Bridge Gains Federal Green Light for Digital Asset Custody and Reserves

Bridge moves closer to national trust status after OCC approval, advancing regulated stablecoin custody and reserve services.

Bridge has secured conditional approval to organize a federally chartered national trust bank. Approval marks a notable step for stablecoin infrastructure in the United States. Once finalized, the charter will place Bridge under direct federal oversight.

Bridge Set to Scale Stablecoin Services Under OCC Supervision

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has authorised Bridge to proceed with plans to offer digital asset custody. In addition, the firm can also handle stablecoin issuance, orchestration, and reserve management. Full authorization remains subject to final OCC approval and applicable legal requirements.

National Trust Bank status would permit Bridge to operate across all U.S. states under a single federal charter.

Bridge has received OCC conditional approval to organize a federally chartered national trust bank. This will enable us to operate stablecoin products and services under direct federal oversight, including:
– Custody
– Orchestration
– Issuance
– Reserves management

Stablecoins…

— Bridge (@Stablecoin) February 17, 2026

Stablecoins have now been fully integrated into global settlement, treasury operations, cross-border transfers, and tokenized asset markets. As such, corporate users increasingly seek regulated partners to safely issue stablecoins and manage their reserves.

Bridge aims to serve enterprises, fintech firms, crypto companies, and financial institutions seeking structured access to digital dollar infrastructure. The company said national trust status would provide customers with a regulatory foundation to build stablecoin products with confidence and at scale.

Approval Signals Broader Federal Engagement With Crypto Firms

Meanwhile, OCC oversight would require Bridge to comply with strict banking regulations. That includes strong compliance systems, clear governance, capital requirements, and risk controls similar to traditional banks. Federal supervision would also set clear rules for managing stablecoin reserves and for operating procedures.

The National Trust charter would also align Bridge with new U.S. stablecoin laws, including requirements tied to the GENIUS Act. The act created a federal framework for how stablecoins must be issued and backed by reserves.

Regulators are still finalizing detailed rules, but Bridge says its structure is already designed to meet those standards. Anchorage Digital Bank remains the only crypto-native firm to hold a national trust charter, which it received in 2021.

Bridge’s conditional approval signals continued regulatory engagement with digital asset firms seeking formal banking status. Final approval would expand federally supervised stablecoin activity and add another regulated participant to the U.S. digital asset banking sector.

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