Former BIS chief softens stance on stablecoins, backs coexistence with fiat

Former BIS general manager Agustín Carstens said stablecoins can enhance financial inclusion and innovation but stressed the need for global regulatory frameworks to enable coexistence with fiat money.

Agustín Carstens, former general manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and a member of the Global Finance & Technology Network's international advisory board, praised stablecoins for their ability to promote financial inclusion and innovation.

“I have come to appreciate what stablecoins can do to promote financial innovation, inclusion and to reduce costs,” said Carstens during a welcome address at Point Zero Forum on Tuesday. “We should try to establish conditions where we can live with fiat money and stablecoins.”

The remarks reflected a softer stance on stablecoins than Carstens took during his time at the BIS, when he was among the most prominent crypto critics. In a January 2022 speech, he said that stablecoins may not function as “sound money” because issuers have incentives to invest reserve assets in a “risky manner” to generate returns.

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