US Treasury Considers Digital ID in DeFi to Curb Illicit Finance

The US Department of the Treasury is seeking public feedback on how digital identity tools and other emerging technologies could be used to fight illicit finance in crypto markets, with one option being embedding identity checks into decentralized finance (DeFi) smart contracts.

The consultation, published this week, stems from the newly enacted Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act), signed into law in July.

The Act, which sets out a regulatory framework for payment stablecoin issuers, directs the Treasury to…