A proposed U.S. effort to promote dollar-denominated stablecoins overseas could connect the growth of regulated digital tokens more directly to demand for short-term Treasuries, Bloomberg reported, as a sharp rise in U.S. bond yields strengthens the dollar and raises financing costs across global markets.
The initiative, which Bloomberg said remains under consideration, would involve the Treasury Department, State Department and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. It would use the framework established by the GENIUS Act, under which stablecoin issuers would be required to maintain reserves in U.S. dollars and short-term Treasury securities.
If foreign users and institutions adopt dollar stablecoins issued under that framework, issuers would need to expand their reserve holdings alongside circulation. That could create another channel for demand for Treasury bills, though the scale would depend on actual stablecoin issuance and whether overseas jurisdictions permit or encourage their use.
Bloomberg reported that the Treasury Department and White House did not respond to requests for comment. The report did not indicate that a formal program had been approved.
Treasury yields climb as rate expectations reset
The stablecoin discussion emerged during a broad repricing of U.S. interest rates. The U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.49% to 101.096 on Sept. 23, its highest close in eight weeks, while the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield moved above 5%, reaching its highest level since 2007.
Treasury-market moves indicated that higher real yields, rather than inflation expectations alone, drove much of the increase. The 10-year nominal yield rose by roughly 15 basis points, while the yield on 10-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS, climbed about 12.5 basis points. Breakeven inflation — the market-derived gap between nominal and inflation-protected yields — increased by only around 2 basis points.
That breakdown points to a market demanding greater compensation for holding longer-dated U.S. government debt after adjusting for inflation. It also raises the return available from relatively low-risk dollar assets, widening the yield advantage that has supported the currency against major peers.
The two-year Treasury yield had risen about 55 basis points since late August, according to figures included in the material. Shorter-dated yields are especially sensitive to expectations for Federal Reserve policy, and their ascent reflected growing expectations that the Fed may need to maintain restrictive conditions for longer.
Strong PMI data adds pressure on the Federal Reserve
S&P Global’s preliminary September U.S. composite PMI rose to 58.4, above the 55.3 consensus estimate and its strongest reading since July 2021. The services PMI increased to 58.7, while the manufacturing reading rose to 57, both exceeding expectations.
The survey also showed input prices rising at a faster pace. S&P Global’s input prices index reached 66.4, its highest level since October 2022, while the report cited renewed supply-chain strain.
After the release, market pricing for a 25-basis-point Federal Reserve rate increase at the October meeting moved from about 55% to nearly 70%, according to the figures provided. A basis point equals one-hundredth of a percentage point.
Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said Wednesday that further policy adjustment would likely be needed in the baseline case to return inflation to the central bank’s 2% target. Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, also indicated that inflation pressures may have extended beyond earlier tariff and energy shocks.
The upcoming September employment report and September Consumer Price Index reading are scheduled before the October Fed meeting. The PMI’s input-price measure tracks business costs, while CPI will offer a clearer indication of how much of those costs may be reaching consumers.
Higher yields hit gold and equities
The yield surge weighed on assets that do not generate income. Spot gold fell below $4,300, while silver also declined as five-year Treasury yields reportedly touched 5%.
U.S. equities ended lower, with all three major indexes closing in negative territory. Rising government-bond yields can pressure equity valuations by increasing the discount rate applied to future corporate earnings and by offering traders a higher return from Treasury securities.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate stood at 7.12% in mid-September, according to the figures cited in the material. Higher mortgage rates tighten household financing conditions, while companies refinancing debt also face a more expensive borrowing environment.
A $70 billion five-year Treasury auction was described as receiving weaker demand, followed by an increase in yields of almost 20 basis points that day. With the U.S. running a fiscal deficit above 6% and facing an estimated annual funding gap near $1.9 trillion, sustained demand for Treasury issuance has become more consequential for interest-rate markets.
Stablecoins could become a Treasury-demand channel
Dollar-backed stablecoins have long held reserves in cash-like instruments, including Treasury bills and repurchase agreements. A federal framework that formalizes reserve requirements would place stablecoin issuance closer to the government-debt market than many other crypto products.
The proposed overseas push described by Bloomberg would extend that relationship into U.S. economic and foreign-policy strategy. Dollar stablecoins can provide quicker access to dollar-based settlement and savings tools in markets where local currencies are volatile or banking infrastructure is limited. The reserve model means a larger supply of compliant tokens would require a matching pool of dollar assets.
That does not resolve the immediate pressure from rising yields. Higher real rates tend to reduce appetite for speculative assets, including cryptocurrencies that do not provide cash flows or yield. Yet regulated stablecoins could see stronger attention as users seek dollar liquidity during periods of market volatility, particularly if U.S. policy gives issuers a clearer reserve and compliance structure.
For now, the proposed program remains a policy consideration rather than an announced deployment. Its prospects will depend on U.S. agency coordination, the implementation of the GENIUS Act framework, foreign regulatory treatment and whether stablecoin demand grows enough to materially add to Treasury-bill buying.
For deeper insight into GENIUS Act implications and stablecoins’ future, explore our analysis in this in-depth guide.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not represent the views or financial advice of Toobit. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information and shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from its use. Investing in digital assets involves risk; users should independently evaluate their financial situation and the risks involved. For further details, please consult our Terms of Service and Risk Disclosure.
