Anchorage Digital executive argues U.S. institutions need equal access to payment systems, not a second-class banking model.
Regulation & Gov ·
Rachel Anderika of Anchorage Digital has argued that U.S. financial institutions should not be confined to a secondary tier of payment-system access once they gain banking approval. Her position, outlined in a Coindesk opinion piece, contends that regulatory parity demands a direct pathway from banking credentials to full participation in payment networks, rather than a bifurcated model that treats crypto institutions as lower-class participants.
Anderika's argument centers on equal treatment: institutions that meet banking standards should not face additional barriers when accessing payment infrastructure. The framing reflects broader tensions around how regulators and market participants classify crypto-native banks relative to traditional financial entities, and whether obtaining a federal charter should automatically confer equivalent rights across financial services.
What remains unspecified is how policymakers or payment-system operators might respond to this argument, or whether Anchorage Digital is advancing specific legislative or regulatory proposals to address the gap. The scope of institutions affected and the practical mechanisms for implementing parity also remain open.