Bridge received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to organize a federally chartered national trust bank, a move that could expand how stablecoin services operate under U.S. oversight. The company confirmed the development in a Feb. 17 announcement and described it as a step toward operating stablecoin products within a federal regulatory framework.
"Once fully approved, the charter will enable Bridge to operate stablecoin products and services under direct federal oversight," the company said.
The proposed charter would authorize custody of digital assets, stablecoin issuance, reserve management, and orchestration services, subject to final approval and applicable legal requirements. The structure would allow Bridge to operate nationwide under a single federal license rather than obtaining state-by-state approvals.
Stablecoin infrastructure enters federal oversight track
Bridge said stablecoins form the base of a programmable financial system and could support settlement, treasury operations, cross-border payments, and tokenized asset markets. The company positioned the charter as a path to institutional-grade governance and compliance.
"Now achieving a national trust bank charter will provide our customers the regulatory backbone they need to build with stablecoins confidently and at scale," the company said.
Bridge stated that its compliance framework aligns with the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, known as the GENIUS Act, which establishes a federal approach to stablecoin oversight. The firm said regulatory clarity under national banking supervision would strengthen operational resilience and risk controls.
The company operates as a financial infrastructure platform that connects traditional fiat systems with blockchain networks. It was founded by former Coinbase executives and later acquired by Stripe, which integrated the platform’s digital dollar infrastructure into its payments ecosystem.
Wave of crypto firms pursue federal charters
Bridge joins a growing list of crypto-focused firms that have applied for national trust bank status. Ripple, Circle, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos received conditional approvals in December.
Anchorage Digital Bank remains the only crypto-native firm that secured a national trust charter in 2021.
The approvals reflect a broader shift in federal engagement with digital asset firms. Bridge said the charter would allow nationwide stablecoin operations without separate state-level money transmitter licenses.
Banking sector voices concerns over charter pace
The expansion of crypto trust charters triggered pushback from traditional banking groups. American Bankers Association raised concerns about the pace of approvals and the regulatory clarity surrounding stablecoin oversight.
The group said provisions in the GENIUS Act require further detail before implementation. Bank representatives argued that stablecoin firms could rely on trust charters to avoid certain supervisory layers applied to traditional banks. The association also criticized yield-based products linked to crypto assets and urged regulators to reassess risk controls.
Regulatory and market context shapes rollout
Bridge framed the charter as a foundation for enterprise adoption of digital dollars. The company said it would support fintechs, crypto businesses, and financial institutions that seek regulated access to stablecoin infrastructure.
The platform emphasized governance and compliance under OCC supervision as central components of its expansion. It cited institutional risk standards and nationwide scale as core advantages tied to the charter.
Bridge applied for the charter alongside its integration into Stripe’s payments stack. The company aims to operate stablecoin issuance and reserve management within federal guardrails once final approval arrives.
The development occurs during broader policy activity around stablecoins in the United States. Federal agencies continue work on implementation of new rules under the GENIUS framework. Financial institutions and crypto firms continue to evaluate how national oversight may affect competition, compliance costs, and access to regulated payment infrastructure.
Bridge’s conditional approval places the firm among a small group of crypto infrastructure providers with a potential path into federal banking supervision. The final outcome depends on regulatory review and compliance with OCC requirements.
Roman Zaika
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