The U.S. Federal Reserve has officially announced that it will hold a Payments Innovation Conference on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. The event marks a significant moment in the evolution of U.S. payment technology policy, reflecting the central bank’s deepening interest in digital asset integration including stablecoins, tokenization, and artificial intelligence (AI) in financial systems.
The agenda features panel discussions on key topics such as the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), emerging stablecoin use cases and business models, the tokenization of financial products and services, and the integration of AI into payment systems. These conversations are expected to bring together regulators, financial institutions, tech innovators, academics, and other stakeholders to explore how to enhance the safety, efficiency, and inclusivity of payments infrastructure. The conference will be livestreamed for public access.
This initiative follows recent regulatory shifts. In earlier months of 2025, the Federal Reserve relaxed guidance previously discouraging banks from engaging in crypto and stablecoin activities, ended its dedicated supervisory program for banks dealing in digital assets, and removed “reputational risk” from risk assessments—all under a more favorable regulatory environment.
In July 2025, the U.S. Congress enacted the GENIUS Act, the first federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. The legislation mandates that both the Treasury and the Fed establish rules before stablecoins may be put into broader use. Federal Reserve officials have acknowledged that stablecoins could improve payment system efficiency and increase demand for U.S. Treasury securities as collateral, yet they also caution about the potential systemic risks they pose to the banking system.
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher J. Waller stated that “innovation has been a constant in payments to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses,” and that he anticipates this conference will examine both opportunities and challenges posed by new technologies.
The inclusion of AI expands the conversation beyond blockchain and digital assets. Panel sessions will explore AI applications—from fraud detection and credit risk modeling to real-time trend analysis—highlighting how machine intelligence can enhance payment integrity, speed, and oversight.
Tokenization, too, takes center stage. Discussions will delve into how financial instruments—such as bonds, real estate, and other securities—can be represented as digital tokens, potentially offering enhanced liquidity, transparency, and accessibility. Emerging pilots in the financial industry already illustrate these possibilities.
The move to convene this conference reflects the Fed’s strategic shift toward engaging with digital finance innovations rather than viewing them as fringe or speculative. By providing a forum that blends regulatory, technical, and industry perspectives, the conference serves as a potential turning point in integrating digital assets into mainstream financial infrastructure.