In December 2025, the US Federal Reserve announced it would resume purchasing short-term Treasury bills (T-bills) at a pace of $40 billion per month, starting December 12, 2025.

According to Fed Chair Jerome Powell, these purchases are not a return to quantitative easing (QE) but rather a technical measure to manage reserves and short-term market liquidity. The goal is to maintain ample banking reserves and stabilize short-term funding markets, without having a major impact on overall monetary policy.

Why Is the Fed Buying T-Bills?

After years of shrinking its balance sheet through quantitative tightening (QT) from nearly $9 trillion, the Fed has faced increasing signs of tight liquidity in money markets — especially in the repo market, where banks lend to each other overnight. Rising rates in these markets have driven up funding costs and volatility, prompting the Fed to step in.

By purchasing short-term Treasury bills, the Fed aims to inject liquidity and reduce stress in funding markets, particularly during the volatile holiday and year-end season.

Reserve Management vs. Quantitative Easing

The key difference lies in scope and purpose:

  • Quantitative easing (QE) refers to large-scale purchases of longer-term securities to lower long-term yields, inject liquidity, and stimulate economic growth. During past crises like 2008 and 2020, QE involved trillions in asset purchases and led to sharp stock market rallies.

  • The current T-bill purchases, however, are part of a strategy called "reserve management purchases" — designed purely to stabilize bank reserves and short-term rates, without aiming to directly stimulate the economy.

Powell has repeatedly stated that this is not a monetary policy shift but a way to ensure smooth financial market operations.

What Does It Mean for Markets and Investors?

Market reactions were mixed:

  • Equities and bond yields rose slightly, reflecting improved liquidity expectations and lower short-term risk.

  • Some market participants believe these operations could mimic QE effects by boosting sentiment and risk appetite, even if not intended as stimulus.

  • Others caution that unless the Fed starts buying long-term securities in size, this is not true QE and should not be treated as such.

Is This Stealth QE?

Debates are intensifying across the financial community. Some argue the Fed is engaging in "stealth QE", as the mechanical effects on liquidity and reserves resemble past QE programs.

Others emphasize that QE is a clearly defined tool — one that requires large-scale long-term asset purchases with explicit goals to lower borrowing costs and increase credit availability. The current T-bill program doesn’t meet that definition.

Summary for Investors

  • The Fed is buying short-term Treasury bills at $40B per month to support market functioning and liquidity.

  • These operations are not classified as QE, as they don’t aim to stimulate the broader economy or expand the Fed's balance sheet significantly.

  • Some traders misinterpret any Fed bond buying as stimulus, but this can lead to confusion and overreactions.

  • The focus now shifts to whether the Fed will continue or expand these operations into 2026 — and how markets will interpret future moves.

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