- •Coinbase Applies for National Trust Charter with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to gain federal oversight and establish clearer regulation.
- •The charter would allow Coinbase to manage fiat transactions directly without third-party banks, strengthening its bridge between crypto and traditional finance.
- •The move aligns with Coinbase’s wider adoption strategy, following its Samsung Wallet integration, Rothschild upgrade, and EU MiCA expansion.
Coinbase Applies for National Trust Charter, a move that marks another major step in the company’s plan to bring clarity and structure to U.S. crypto regulation. The filing with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) aims to give Coinbase direct access to federal oversight, allowing it to operate under a uniform national framework while bridging crypto and traditional finance.
This comes at a time when Coinbase has taken a visibly aggressive stance toward mainstream crypto adoption. From launching its MAG7 crypto equity index futures and expanding across Europe under MiCA, to partnering with Samsung Wallet and announcing plans for a crypto super app, the company is positioning itself as the face of regulated digital finance in the United States.
Coinbase’s Push for a Federal Trust Framework
According to Coinbase’s official statement on X, the goal of applying for a National Trust Charter is simple: to help create uniform national rules that can protect every consumer as the market grows. The exchange said that federal regulatory clarity would support innovation while ensuring proper oversight and trust between users, regulators, and financial institutions.
The National Trust Charter, if granted, would give Coinbase the ability to handle fiat payments and other financial services directly, removing the need for third-party banking intermediaries. This means smoother on- and off-ramps for crypto users and stronger control over its compliance systems.
In its announcement, Coinbase clarified that it does not intend to become a bank. Rather, it wants to align closer with traditional finance without losing its digital-native foundation. “Clear rules and the trust of regulators enable Coinbase to confidently innovate while ensuring proper oversight and security”, the company stated.
Aligning Crypto and Traditional Finance
The timing of Coinbase’s application reflects a broader shift happening across the digital asset space. Companies like Circle and Ripple have also filed for similar trust charters, signaling growing recognition that crypto firms want to work with regulators rather than around them.
Former Coinbase engineer Luke Youngblood, who helped build the exchange’s staking program, recently said that the trust charter would give Coinbase the flexibility to directly manage fiat flows. “No more relying on partner banks”, he explained on a podcast, adding that Coinbase’s retail platform has significantly improved since 2022.
If approved, the charter would serve as a foundation for Coinbase’s broader goal, to bridge the gap between crypto assets and the conventional financial system, providing a framework that ensures both innovation and accountability.
Also read: Coinbase Launches Mag7 + Crypto Equity Index Futures
A Company on the Move
Coinbase’s latest filing arrives during a period of strong momentum. Just days ago, Rothschild & Co. upgraded Coinbase’s stock rating to Buy with a $417 price target, citing the company’s diversification beyond retail trading into institutional services, derivatives, and its growing share of USDC income.
At the same time, Coinbase’s landmark Samsung Wallet integration brought crypto trading and payments to over 75 million Galaxy users across the U.S. The move ties digital assets directly to everyday utilities like payments and transit, a clear step toward normalizing crypto use in daily life.
Adding to that, TIME Magazine recently listed Coinbase among its 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025, recognizing its leadership in shaping U.S. crypto policy and driving regulatory discussions forward.
For investors who believe in Coinbase’s long-term growth, its publicly traded stock, COIN, is available on several crypto trading platforms such as Bybit, allowing users to get exposure to Coinbase directly through tokenized stock trading. This offers retail traders an easy way to align with the company’s performance without using traditional brokerage platforms.
What This Means for Coinbase’s Future
The move to apply for a National Trust Charter is more than a regulatory formality, it’s part of a coordinated strategy by Coinbase to cement itself as the bridge between crypto innovation and the U.S. financial system.
With recent milestones like the Rothschild upgrade, Samsung partnership, and continued expansion into regulated markets, Coinbase’s message is clear: it wants to make crypto a mainstream, compliant, and widely accessible part of global finance.
If the trust charter is approved, it could become a defining step in that journey, one that reshapes how regulated crypto services operate in America while reinforcing Coinbase’s position as a key player in the digital economy.
