TL;DR
- OCC Approval: Ripple has received final approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to operate Ripple National Trust Bank, completing a process that began with its July 2025 application.
- RLUSD Oversight: The new trust bank will manage reserves backing RLUSD, serve as trustee for those assets, and provide regulated custody services.
- Institutional Focus: The company says the national trust charter strengthens its ability to deliver institutional products across payments, custody, and capital markets.
The U.S. banking and crypto sectors moved a step closer together this week after Ripple secured final regulatory approval to launch its national trust bank. The decision from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) allows Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB) to operate under federal supervision, giving the company a traditional banking-style charter as it expands its digital asset infrastructure.
The approval follows a process that began in July 2025 when the company applied for the license. After receiving conditional approval in December 2025, the company has now obtained full authorization, marking a significant milestone for the issuer and its long-term strategy of building products designed for institutional use.
Big news heading into @RippleSwell: the @USOCC has granted final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank.
This gives Ripple a federally supervised platform to support $RLUSD and provide digital asset custody to enterprises.
We’ve always said crypto and banks work better…
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) October 26, 2026
Ripple National Trust Bank Receives Federal Green Light
According to CEO Brad Garlinghouse, the approval represents the company’s belief that crypto firms and traditional financial institutions can work together within a regulated framework. Garlinghouse said the national trust charter provides a stronger foundation for RLUSD and other institutional products being developed across payments, custody services, and capital markets.
For the company, the OCC’s final sign-off reinforces its focus on regulated financial infrastructure that large organizations can use at scale. The development also places Ripple among a select group of digital asset companies operating with direct federal banking oversight, reflecting continued efforts to integrate cryptocurrency services into established financial systems.
RLUSD Gains Additional Regulatory Oversight
One of the primary responsibilities of RNTB will be managing the reserves that support Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. These reserves consist of real-world assets and funds that help maintain the token’s value. The bank will also act as trustee for those reserves and offer regulated custody services for institutions using digital assets in areas such as payments, trading, and treasury operations.
Although RLUSD will continue to be issued through Ripple’s New York-regulated entity, Standard Custody & Trust Company, the addition of the national trust bank introduces another layer of oversight. As a result, parts of the stablecoin’s structure will now be monitored by both state and federal regulators.
Ripple Expands Institutional Crypto Infrastructure
Since launching in December 2024, RLUSD has grown to approximately $2.5 billion in market value, placing it among the world’s largest stablecoins. The asset is used across Ripple’s payments operations and as collateral within Ripple Prime. The stablecoin is backed by U.S. dollar deposits, U.S. government securities, and other cash-like assets, with BNY holding most reserves.
Alongside RLUSD, the issuer continues to utilize XRP to support cross-border transactions. The company said it will continue working closely with federal and state regulators as the bank begins operations and new U.S. stablecoin rules under the GENIUS Act take shape.
