The U.S. Federal Reserve will hold a major conference on payments innovation on October 21, 2025, with a focus on stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), artificial intelligence, and tokenization.
The event aims to bring together policymakers, financial institutions, and technology leaders to discuss the future of digital finance and the evolution of the U.S. payment system.
In a press release, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller highlighted the rapid pace of technological change in finance.
“Innovation has been a constant in payments to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses,” Waller said. “I look forward to examining the opportunities and challenges of new technologies and hearing from those helping to shape the future of payments.”
Key Topics on the Agenda
The agenda includes panels on:
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The integration of decentralized and traditional financial systems
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Use cases for stablecoins in global payments
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Applications of AI in the payment ecosystem
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The tokenization of financial assets and services
The conference follows growing interest within the Fed around how digital assets could improve payment efficiency and expand access to the financial system.
Fed Signals Policy Shift on Digital Assets
The event comes amid a broader policy shift within the Fed toward greater openness on digital asset innovation. Earlier this year, the central bank rolled back prior guidance that discouraged banks from engaging in crypto and stablecoin markets. It also ended a supervisory program that had targeted banks involved in digital assets.
These moves coincided with the GENIUS Act, passed in July, which created a federal framework for stablecoin regulation.
Governor Waller—appointed during the Trump administration—has emerged as a strong advocate for blockchain technology. Speaking earlier this year at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, he described DeFi transactions as comparable to debit card purchases and said that smart contracts and distributed ledgers represent a “natural evolution” of financial technology.
Waller has also argued that stablecoins can support the global role of the U.S. dollar, especially in regions with limited access to banking services.
“Stablecoins can help maintain and extend the role of the dollar internationally,” Waller said, citing their 24/7 availability and fast cross-border capabilities.
Featured image from: beincrypto.com