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Coinbase Wins Conditional OCC Approval for National Trust Charter

The move brings Coinbase's custody unit under OCC oversight to court more institutional clients.

Overview

  • Coinbase, which announced the decision Thursday, received conditional OCC approval to form Coinbase National Trust Company for crypto custody and market infrastructure.
  • The charter does not permit retail deposits or lending, focusing instead on safekeeping of digital assets and the systems that move them.
  • Before it can open, Coinbase must hold its first board meeting, adopt bylaws, build payment rails, and pass a pre-opening exam by the OCC.
  • Existing state permissions remain in force during the process, including a New York BitLicense and a limited-purpose trust charter used by Coinbase Prime.
  • Coinbase says federal supervision can help large asset managers onboard, noting it managed $245.7 billion in institutional assets as of June 2025.