Coinbase’s US national trust bank charter takes effect

Coinbase plans to expand its institutional crypto custody business under the federal charter and is exploring digital asset payment products.

Coinbase’s national trust bank charter took effect on Friday, according to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

The applied for the charter in October 2025 and received preliminary approval in April 2026, according to the OCC’s filing record. The charter allows Coinbase National Trust Company to hold digital assets on behalf of clients as a fiduciary, according to the OCC’s preliminary approval letter.

Coinbase plans to offer institutional clients segregated custody accounts, with access to staking, financing and trading through other Coinbase entities, according to its charter application.

Coinbase’s application also outlined plans to explore digital asset payment products and custody services that would allow clients to interact with select smart contracts.

Other crypto companies that received OCC national trust bank charters include Ripple, Circle, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets and Paxos.

Crypto.com and Stripe-owned Bridge received conditional approval, while Kraken and EDX Markets are still pursuing charters.

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