Pierre Rochard Warns U.S. Regulators Over Unclear Bitcoin Rules in Basel Rewrite

Highlights:

• Pierre Rochard warned U.S. regulators that unclear Basel rules could leave Bitcoin banking in dangerous uncertainty.
• He said banks may avoid Bitcoin services if regulators do not clearly explain capital treatment.
• Rochard urged regulators to address Bitcoin directly before finalizing new bank capital rules in the United States.

Pierre Rochard, CEO of The Bitcoin Bond Company and a well-known Bitcoin supporter, has warned U.S. banking regulators over the proposed Basel rule changes. He says the proposed updates to global banking rules, known as the Basel framework, leave Bitcoin (BTC) in an unclear and risky position. 

In a formal comment submitted on 29 March, Rochard said that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) should not finalize broad capital rules without clearly explaining how Bitcoin-related activities would be treated under the new framework. Without that clarity, he says, big banks could face unnecessary legal risks when holding, lending, or offering Bitcoin services.

The fiat system should stop sabotaging itself.

Bitcoin banking rules would improve bank net interest margins and lower interest rates for borrowers.

Our comments for the Basel 3 implementation pic.twitter.com/3RNnCricNF

— Pierre Rochard (@BitcoinPierre) March 30, 2026

Regulators Propose Capital Rule Updates Without Addressing Bitcoin

On 19 March, the FDIC, OCC and FRB proposed changes to U.S. bank capital rules. The agencies said the goal is to modernize the framework, simplify requirements, and align capital rules more closely with real financial risk. The regulators said the banking system became stronger after the 2008 financial crisis, but some parts of the capital framework now need updates. 

The proposal focuses on key risk areas such as credit risk, market risk, operational risk, and counterparty exposure. However, Rochard said the filing does not directly mention Bitcoin, crypto, or digital assets. This stands out because these assets are already part of the wider global Basel discussion. The proposal is not final yet and was released for public comment before implementation.

Lack of Clear Rules Could Slow Bitcoin Services in Banks

Rochard’s concern is about real-world banking, not just theory. He warned that if regulators update the Basel rules without clearly addressing Bitcoin, banks may choose to stay away from it completely. They may do that just to avoid extra risk.

As a result, the growth of Bitcoin services through banks could slow down. This could affect services like custody, lending, and even simple Bitcoin buying and selling through regular bank accounts. Rochard believes clear and consistent rules would help banks manage risk in a better way. He also says Bitcoin should be judged on its own, instead of being grouped with riskier or less transparent crypto assets.

Older Basel crypto regulations, however, already provided a bank with a framework for Bitcoin. The Basel Committee’s standard, SCO60, puts Bitcoin in a higher category and assigns it a risk weight of 1,250%. This makes it costly for a bank to hold or offer a service involving Bitcoin. It is for this reason that Rochard wants the regulators in the U.S. to state whether they will stick to, alter, or replace the Basel approach.