CryptoUnited States

Coinbase gains final federal trust bank approval from OCC

US banking regulators have given Coinbase final approval to operate as a national trust bank. The license supports its custody services for customers, but it does not allow deposits, loans or stablecoin issuance.

Illustration: A heavy steel vault door standing open in a bright room, with a glowing coin-shaped token resting safely on a velvet cushion inside.
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Coinbase said on Monday, November 9, that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) had given it unconditional approval to operate under a federal national trust bank charter. The OCC is the federal agency that supervises national banks. The company is described as the largest US crypto exchange and custodian, meaning it holds digital assets on behalf of its customers.

The approval is the final step after a conditional approval Coinbase received in April. Its custody arm completed the charter, which moves the company away from a patchwork of state licenses toward one federal framework. The charter also supports the company's planned payment services.

Illustration: Close view of a sturdy safe-deposit wall with rows of small metal boxes, one drawer pulled out and holding a single plain digital key device.
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The charter has clear limits. It does not let Coinbase take deposits, make loans or issue stablecoins, which are digital tokens designed to hold a steady value against a currency such as the dollar.

Coinbase Global$128.20down −25.85%over 1 month
$183.81$128.2014 Oct13 Nov

Prices can be delayed by 15 minutes or more. Past moves say nothing about future ones.

For ordinary users, the main change is that Coinbase's custody business now operates under federal oversight. The approval marks a shift in how the company is regulated in the United States.

$1,000 in Coinbase Global

Had you put $ into Coinbase Global a month ago, it would be worth – now.

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