US regulators have warned banks about the dangers associated with the cryptocurrency market for the first time ever in a joint statement.
Financial institutions were warned by the watchdogs to watch out for potential fraud, legal uncertainty, and deceptive statements made by companies dealing in digital assets.
Banks were also warned about the industry’s “contagion risk.”
It happens just two months after the collapse of the trading platform FTX rocked the cryptocurrency sector.
In a joint statement, the US Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said they were closely monitoring the crypto activities of banking organizations.
“The events of the past year have been marked by significant volatility and the exposure of vulnerabilities in the crypto-asset sector,” the statement said.
The regulators also said that issuing or holding crypto tokens, which are stored on public, decentralized networks, was “highly likely to be inconsistent with safe and sound banking practices.”
Banks were also encouraged to take steps to avoid problems in the digital asset market spreading to the wider financial system.
“It is important that risks related to the crypto-asset sector that cannot be mitigated or controlled do not migrate to the banking system,” it added.
Tuesday’s statement comes after months of hesitancy by US financial industry watchdogs to issue uniform guidelines on cryptocurrencies, despite banks inviting clearer advice from regulators.
FTX shock
The cryptocurrency industry was rocked by the collapse of FTX in November.
It was the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange and the entry point for millions of people into the digital asset market.
On Tuesday, FTX’s former chief executive, Sam Bankman-Fried, officially denied charges that he defrauded customers and investors.
He pleaded not guilty in a US court to claims that he took customer deposits at FTX to fund his other firm, Alameda Research, buy property, and make political donations.
Two of Mr Bankman-Fried’s closest colleagues have already pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the investigation, which has shaken the entire cryptocurrency industry.
Mr Bankman-Fried was one of the most high-profile figures in the sector, known for his political ties, celebrity endorsements, and bailouts of other struggling firms.
He has been accused by the US of building “a house of cards on a foundation of deception” while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto”.