of a comprehensive literature review examining the evolution of cryptocurrency regulatory and operational frameworks in the United States and internationally. The review consolidates academic research, international standards, and federal regulatory guidance to support informed discussion among policymakers, regulators, and institutional stakeholders.

The publication traces how regulatory approaches to digital assets have progressed from early technology-focused assessments toward functional and activity-based supervisory models. The analysis references guidance and policy positions from U.S. authorities, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, alongside international standard-setting bodies. Key themes include jurisdictional coordination, legal classification of digital assets, and the operational enforceability of compliance requirements.

The review highlights recurring regulatory considerations such as supervisory alignment, compliance verification, consumer and counterparty protections, and systemic risk management. It underscores the growing importance of operational design choices—including auditability, transparency, and standardized reporting—in achieving effective oversight of blockchain-based systems.

Reserve Bank emphasized that the publication is a neutral research contribution intended solely to inform public policy and regulatory discourse. The literature review does not promote, offer, or market any financial product, token, or investment opportunity and is not associated with any capital-raising activity.

The full literature review is publicly available through Reserve Bank’s Research Center.

About Reserve Bank

Reserve Bank is a research-driven organization focused on cryptocurrency regulation, compliance architecture, and supervisory transparency. In addition to its policy research activities, Reserve Bank conducts separate, non-commercial technical analysis exploring how blockchain-based coin mechanisms may support auditability and reconciliation in complex payment environments. This work draws on publicly discussed government experimentation, including internal testing by the Department of the Army examining distributed ledger approaches to subcontractor payment traceability and audit trail integrity. These activities are independent of the published literature review and do not involve financial issuance, product deployment, or investment activity.