JPMorgan Chase is exploring plans to offer loans backed by clients’ cryptocurrency holdings, including bitcoin and ethereum, as early as next year, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The move comes as other major US banks, including Bank of America and Citibank, are developing stablecoins amid a broader push for more crypto-friendly regulation in Washington. CEO Jamie Dimon, a longtime bitcoin skeptic, recently said that the bank will be involved in stablecoins. JPMorgan declined to comment to the FT. The bank did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment ... (full story)