OCC Grants Bridge Conditional National Trust Bank Charter
Bridge received conditional approval from the OCC to establish a national trust bank, enabling it to issue stablecoins and manage digital assets under federal oversight.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted conditional approval on February 12, 2026, for Bridge to obtain a national trust bank charter. This authorization allows the stablecoin infrastructure provider to issue and manage stablecoins, provide digital asset custody, and manage reserves under direct federal oversight, in compliance with the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.
Bridge, which was acquired by Stripe for approximately $1.1 billion to expand blockchain-based payment capabilities, is one of several crypto-aligned firms receiving such approvals, including Circle, Ripple, BitGo, Paxos, and Fidelity Digital Assets. Following the news, Bridge announced a partnership with business payments fintech Payoneer Inc. to launch stablecoin offerings in select markets by mid-2026.
The move faced immediate pushback from traditional financial institutions. The American Bankers Association urged the OCC to slow the approval process, arguing that the GENIUS Act's rules remain unclear. Similarly, the Bank Policy Institute and the Independent Community Bankers Association criticized the use of limited-purpose trust licenses, suggesting that bypassing full-service banking charters could increase systemic risk and undermine the credibility of the national banking charter.
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