12 U.S.C. § 5906 | State qualified payment stablecoin issuers

(a)

In general

A State payment stablecoin regulator shall have supervisory, examination, and enforcement authority over all State qualified payment stablecoin issuers of such State.

(b)

Authority to enter into agreements with the Board

A State payment stablecoin regulator may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Board, by mutual agreement, under which the Board may participate in the supervision, examination, and enforcement of this chapter with respect to the State qualified payment stablecoin issuers of such State.

(c)

Sharing of information

A State payment stablecoin regulator and the Board shall share information on an ongoing basis with respect to a State qualified payment stablecoin issuer of such State, including a copy of the initial application and any accompanying documents.

(d)

Rulemaking

section 5903 of this title section 5903 of this titleA State payment stablecoin regulator may issue orders and rules under applicable to State qualified payment stablecoin issuers to the same extent as the primary Federal payment stablecoin regulators issue orders and rules under applicable to permitted payment stablecoin issuers that are not State qualified payment stablecoin issuers.

(e)

Enforcement authority in unusual and exigent circumstances

(1)

Board

(A)

In general

Subject to subparagraph (C), under unusual and exigent circumstances that the Board determines to exist, the Board may, after not less than 48 hours’ prior written notice to the applicable State payment stablecoin regulator, take an enforcement action against a State qualified payment stablecoin issuer or an institution-affiliated party of such issuer for violations of this chapter during such unusual and exigent circumstances.

(B)

Rulemaking

section 5913 of this titleConsistent with , the Board shall issue rules to set forth the unusual and exigent circumstances in which the Board may act under this paragraph.

(C)

Limitations

If, after unusual and exigent circumstances are determined to exist pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Board determines that there is reasonable cause to believe that the continuation by a State qualified payment stablecoin issuer of any activity constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness, or stability of the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer, the Board may impose such restrictions as the Board determines to be necessary to address such risk during such unusual and exigent circumstances, which may include limitations on redemptions of payment stablecoins, and which shall be issued in the form of a directive, with the effect of a cease and desist order that has become final, to the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer and any of its affiliates, limiting—

(i)

transactions between the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer, a holding company, and the subsidiaries or affiliates of either the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer or the holding company; and

(ii)

any activities of the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer that might create a serious risk that the liabilities of a holding company and the affiliates of the holding company may be imposed on the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer.

(D)

Review of directive

(i)

Administrative review

(I)

In general

After a directive described in subparagraph (C) is issued, the applicable State qualified payment stablecoin issuer, or any institution-affiliated party of the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer subject to the directive, may object and present to the Board, in writing, the reasons why the directive should be modified or rescinded.

(II)

Automatic lapse of directive

If, after 10 days after the receipt of a response described in subclause (I), the Board does not affirm, modify, or rescind the directive, the directive shall automatically lapse.

(ii)

Judicial review

(I)

In general

If the Board affirms or modifies a directive pursuant to clause (i), any affected party may immediately thereafter petition the United States district court for the district in which the main office of the affected party is located, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, to stay, modify, terminate, or set aside the directive.

(II)

Relief for extraordinary cause

Upon a showing of extraordinary cause, an affected party may petition for relief under subclause (I) without first pursuing or exhausting the administrative remedies under clause (i).

(2)

Comptroller

(A)

In general

Subject to subparagraph (C), under unusual and exigent circumstances determined to exist by the Comptroller, the Comptroller shall, after not less than 48 hours’ prior written notice to the applicable State payment stablecoin regulator, take an enforcement action against a State qualified payment stablecoin issuer that is a nonbank entity for violations of this chapter.

(B)

Rulemaking

section 5913 of this titleConsistent with , the Comptroller shall issue rules to set forth the unusual and exigent circumstances in which the Comptroller may act under this paragraph.

(C)

Limitations

If, after unusual and exigent circumstances are determined to exist under subparagraph (A), the Comptroller determines that there is reasonable cause to believe that the continuation of any activity by a State qualified payment stablecoin issuer that is a nonbank entity constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness, or stability of the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer that is a nonbank entity, the Comptroller shall impose such restrictions as the Comptroller determines to be necessary to address such risk during such unusual and exigent circumstances, which may include limitations on redemption of payment stablecoins, and which shall be issued in the form of a directive, with the effect of a cease and desist order that has become final, to the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer that is a nonbank entity and any of its affiliates, limiting—

(i)

(ii)

(D)

Review of directive

(i)

Administrative review

(I)

In general

After a directive described in subparagraph (C) is issued, the applicable Federal qualified payment stablecoin issuer, or any institution-affiliated party of the Federal qualified payment stablecoin issuer subject to the directive, may object and present to the Comptroller, in writing, the reasons that the directive should be modified or rescinded.

(II)

Automatic lapse of directive

If, after 10 days after the receipt of a response described in subclause (I), the Comptroller does not affirm, modify, or rescind the directive, the directive shall automatically lapse.

(ii)

Judicial review

(I)

In general

If the Comptroller affirms or modifies a directive pursuant to clause (i), any affected party may immediately thereafter petition the United States district court for the district in which the main office of the affected party is located, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, to stay, modify, terminate, or set aside the directive.

(II)

Relief for extraordinary cause

Upon a showing of extraordinary cause, an affected party may petition for relief under subclause (I) without first pursuing or exhausting the administrative remedies under clause (i).

(f)

Effect on State law

(1)

Host State law

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the laws of a host State, including laws relating to consumer protection, shall only apply to the activities conducted in the host State by an out-of-State State qualified payment stablecoin issuer to the same extent as such laws apply to the activities conducted in the host State by an out-of-State Federal qualified payment stablecoin issuer.

(2)

Home State law

If any host State law is determined not to apply under paragraph (1), the laws of the home State of the State qualified payment stablecoin issuer shall govern the activities of the permitted payment stablecoin issuer conducted in the host State.

(3)

Applicability

(A)

In general

section 5903(c) of this titleThis subsection shall only apply to an out-of-State State qualified payment stablecoin issuer chartered, licensed, or otherwise authorized to do business by a State that has a certification in place pursuant to .

(B)

Exclusion

The laws applicable to an out-of-State qualified payment stablecoin issuer under paragraph (1) exclude host State laws governing the chartering, licensure, or other authorization to do business in the host State as a permitted payment stablecoin issuer pursuant to this chapter.

(4)

Rule of construction

Except for State laws relating to the chartering, licensure, or other authorization to do business as a permitted payment stablecoin issuer, nothing in this chapter shall preempt State consumer protection laws, including common law, and the remedies available thereunder.

Pub. L. 119–27, § 7July 18, 2025139 Stat. 447(, , .)

Delayed Effective Date of Section

For delayed effective date of section, see Effective Date note below.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 119–27July 18, 2025139 Stat. 419 section 5901 of this titleThis chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b), (e)(1)(A), (2)(A), and (f)(3)(B), (4), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , known as the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act and also as the GENIUS Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

July 18, 2025Pub. L. 119–27 section 20 of Pub. L. 119–27 section 5901 of this titleSection effective on the earlier of the date that is 18 months after , or the date that is 120 days after the date on which the primary Federal payment stablecoin regulators issue any final regulations implementing , see , set out as a note under .