Federal bank regulators announced on October 21, 2026 that cryptocurrency companies can continue to pay interest-like rewards to customers under new rules implementing the GENIUS Act, despite warnings from banks that such programs could drain trillions of dollars in deposits and warnings from consumer groups that the products lack deposit insurance (Orange County Register / Associated Press, October 21, 2026 at 3:36 PM PDT). The ruling settles a year‑long fight and is a green light for founders, finance leads, and DAO operators—but one that demands a fundamental operational separation between insured deposits and uninsured rewards.

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What just changed for crypto banking in October 2026?

On October 21, 2026, the Office…