EL7.AI
CryptoMediumUpdated×4•Originally published 20 May 2026•Updated 21 May 2026•
1 min read

OCC Grants National Trust Charters to Coinbase and Ripple Despite Legislative Pushback

Digital illustration of an OCC gateway with Coinbase and Ripple logos, an open book, and stacks of documents.

Key Facts

1President Trump issued an order pushing the Federal Reserve to review granting crypto and fintech firms direct access to the central bank's payment systems.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has officially cleared national trust charters for major crypto firms including Coinbase, Ripple, and Bitgo. This regulatory milestone follows a presidential directive to integrate fintech firms into central payment systems, moving forward despite significant opposition from U.S. lawmakers. According to reports, these charters are designed to ensure regulatory safety by strictly separating client assets from lending risks.

This development marks a pivotal shift for the digital asset sector, following Coinbase's (COIN) recent reports of robust institutional volume growth in its latest earnings. Industry experts note that national trust charters allow these entities to bypass certain state-level hurdles and compete more directly with traditional financial institutions. This shift is being reflected in the relative outperformance of crypto-linked equities compared to broader financial peers per market data.

Investors are closely watching COIN, which stood at $195.69 (close May 14, 2026), as it remains a primary beneficiary of this regulatory clarity. Key catalysts ahead include the Fed Williams speech scheduled for May 14, 2026, which may address the integration of these chartered firms into the financial grid, alongside the release of US Retail Sales data to gauge broader market sentiment.