Bitcoin Climbs 1.7 Percent as OCC Stablecoin Comment Window Closes

Bitcoin rose 1.7 percent to 78946.82 dollars while Ethereum added 0.9 percent to 2480.99 dollars as the market digested the confirmed close of comments on the OCC stablecoin issuance proposal. SOL led alts with a 3.7 percent gain to 98.80 dollars. XRP slipped 2.4 percent to 1.48 dollars and DOGE dropped 3.5 percent to 0.09003 dollars.

The OCC published the NPRM on March 2 2026 in the Federal Register at 91 FR 10202 under FR Doc 2026-04089. The filing carries RIN 1557-AF41 and Docket OCC-2025-0372. It proposes rules under the GENIUS Act for payment stablecoin issuance by entities the OCC supervises and adds a new 12 CFR part 15 while amending parts 3 6 8 and 19.

Comment Close Confirmed

Comments on the issuance rule closed May 1 2026. The file covers permitted payment stablecoin issuers under OCC jurisdiction only. The Act took effect on the earlier of 18 months after its July 18 2025 enactment or 120 days after primary federal regulators issue final rules. Self executing state law and visitorial provisions stay outside this proposal.

The document remains a proposed rule. No final version has been issued and the filing does not merge with other agency actions such as the September 25 license PRA or filings from the FDIC NCUA or Treasury.

Market Leadership

Bitcoin set the pace for the session with its 1.7 percent advance. SOL followed with the strongest percentage move among majors at 3.7 percent. ETH held a modest 0.9 percent gain while XRP and DOGE posted the session losses.

The chart shows Bitcoin holding above 78000 dollars after the open. ETH stayed in a tight range near 2480 dollars. SOL extended its lead with a clean push through 98 dollars on higher volume relative to the other majors.

Regulatory Scope

The proposal targets issuance and related activities for OCC supervised permitted payment stablecoin issuers. It does not rewrite the GENIUS Act itself. The effective date language stays tied to the statutory clock that begins once final rules appear from the primary regulators.

No comment totals or submission details appear in the public record released so far. The filing sits separate from the September 25 PRA on license and registration procedures.

Session Summary

Majors finished the day with three of five posting gains. Bitcoin and SOL led the advance while XRP and DOGE weighed on the broader alt basket. The market absorbed the regulatory milestone without a sharp reversal in either direction.

Traders watched the 78000 dollar level on Bitcoin as support and the 98 dollar mark on SOL as the next short term pivot. The session closed with price action still range bound for most majors despite the regulatory headline.