Stablecore Launches Early-Access Program for US Credit Unions to Explore Digital Assets

Stablecore, a digital asset infrastructure provider for financial institutions, has launched an early-access program for US credit unions, a move aimed at helping smaller lenders evaluate stablecoins and other blockchain-based financial services before broader adoption.

The program announced on Wednesday is in collaboration with Circuit, a credit union service organization (CUSO) focused on research and development, and Curql, a fintech investment collective representing more than 160 credit unions.

The initiative allows participating credit unions to test stablecoin and digital asset services, including stablecoin payments, tokenized deposits, Bitcoin (BTC), crypto on- and off-ramps and staking capabilities, before deciding whether to integrate them into their existing banking platforms.

The program builds on Stablecore’s broader effort to bring stablecoin and tokenized-asset services to US banks and credit unions through their existing core banking systems. In February, the company joined the Jack Henry Fintech Integration Network, operated by the eponymous core banking technology provider, giving Stablecore access to approximately 1,670 bank and credit union core clients.

With the latest program, credit unions managing roughly $25 billion in combined assets will be able to explore stablecoin and digital asset services.

Credit unions remain a key pillar of the US financial system, with more than 4,200 federally insured institutions nationwide. Although their numbers have declined over the years, membership and total assets have continued to grow.

There are growing signs that US credit unions are increasingly preparing to adopt stablecoin services. In February, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), the federal regulator for federally insured credit unions, proposed a licensing framework for payment stablecoin issuers operating through credit union subsidiaries.

Under the proposal, any payment stablecoin issuer operating through a subsidiary of a federally insured credit union would be required to obtain an NCUA license before issuing stablecoins.

The proposal focuses on the licensing process and oversight framework, with additional rulemaking on reserve requirements, capital, liquidity and risk management expected at a later date. The proposed rules were open for public comment through April 13.