Bridge has received conditional approval to establish a national trust bank from a leading US financial regulator, the Stripe-owned stablecoin infrastructure provider said on Tuesday.
The approval was granted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), marking an important step toward allowing Bridge to operate within the federally regulated banking system if final authorisation is secured.
Bridge joins a growing list of major crypto-focused firms moving toward regulated banking status. In December, industry heavyweights Ripple and Circle also received preliminary approval to establish national trust banks, signalling increased momentum toward formal integration of digital assets into the traditional financial system.
In a statement, Bridge said the OCC’s preliminary approval “positions Bridge to help enterprises, fintechs, crypto businesses, and financial institutions build with digital dollars inside a clear federal framework.”
If the company receives final approval from the regulator, it will be authorised to provide a range of services to businesses. These include digital asset custody, stablecoin issuance and orchestration, as well as management of stablecoin reserves — functions typically restricted to regulated financial institutions.
The move comes amid heightened interest in stablecoin-focused banking. In January, World Liberty Financial — a crypto venture backed by the family of US President Donald Trump — said one of its subsidiaries had applied to establish a national trust bank dedicated to stablecoin operations.
Bridge became part of Stripe in October 2024, following an acquisition reportedly valued at $1.1 billion. The deal marked Stripe’s most significant move into crypto infrastructure and stablecoin services to date.
