Coinbase gains full US national trust bank charter with regulatory limits
Image: Crypto.newsCoinbase received full approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter. The approval follows a conditional authorization granted in April. The charter enables regulated crypto custody and payment services under federal supervision but bars retail deposits, traditional lending and direct stablecoin issuance. Ripple obtained a similar charter in October. Industry groups have filed lawsuits challenging the OCC's authority.
Key points
- The charter permits regulated crypto custody and payment services under federal oversight.
- The charter excludes retail deposits, traditional lending, and direct stablecoin issuance.
Why it matters
The approval allows Coinbase to expand regulated custody and payment services in the US, potentially increasing institutional participation. However, the restrictions limit retail deposit taking and stablecoin issuance.
What's unclear
It is unclear whether the charter permits Coinbase to issue stablecoins directly, as reports differ on this point.
The charter's effect on Coinbase's access to Federal Reserve payment systems is not specified.
Sources · 2 publishers
CoinGape
Tier 2
Coinbase Secures Full US Federal Approval to Operate as a National Trust Bank
Coverage timeline
- First reported by Crypto.news
- Also reported by CoinGape
- CryptoVideos brief published
How this page is checked. AI drafted this brief from selected independent reports. Automated checks compare numbers, source coverage and topic terms, but may miss errors. Publication and evidence refreshes run automatically. Read the linked reports for context. Report an error
