Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, announced on X on Monday, October 26, 2026, that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has granted final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank. Garlinghouse stated, "Big news heading into: the has granted final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank. This gives Ripple a federally supervised platform to support $RLUSD and provide digital asset custody to enterprises. We’ve always said crypto and banks work better together — this is what that looks like. Real innovation, real accountability, federal oversight. The revolution isn't happening outside the system. It's happening from within it."
This development comes as the stablecoin market continues to expand. Recent Gokhshtein Media coverage noted that stablecoin holders now surpass 300 million, with EVM chains locking 94 percent of addresses. The OCC has been actively pushing U.S. banks into the stablecoin market in anticipation of a 2027 deadline, as detailed in our reporting. The approval for Ripple's trust bank aligns with this broader regulatory movement.
Garlinghouse's statement implies a significant step for Ripple's integration into the traditional financial system, particularly for its stablecoin, RLUSD, and its digital asset custody services. This move suggests Ripple's strategy is to operate within established regulatory frameworks, aiming for increased adoption and trust through federal oversight. The approval could set a precedent for other digital asset firms seeking to bridge the gap between cryptocurrency innovation and traditional banking structures.
