Quick answer: Ripple National Trust Bank received final approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on Oct. 26, 2026, per Ripple. The federal trust charter lets it manage reserves for the $2.5 billion RLUSD stablecoin and offer digital asset custody, but it cannot take deposits or make loans.
Ripple National Trust Bank is now fully approved. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted the charter its final sign-off on Oct. 26, 2026, Ripple said in a press release, ending a process that started with an application in July 2025.
The news landed on the eve of Ripple’s Swell conference in New York. It puts the reserves behind Ripple’s dollar stablecoin under direct federal supervision, a step only a few crypto firms have reached so far.
What did the OCC actually approve for Ripple?
The OCC approved a national trust bank, not a full commercial bank. According to Ripple, Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB) can do three things:
- manage the segregated reserves that back Ripple USD (RLUSD);
- act as collateral trustee of those reserves for the benefit of RLUSD holders;
- provide fiduciary digital asset custody services to enterprise clients.
Crypto Briefing reports that the New York-based bank has proposed charter number 25364 and that its activities are limited to fiduciary work. It will not take deposits or make loans, and, like most national trust banks, it does not carry FDIC insurance, as Cointelegraph notes.
“For years, we’ve said crypto and banks work better together. Final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank is what that looks like in practice,” Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said in the release.
Does this change who issues RLUSD?
No. RLUSD will still be issued by Standard Custody & Trust Company, Ripple’s limited purpose trust company regulated by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). The new bank adds a federal layer on top of that state oversight.
In practice, this splits the work. The NYDFS-regulated entity issues the token, while the OCC-supervised bank manages and safeguards the reserves. BNY remains the primary reserve custodian, and Ripple publishes monthly third-party attestations. RLUSD launched in December 2024 and now has a market cap of about $2.5 billion, per Ripple, which matches the roughly $2.58 billion shown on CoinGecko on Oct. 27, 2026, at 02:50 UTC.
How did XRP react to the Ripple bank news?
The reaction was calm. XRP traded near $1.30 on Oct. 27, 2026, at 02:50 UTC, up about 1.2% in 24 hours, with a market cap close to $82 billion, according to CoinGecko. You can follow live prices on our XRP price page.
The charter does not directly change XRP’s supply or utility. Its value for XRP holders is indirect: a federally supervised custody and reserve arm makes Ripple’s institutional stack easier for banks and asset managers to adopt. That fits a busy month for the XRP Ledger, including Aviva’s sterling fund move and Franklin Templeton’s $150 million fund shares.
Which other crypto firms have OCC trust charters?
Ripple joins a short but growing list. The Block reports that Circle won final OCC approval in July 2026, bringing USDC reserves under federal supervision, and BitGo got its green light in December 2025. Coinbase, Crypto.com and World Liberty Financial have received conditional approvals this year.
Not everyone welcomes the trend. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has argued these charters violate the National Bank Act, a claim industry group The Digital Chamber rejects, per The Block.
Market implications: why this matters beyond Ripple
The timing also ties into the GENIUS Act, the U.S. stablecoin law that Ripple says it will keep working with the OCC and NYDFS to implement. As a result, issuers with federal supervision and clean reserve setups are positioned to win bank and enterprise clients first. The same rulebook debate is playing out abroad, as seen in Canada’s draft stablecoin rules.
For traders, the key watch items are when RNTB actually opens, any custody clients Ripple names at Swell 2026, and whether RLUSD supply keeps growing past $2.5 billion.
Not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; always do your own research (DYOR).
Ripple National Trust Bank FAQ
When did Ripple get final OCC approval?
Ripple announced final OCC approval for Ripple National Trust Bank on Oct. 26, 2026. The OCC had granted conditional approval on Dec. 12, 2025, after Ripple applied in July 2025.
Is Ripple now a full bank?
No. Ripple National Trust Bank is a national trust bank limited to fiduciary activities. It cannot take deposits or make loans and does not carry FDIC insurance, per Crypto Briefing and Cointelegraph.
What does the trust bank do for RLUSD?
It manages the segregated reserves backing RLUSD and acts as collateral trustee for RLUSD holders. Issuance stays with Standard Custody & Trust Company, Ripple’s NYDFS-regulated trust company.
Did XRP pump on the news?
Only slightly. XRP traded near $1.30 on Oct. 27, 2026, at 02:50 UTC, up about 1.2% in 24 hours, per CoinGecko.
Sources
- Ripple: Ripple Receives Final OCC Approval to Establish National Trust Bank
- The Block: Ripple gains final OCC approval to launch national trust bank
- Crypto Briefing: Ripple National Trust Bank receives final OCC approval
- Cointelegraph: Ripple wins final US approval for national trust bank
- CoinGecko: XRP price
