The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Coinbase a national trust bank charter on November 6, completing a process that began with conditional approval in April. The authorization allows Coinbase National Trust Company to operate institutional cryptocurrency custody services under federal banking oversight rather than relying solely on state licensing.
The charter permits fiduciary custody and payment services for digital assets but excludes traditional banking activities like deposit-taking and lending. Coinbase held $245.7 billion in institutional custody assets as of mid-2025. The approval does not provide automatic access to Federal Reserve payment systems, which requires separate application. Traditional banking groups have challenged the OCC's authority to grant such charters to cryptocurrency companies.
Read the full story on BSC News: Coinbase Receives Full OCC National Trust Bank Charter for Institutional Crypto Custody
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