In a newly released report, Assessment of Risks to Financial Stability from Crypto-assets, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) warns that crypto-assets could be a threat to global stability. The FSB argues that characteristics such as scale, structural vulnerabilities and interconnectedness with the “traditional’ financial system are considerable factors which may lead to financial instability on a global scale. The report further details developments and related vulnerabilities within unbacked crypto-assets, (i.e. Bitcoin); stablecoins; and decentralized finance (DeFi) in addition to other crypto-asset trading platforms, calling for “timely and pre-emptive evaluation of possible policy responses.”

While instability may not be imminent, according to the FSB, the crypto-asset market is growing exponentially, and could quickly become an issue. The FSB points out that in 2021, the market grew 3.5 times in capital to $2.6 trillion, which is fraction of the global assets within the financial system but still represents a rapid rate of growth. The report highlights Decentralized Finance (Defi) as an emerging sector that is quickly making an impact, stating that, “Some of these platforms operate outside of a jurisdiction’s regulatory perimeter or are not in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. This presents the potential for concentration of risks, and underscores the lack of transparency on their activities.”

More information on the FSB’s report can be found here and here.