Regulatory Clarity Set to Accelerate Banks’ Adoption of On-Chain Technology and Stablecoins

On-chain technology moves payments, deposits and asset tokenization onto distributed ledgers, potentially speeding up cross-border settlement and lowering costs. It could also reshape banks’ relationships with customers and deposits. An American Banker survey of 199 financial professionals in February 2026 found large banks leading adoption, while most community banks and credit unions remained in the planning stage.

The survey results released on March 27 showed that 79% of respondents cited regulatory uncertainty as a barrier to migration and 72% pointed to legacy systems, while 40% viewed clear rules as the top requirement for accelerating integration. Follow-up reporting on March 31 found that 67% saw long-term value in payments and settlement. The Bank of North Dakota, which has $10.8 billion in assets, has partnered with Fiserv and expects to launch Roughrider Coin in 2026.