Stablecoins: legal issues and legal framework

This study is devoted to the legal regulation of one of the types of cryptocurrencies – stablecoins. The article deals with issues of legal nature, essence, as well as relatively limited judicial practice in relation to stablecoins. Stablecoins are digital assets that are designed to maintain a stable value relative to some underlying asset or basket of assets, often through the use of algorithms and market mechanisms. The regulation of stablecoins can vary depending on the jurisdiction in which they are offered and used, as well as the specific features of the stablecoin in question. In general, stablecoins that are designed to function as a medium of exchange, store of value, or unit of account may be subject to financial regulatory requirements, such as anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, as well as licensing and reporting obligations. In the United States, for example, stablecoins that are classified as securities may be subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while stablecoins that are considered commodities may be subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Additionally, some stablecoins may be considered to be a type of "money service business" and subject to regulation by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) [1]. In the European Union, stablecoins may be subject to regulation under the EU's revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) and the forthcoming Digital Finance Strategy [2]. It is important to note that the regulatory landscape for stablecoins is rapidly evolving, and the specific requirements that apply to a particular stablecoin may depend on a number of factors, including the structure of the stablecoin, the specific legal jurisdiction(s) in which it is offered, and the manner in which it is used. As such, the different approach of countries in the regulation of stablecoins has created the need to study this issue from a legal point of view.

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