21 Major Banks Including Goldman Sachs and Citi Launch Stablecoin Consortium to Challenge USDC Dominance

Key Highlights

• A coalition of 21 global banks, featuring Goldman Sachs, Citi, and Bank of America, will establish a stablecoin company during late 2026.
• The initiative will debut with a USD-pegged stablecoin, scheduled for market entry in early 2027.
• Following the dollar token, a euro-based stablecoin will be developed, with additional G7 currency tokens on the roadmap.
• The partnership is designed to meet requirements under the U.S. GENIUS Act and the EU’s MiCA regulations.
• Circle’s stock price declined approximately 6% following the announcement, reflecting concerns about intensified market competition for USDC.

Twenty-one prominent banking institutions have revealed their intention to create a joint venture dedicated to launching stablecoins designed for payment processing and digital asset transactions. The alliance brings together industry heavyweights such as Goldman Sachs, Citi, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, UBS, Santander, Wells Fargo, MUFG Bank, Fidelity Investments, and Standard Bank, alongside other major players.

Formation of this new entity is anticipated during the latter half of 2026, pending final approvals and closing requirements. The participating institutions represent diverse geographical regions including North America, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The consortium’s initial offering will be a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, with an expected rollout in the opening months of 2027. Development of a euro-pegged version has been identified as the subsequent priority, followed by stablecoins tied to additional G7 currencies.

This digital currency will serve wholesale markets, institutional clients, and retail consumers alike. Planned applications encompass international payment transfers and settlement of digital asset transactions.

Prioritizing Regulatory Alignment

The banking alliance has emphasized its commitment to adherence with both the United States GENIUS Act and the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). These regulatory structures have established more defined legal frameworks that facilitate stablecoin implementation.

This initiative represents an evolution of earlier efforts. During October 2025, ten banks initially announced their exploration of a reserve-backed digital payment instrument deployable on public blockchain networks. Membership in this coalition has subsequently expanded to more than twice its original size.

Several financial institutions have independently pursued similar strategies. Societe Generale’s cryptocurrency division has previously released both euro and dollar-denominated stablecoins. Fidelity introduced FIDD, its proprietary U.S. dollar stablecoin. Last month, Standard Chartered provided backing for a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin initiative.

Research conducted by Fireblocks in 2025, surveying 295 industry executives, revealed that 90% were either currently utilizing or planning to implement stablecoins, demonstrating substantial market interest prior to this consortium announcement.

Market Impact on Circle

The stablecoin sector has expanded from approximately $200 billion at the beginning of last year to nearly $303 billion currently. Tether’s USDT commands roughly 60% of this market. Circle’s USDC maintains slightly more than 20% market share.

Circle has encountered mounting challenges throughout the current year. This past June, over 140 corporations, including Stripe, Coinbase, Visa, Mastercard, and BlackRock, disclosed their intentions to introduce Open USD, a competing stablecoin product.

Tuesday’s announcement intensified the competitive pressure. Circle’s share price decreased by approximately 6%, trailing behind the performance of most other cryptocurrency-related equities.

Meanwhile, Singapore is reassessing its stablecoin regulatory approach. Authorities are evaluating the possibility of incorporating jointly issued cross-border stablecoins within their regulatory structure, representing a departure from previous policies that restricted issuance to domestically-focused tokens.

The consortium has yet to disclose the name of the new company.