Key highlights:
- Ripple just got the final approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to set up Ripple National Trust Bank, after getting conditional approval back in December 2025.
- This new bank will handle RLUSD reserves, act as a collateral trustee, and offer digital asset custody services for businesses.
- Standard Custody & Trust Company will still issue RLUSD, but now the new bank brings federal oversight, adding another layer of regulation for the stablecoin.
- RLUSD, which launched in December 2024, already reached a $2.5 billion market capitalization, with reserves backed by US dollar deposits, US government securities, and other cash-equivalent assets.
Ripple has secured final approval from the US banking regulators to launch Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB), pushing forward its plans to expand regulated digital asset services. CEO Brad Garlinghouse made the announcement ahead of Ripple Swell, following the OCC’s conditional approval from December 2025. This new bank is set to boost Ripple’s role in reserve management and digital asset custody. It comes as more businesses start thinking about using blockchain technology in their existing financial systems.
Ripple keeps growing its stablecoin business and its offerings for big institutions. While RLUSD stays with its current issuer, federally supervised trust bank status adds new regulatory oversight to the stablecoin’s framework. Ripple said it’ll keep working with the OCC, New York regulators, and others as the bank prepares for operations, especially as the US rolls out new rules under the GENIUS Act.
Ripple National Trust Bank Gains Federal Regulatory Approval
With this final approval, Ripple is one step closer to launching Ripple National Trust Bank. They first applied for the national trust bank charter in July 2025, got the conditional approval in December, and now they can operate under federal supervision as long as they follow those rules and requirements.
The bank will manage RLUSD’s segregated reserves and serve as the collateral trustee for those reserves on behalf of stablecoin holders. It’ll also be able to offer regulated digital asset custody services, giving businesses another option for holding and managing their digital assets.
These services will help companies bring digital assets into their payments, trading, and treasury operations. For Ripple, this trust bank charter means more regulatory infrastructure and expands the services it can offer within the US financial system.
Garlinghouse said this milestone shows Ripple’s belief that crypto companies and banks can work together. He pointed out Ripple’s ten-year journey to build regulated financial tools for institutions that operate at scale.
RLUSD Retains its Issuer as Federal Oversight Expands
Even with this approval, Ripple National Trust Bank won’t be the new issuer for RLUSD. Standard Custody & Trust Company stays in charge, regulated by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). Ripple’s bank will just take care of reserve management, act as trustee, and deal with custody within Ripple’s broader operations.
That’s important because the stablecoin’s issuing entity doesn’t change but RLUSD now gets extra regulatory backing from OCC in addition to NYDFS oversight. So there’s more supervision, but the original issuer stays put.
RLUSD launched in December 2024 and already reached a $2.5 billion market capitalization. It’s backed by US dollar deposits, US government securities, and other cash equivalents. BNY is the primary reserve custodian, while Ripple releases monthly independent attestations about the circulating supply and reserve assets.
RLUSD is currently used in Ripple’s payments system and as collateral in Ripple Prime. Its growth helps explain why Ripple pushed for this bank approval, as it builds out services for institutional clients who need reliable reserve systems and regulated digital asset infrastructure.
Institutional Custody and Ripple’s Expanding Financial Services
RNTB’s business plan covers more than just RLUSD reserves. Its fiduciary custody services will give businesses another federally supervised option for dealing with digital assets. This setup will help companies add digital assets to their financial activities while staying within regulatory lines.
Ripple has built a broader business around payments, custody, prime brokerage, and treasury management. The company’s announcement says it holds over 85 licenses and uses its blockchain platform to link traditional finance with digital assets. XRP and RLUSD are part of these offerings, but each has its own role in Ripple’s ecosystem.
This bank approval comes as stablecoins and blockchain financial services become a bigger part of conversations around payments and capital markets. Ripple says clear rules and strong regulation are key to getting big institutions involved and supporting digital asset product growth in the US.
As RNTB prepares to start operating, Ripple says it will stay in touch with the OCC, NYDFS, and other regulators. The next steps are to launch the bank’s approved activities, all while keeping up with federal and state rules.
