U.S. lawmakers have introduced the PACE Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at establishing a national licensing framework for fintech and crypto firms under the supervision of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
The proposal seeks to streamline the fragmented regulatory landscape in the U.S., where companies currently navigate a patchwork of state-level licenses.
If passed, the bill would allow payment and crypto service providers to operate nationwide under a single federal license, reducing compliance complexity and enabling faster scaling.
However, it would also bring stricter federal oversight, particularly around compliance standards, anti-money laundering (AML) rules, and consumer protection.
Analysts view the legislation as a potential turning point for integrating digital assets into the traditional financial system while balancing innovation with regulatory control.