I don't think he's being either devilish or clueless.

Crypto is an asset class that has cultivated a tremendous amount of interest over the years. Banks want to support crypto in the same way they do other asset classes, but doing so is a minefield.

Offering regulatory clarity here is a good thing. This is not an attack on crypto, nor is it about control. Regulators are just providing a framework to allow banks to work with / hold crypto.