ECB Chief Lagarde Warns Stablecoins Could Disrupt EU Banking System

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned on Friday that stablecoins could pose risks to the banking sector and weaken control over monetary policy. She said the rapid growth of digital assets is forcing regulators to rethink financial stability tools as cross-border crypto use expands across Europe and other regions.

Speaking at the Banco de España LatAm Economic Forum in Spain, Lagarde said stablecoins have quickly moved from niche crypto products to widely used financial instruments. She added that their growing role in payments and savings raises concerns for central banks. She also questioned whether Europe needs euro stablecoins to support currency strength and financial stability.

Stablecoin growth raises financial stability concerns

Lagarde said stablecoins have grown from under $10 billion to more than $300 billion in six years. She noted that most remain linked to the US dollar and concentrated among a small number of issuers. She warned that sudden runs on stablecoins could trigger sharp market shocks and liquidity stress.

She also said Europe moved early with the MiCA regulatory framework to manage crypto risks. However, she pointed out that global approaches are now diverging, especially in the United States. This shift, she added, is reshaping debates around digital currency competition and monetary sovereignty.

Lagarde said euro-denominated stablecoins could weaken the ECB’s ability to transmit interest rate policy. She explained that deposits could move out of banks into private digital assets. As a result, bank lending could slow, reducing the effectiveness of monetary policy decisions.

Digital infrastructure and systemic risk debate

Lagarde said stablecoins serve both monetary and technological roles. However, she warned that combining the two creates policy confusion. She added that tokenised markets still lack safe settlement systems anchored in central bank money.

She pointed to ongoing ECB projects, including Pontes and the Appia roadmap. These aim to build interoperable digital settlement infrastructure across Europe. Additionally, she said central bank money must remain the core anchor of financial systems.

Lagarde concluded that Europe should prioritize deeper capital markets instead of promoting euro stablecoins. She said innovation should not increase financial fragility. As a result, she stressed that regulation must protect stability while still allowing controlled digital development.

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