Overview
- Central bank insiders say the BCRA is preparing a rule change that would lift the 2022 A7506 prohibition by allowing licensed banks to run segregated crypto desks for trading and custody.
- Draft features described in coverage include enhanced KYC/AML, institutional‑grade custody, separate infrastructure, liquidity controls, and clear risk disclosures noting no deposit insurance.
- Regulators see formal bank access as a safer path for Argentines who use Bitcoin and stablecoins to counter peso depreciation, with the added benefit of better monitoring of capital flows and tax obligations.
- Banks could open new revenue lines yet face significant technology and compliance costs, a shift that may draw activity away from local exchanges and peer‑to‑peer markets.
- The plan has not been formally enacted, and analysts compare the prospective shift to the U.S. post‑SAB121 reopening for bank crypto services, with timing and final scope still undecided.