Key Highlights
- OCC has approved Ripple to operate a national trust bank
- Ripple is planning to establish Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB), a federally supervised trust bank
- With a national trust bank managing RLUSD reserves, Ripple’s stablecoin business will face oversight at both the state and federal levels
On December 12, Ripple announced that it secured conditional approval from a U.S. banking regulator to operate a national trust bank. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)’s approval will grant the firm federal oversight to establish Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB), a federally supervised trust bank.
Ripple to Form National Trust Bank
Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB) will focus on digital asset custody, and it will manage its USD-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated in the press release, “The conditional approval of our trust bank charter represents a massive step forward – setting the highest standard for stablecoin compliance with both federal and state oversight. While anti-innovation bank lobbyists may claim otherwise, we are ensuring RLUSD is the most transparent and responsibly managed stablecoin in the market today.”
Its application was reviewed under strict OCC standards, examining the company’s finances, management, and risk controls. The company committed over $1 billion in initial capital to the trust bank.
“This dual layer of regulation sets a new bar for transparency and compliance in the stablecoin market, something no other issuers today can claim. As traditional finance continues to enter the market, they will look to leverage stablecoins with the highest regulatory rigor and compliance, offering the trust and reliability required for enterprise adoption,” stated in the press release.
To win this major legal approval, the company also mentioned its settlement of a long-running lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March.
The federal charter is expected to directly benefit the firm’s main business of cross-border payments. Its network can now integrate more easily with federal payment systems.
“To the banking lobbyists – your anti-competitive tactics are transparent. You’ve complained that crypto isn’t playing by the same rules, but here’s the crypto industry – directly under the OCC’s supervision and standards – prioritizing compliance, trust and innovation to the benefit of consumers. What are you so afraid of?” Ripple CEO said.
OCC Head Hints At New Era for Crypto Banking
At the Blockchain Association Policy Summit, the OCC Head, Jonathan V. Gould, gave his remarks on De Novo Charters. Just days before the announcement, Jonathan V. Gould gave a speech in which he criticized the regulators for historically blocking new bank formations.
He clearly stated that digital asset firms deserve a clear gateway to become regulated banks. The OCC conditionally approved a few other crypto companies alongside Ripple.
“Chartering new banking institutions is one of the OCC’s core functions. A robust pipeline of de novo banks is crucial to a healthy financial system. New charters ensure a diverse banking sector, as new entrants bring new ideas, new products, and new services to U.S. consumers. De novo institutions are an important source of competition to market incumbents, which not only results in more consumer choice but also incentivizes existing institutions to improve their products and services to remain dynamic market participants,” he said.
Recently, Ripple announced XRP’s official integration into the Solana ecosystem, which was announced at the Solana Breakpoint conference in Abu Dhabi. This cross-chain bridge will be powered by the Wormhole protocol.
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