JPMorgan Chase is weighing whether to issue its own stablecoin, according to a report, as major financial institutions move away from resisting privately issued digital currencies and toward developing blockchain-based payment products.

Such a step would mark a notable change in a banking sector where lenders have generally favored tokenized deposits as a more controlled alternative. For much of the past year, banks have lobbied over stablecoin legislation while promoting blockchain-based versions of traditional deposits as the preferred model for digital transactions.

That position is becoming less rigid as major companies outside traditional banking enter the stablecoin market. Visa, BlackRock, Google and DoorDash are among the large corporations exploring digital currencies, adding competitive pressure to a market historically dominated by Tether and Circle.

JPMorgan already operates JPM Coin, a tokenized deposit system, and maintains its own blockchain infrastructure. The bank has indicated that it does not currently have plans to issue a stablecoin, but it could reconsider that position depending on customer demand and changes to the regulatory environment. Its deliberations highlight a broader shift among major banks, as demand for blockchain-based payments and digital assets increasingly challenges the traditional preference for tokenized bank deposits.

Banks prepare a joint stablecoin initiative

JPMorgan is not the only major lender examining the opportunity. A group of more than a dozen financial institutions, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Santander, has reportedly been advancing plans for a joint stablecoin project.

The initiative is expected to initially focus on a U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin, with plans potentially expanding to the euro and other major Group of Seven currencies. The project would primarily target commercial applications, although specific use cases could vary depending on the market. The development indicates that banks increasingly regard stablecoins as potential tools for corporate payments, settlement and other financial activities rather than viewing them exclusively as competitors to traditional banking products.

Separately, a consortium representing about 3,000 banks through 39 state bankers associations has announced plans for a blockchain platform called the BankChain Alliance. The platform is expected to support both tokenized deposits and stablecoins and could be launched during the first half of 2027. The proposed network is expected to focus on areas including treasury management, supply-chain finance and cash management, potentially giving smaller and regional banks access to blockchain infrastructure without requiring each institution to develop its own system.

Stablecoins and tokenized deposits serve different roles

The distinction between stablecoins and tokenized deposits remains central to the banking industry's debate over blockchain-based money.

Tokenized deposits represent conventional bank deposits recorded on a blockchain while generally retaining the existing banking framework. Funds remain within the regulated banking system, providing institutions with greater control over how the assets are issued and transferred.

Stablecoins, by contrast, can circulate across public blockchain networks such as Ethereum and Solana. They can move beyond the boundaries of individual banks, but they generally do not carry the same deposit insurance protections associated with conventional bank deposits.

Banks have raised concerns that yield-bearing stablecoins could encourage customers to move money away from traditional deposits, potentially reducing a key source of funding for the banking system. Those concerns have influenced banks' positions on proposed stablecoin legislation, including provisions related to whether stablecoin issuers should be permitted to offer returns to holders.

Regulators recognize changing bank strategies

The regulatory environment is also reflecting the growing role of stablecoins. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency head Jonathan Gould recently indicated that stablecoins were increasingly appearing in business plans submitted by banks seeking regulatory review. That development suggests digital assets are moving closer to mainstream banking operations, even as regulators continue to establish rules governing their issuance, reserves, custody and use.

The changing environment also includes developments involving World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture associated with the Trump family. The company has received preliminary conditional approval from the OCC to become a bank and could issue its USD1 stablecoin if final approval is granted.

Taken together, growing corporate demand, bank-led stablecoin projects and evolving regulatory recognition suggest that stablecoins are increasingly being considered as part of the future financial infrastructure rather than solely as a challenge to traditional banking. For JPMorgan and its peers, the key question is likely to be how customer demand, regulation and competition develop. The growing institutional interest suggests banks may increasingly pursue both tokenized deposits and stablecoins, rather than treating the two models as mutually exclusive.