Banks’ Stablecoin Venture Project Faro Reportedly Gets a $270M Budget

Banks’ Stablecoin Venture Project Faro Reportedly Gets a $270M Budget
Big Banks Bet $270M on Stablecoins

Hey Digital Banking Fanatic!

The banks’ joint stablecoin now reportedly has a budget.

A group including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Santander and Deutsche Bank has committed around $270 million to a stablecoin venture, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. Wells Fargo, Fidelity, MUFG and Standard Bank are also said to be involved.

The venture, known as Project Faro, plans to issue a dollar stablecoin and is expected to be incorporated in the US. A euro token is the next priority.

Back in September, 21 institutions announced plans to set up a company to support stablecoin issuance, with a first US dollar stablecoin targeted for the first half of 2027.

So, why does the $270 million matter? It’s reportedly meant to cover five years of operating costs. That’s not money for a quick experiment. It’s a budget for a company the banks expect to run for a while.

What I find interesting is the context. In June, more than 140 companies, including Stripe, Visa, Mastercard and BlackRock, announced the Open USD stablecoin. To me, Faro shows banks don’t want to leave stablecoin issuance to payments and crypto firms.

Of course, the $270 million hasn’t been confirmed, and the banks didn’t immediately respond to CoinDesk. Now let’s see if the first token arrives on schedule.

Here’s what else is happening in digital banking today👇

See you tomorrow!

Cheers,

Marcel


INSIGHTS

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NEWS

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🇺🇸 Kraken launches recurring ACH deposits for US customers. Customers can schedule daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly deposits with no fee from a bank account linked through Plaid. Funds can be withdrawn after seven days.

🌐 Banks reportedly commit $270M to stablecoin venture Project Faro. Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Santander and Deutsche Bank are among the banks said to fund five years of operating costs for the venture, which plans a US dollar stablecoin and a euro token.

🇬🇧 Revolut expects to hire fewer people as AI automation progresses. CEO Nik Storonsky said on the Cheeky Pint podcast that team sizes have not yet changed, and that he hopes Revolut could list in 2028.

🇪🇺 Revolut Pay becomes a payment option in the Uber app. Users in the UK and Europe can pay natively with Revolut Pay inside Uber and earn five times the usual Uber points until 6 January, while still collecting Revolut card rewards.

🇬🇧 Equifax and ClearScore add rental payments to credit files. Up to nine million UK renters will be able to share their rent history free of charge by connecting bank accounts in the ClearScore app via open banking.

🇩🇪 Crédit Agricole Deutschland selects Enfuce for Visa debit cards. Enfuce acts as issuer, BIN sponsor and processor for the newly launched retail bank, with Giesecke+Devrient supplying the physical cards.

🇧🇷 Nubank targets affluent customers with an ETF push. The digital bank plans an ETF-based investment strategy to strengthen its presence among Ultravioleta and Croma customers in 2027, Estadão reports.

🇮🇱 Discount Bank to offer bitcoin and ether trading in its app. From 26 November, retail customers with a securities account can buy, hold and sell crypto with Fireblocks custody, the first such service in the Israeli banking system.

🇩🇪 Deutsche Bank launches digital asset custody service. The service, announced in September pending approval, lets institutional clients safekeep bitcoin and ether. The bank also signed an MoU with Deutsche Asset Management on digital asset collaboration.

🇵🇾 Paraguayan prosecutors order arrest of Itti CEO in Ueno Bank case. César Manuel Astigarraga, former president of Itti and head of the Paraguayan FinTech Chamber, is one of 27 accused in the investigation linked to the collapsed digital lender.

🇺🇸 Bud Financial receives investment from BankTech Ventures. The undisclosed investment will fund Bud's US go-to-market expansion and the development of its Revenue Agents for US banks and credit unions. 

🇺🇸 FIBT agrees to acquire Dallas-based Dominion Bank. The acquisition of Dominion, which holds $650M in assets, will expand First International Bank & Trust's presence into Texas, bringing its network to 31 branches across five states upon completion, expected in Q1 2027.

🇺🇸 FIS pauses acquisitions after $12B Issuer Solutions purchase. CEO Stephanie Ferris is prioritising debt reduction after buying the former TSYS issuing business in January. FIS's Q3 revenue rose 27% to $3.45B, including the acquisition.

🇳🇬 Alternative Bank appoints Gul Khan as MD and CEO. The former I&M Bank Kenya CEO, who previously held leadership roles at Airtel Money and HSBC Amanah, succeeds founding MD Hassan Yusuf following regulatory approval. He will lead the Nigerian non-interest bank's next phase of growth, focusing on expanding its reach.


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