The World Federation of Exchanges calls to address development of global stablecoins with a taxonomy – and to include crypto-assets

PRESS RELEASE

 The World Federation of Exchanges calls to address development of global stablecoins with a taxonomy – and to include crypto-assets

 London, 22 July 2020 – The World Federation of Exchanges (“WFE”), the global industry group for exchanges and CCPs, called for a response to the growth of stablecoins by developing a common taxonomy that would also cover crypto-assets more broadly. This would create consistent and common regulatory classifications before they fragment further, rather than trying to fix differences after the fact.

The WFE asked the Financial Stability Board, and other international standard-setting bodies, to generate, adopt and use a global taxonomy as it would drive a common understanding of whether a global stablecoin (GSC) or crypto-asset fits a certain classification or definition. This would reduce the variance between jurisdictions and curb regulatory dissonance. A periodic review of the taxonomy would ensure that forms of GSC and crypto-assets, which have matured and may constitute a new, viable and commonly used product, can be incorporated and regulated accordingly.

The WFE asked the FSB to consider three areas for further work:

• Creating classifications via a taxonomy for all GSC and crypto-assets
• Application of the recommendations to all crypto-assets
• Applying the cross-border co-operation recommendations and information-sharing requirements to the supervision of all those trading GSC/crypto-assets

Regulators should cooperate to share information on global stablecoins and crypto-assets and also on their issuers and the platforms on which they are traded, the WFE said. Without formalised co-ordinated approaches to enforcement and oversight in general, issues around market integrity and consumer protection will not be fully addressed.

Nandini Sukumar, Chief Executive Officer of the WFE said; “We support the overall ambition of seeking to address fragmented regulatory approaches by moving to an outcomes focus, applying the ‘same business, same risk, same rules’ principle; and building on the need for cross-border co-operation in the supervision of global stablecoin, both for wholesale and retail.”

Please click here to read in full

- Ends -

About the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE):

Established in 1961, the WFE is the global industry association for exchanges and clearing houses. Headquartered in London, it represents over 250 market infrastructure providers, including standalone CCPs that are not part of exchange groups. Of our members, 35% are in Asia-Pacific, 45% in EMEA and 20% in the Americas. WFE’s 57 member CCPs collectively ensure that risk takers post some $1 trillion (equivalent) of resources to back their positions, in the form of initial margin and default fund requirements. WFE exchanges are home to nearly 53,000 listed companies, and the market capitalisation of these entities is over $93 trillion; around $88 trillion (EOB) in trading annually passes through WFE members (at end 2019).

The WFE is the definitive source for exchange-traded statistics, and publishes over 350 market data indicators. Its free statistics database stretches back more than 40 years, and provides information and insight into developments on global exchanges. The WFE works with standard-setters, policy makers, regulators and government organisations around the world to support and promote the development of fair, transparent, stable and efficient markets. The WFE shares regulatory authorities’ goals of ensuring the safety and soundness of the global financial system.

With extensive experience of developing and enforcing high standards of conduct, the WFE and its members support an orderly, secure, fair and transparent environment for investors; for companies that raise capital; and for all who deal with financial risk. We seek outcomes that maximise the common good, consumer confidence and economic growth. And we engage with policy makers and regulators in an open, collaborative way, reflecting the central, public role that exchanges and CCPs play in a globally integrated financial system.

---