U.S. OCC Chief Gould signals digital asset firms can pursue national bank charters, with 40 de novo applications pending and decisions on complete filings within 120 days.
Regulation & Gov ·
U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan V. Gould stated that entities pursuing legally permissible activities—including those in digital assets and emerging technologies—should be able to obtain national bank charters, framing the position as reopening regulatory pathways. The OCC reported receiving 40 de novo applications within the past 18 months, encompassing applications for national trust banks among others, with decisions rendered on many completed filings in 120 days or less.
The signal marks a formal stance shift toward accommodating crypto-engaged firms within the federally chartered banking system. Gould's remarks establish a stated principle of eligibility for digital asset operators meeting legal requirements, though the mechanics of eligibility criteria and review standards remain undefined in the statement.
Open questions include which of the 40 pending applications involve digital asset operations specifically, the approval rate among those decisions made to date, and whether the 120-day timeline represents a standard or variable measure. The scope of "novel technologies" eligible for charter pathways and any conditions attached to digital asset activities within a national bank framework have not been detailed.