PANews reported on November 17th, citing First Squawk, that Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Jefferson stated that financial innovation is a characteristic of the US financial system, and the rise of digital assets is part of it. The Fed's regulations neither encourage nor prohibit the use of cryptocurrencies; that is left to the private sector to decide. The Fed's responsibility is to ensure that the banking industry remains safe and sound while the public embraces new technologies. He emphasized that as long as the Fed's policies are aligned with the needs of businesses and households, innovations such as cryptocurrencies will not affect the Fed's monetary policy capabilities.