Crypto.com pushes for federal footing with US trust bank charter application

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If approved, the charter would allow the crypto exchange to offer federally regulated custody and trust services in the United States.

Crypto.com pushes for federal footing with US trust bank charter application

Crypto.com is the latest crypto company to apply for a US National Trust Bank Charter, seeking federal approval to expand its custody and staking services nationwide.

In a Friday announcement, the Singapore-based crypto exchange said it plans to provide federally regulated custody services for digital asset treasuries, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other institutional and corporate clients under the US banking framework overseen by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

A National Trust Bank Charter is a federal license from the OCC that lets a company operate as a limited-purpose trust bank. Instead of taking deposits or making loans, a trust bank focuses on holding, managing and safeguarding assets for clients.

The company is already licensed as a trust in New Hampshire.

Crypto companies pursue federal bank charters

Crypto.com isn’t the first crypto company to file for a US National Trust Bank Charter. In April 2025, Cointelegraph reported that several crypto companies, including BitGo and Circle, were considering applying for US bank charters.

Anchorage Digital Bank, a digital asset-focused financial institution, has operated under a US National Trust Bank Charter since January 2021. That same year, stablecoin issuer Paxos was granted preliminary conditional approval for a US National Trust Bank Charter.

Coinbase filed a similar application with the agency on Oct. 3. In a blog post, the company said that while it “has no intention of becoming a bank,” the charter would enable the launch of new products “with the confidence of regulatory clarity.”