Key Takeaways
- Coinbase has applied for a National Trust Company Charter with the OCC.
- The application is focused on Coinbase Custody, but if granted, it would let Coinbase expand into payments and related financial services under federal oversight.
Coinbase has applied for a National Trust Company Charter from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), joining Ripple and Circle in pursuing federal oversight to expand their digital asset services.
The company, which runs one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, is regulated under a patchwork of state licenses, including the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) BitLicense.
Adding a national OCC charter on top of its existing New York state licenses would enhance Coinbase’s custody business and create opportunities for new products, including payments and related services.
Since 2015, the NYDFS BitLicense framework has provided operational oversight for crypto companies. Coinbase views the OCC charter as a way to streamline oversight for new offerings and continue innovation in traditional finance integration.
Circle, Ripple, BitGo, and Paxos are also seeking to attain bank charters amidst regulatory changes and increasing opportunities for deeper integration with traditional finance.
Anchorage Digital is the only crypto company to have gained a national trust charter from the OCC. CEO Nathan McCauley said achieving the license involved major compliance spending and close regulatory engagement.
Source: https://cryptobriefing.com/crypto-banking-license-coinbase-ripple-circle/