G20 Prioritizes Crypto Policies and AI on 2024 Agenda, Says FSB

Under Brazil’s G20 presidency, which commenced in December 2023 and extends until November 2024, a strong emphasis will be placed on addressing issues related to cryptocurrencies, asset tokenization, and the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

These priorities were revealed by the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a global watchdog for the fintech sector. Notably, the FSB has been actively involved in shaping crypto policy research, building on the groundwork laid during India’s G20 presidency in the previous year.

In a communication to the G20 nations, Klaas Knot, the chairperson of the FSB, outlined the focal points for the year 2024. Knot’s letter, circulated in advance of the G20 meetings scheduled for February 28 and 29 in São Paulo, Brazil, highlighted the importance of ongoing international collaboration on crypto assets. The FSB intends to continue steering this effort through the G20 Roadmap on crypto assets, while also developing mechanisms to address cybersecurity risks associated with financial transactions.

Furthermore, the letter underscores the need for enhancing the efficiency of cross-border payment systems, a critical aspect of global financial stability. In response, the FSB is spearheading initiatives such as the development of a framework for incident reporting exchange (FIRE), aimed at facilitating the exchange of information related to cyber incidents affecting financial institutions. Through these concerted efforts, the G20 aims to navigate the evolving landscape of financial technology while safeguarding against potential risks and fostering greater resilience in the international financial system.

The letter has outlined certain challenges facing the global fintech sector that need attention on priority. The letter sent by the FSB to the G20 nations says, “debt service challenges could increase, and exposures to sectors facing existing headwinds, like commercial real estate, bear close monitoring. Abrupt shifts in market pricing could expose vulnerabilities in the financial system, including those related to leverage and liquidity mismatch in NBFI.”

Throughout 2023, the FSB had joined in India’s vision of establishing a global policy framework to oversee the crypto sector. After receiving feedback from stakeholders and the public, the organisation outlined some pointers for crypto regulations which included supervision and oversight of global stablecoin arrangements (GSCs) and support for responsible innovation while leaving a margin for jurisdictions to implement domestic approaches.

As per the FSB, the vulnerabilities that are riddling the crypto sector resemble those prevalent in the traditional financial practices related to leverage, liquidity mismatches, technological as well as operational.  Despite finalising a crypto roadmap for G20 nations to adopt for crypto monitoring, the FSB firmly believes that more clarity in legalities must be introduced to keep sensitive sectors like crypto and AI safe for usage.  “Further work may be needed to enhance cross-border cooperation and information sharing and to address information gaps identified,” the organisation had said in November 2023.