REGULATION · US
Block applies for national trust bank charter to custody bitcoin and stablecoins
Block submitted application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter. Charter would allow Block to hold custody over bitcoin, stablecoins, and provide fiduciary services for crypto-linked card programmes and fintechs.
WHY IT MATTERS
OCC greenlight signals regulatory willingness to permit fintech custody of digital assets on national bank balance sheet. If approved, sets precedent for other fintechs (PayPal, Square, Stripe) to seek similar charters, reshaping custody market structure.
Source: PYMNTS · 2026-09-09