Ripple Secures Federal Bank Charter... “XRP Remains Central”

▲ XRP

Ripple has successfully obtained a U.S. federal banking license, officially moving to break down barriers with the traditional financial sector. CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that based on this achievement, Ripple aims to go beyond being a simple fintech company and leap forward as a central pillar of institutional finance.

According to NewsBTC, Ripple recently received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish Ripple National Trust Bank (RNTB). This is the same type of federal bank charter held by major U.S. banks and is significant in that it provides a legal foundation for a crypto company to offer traditional financial services under direct federal supervision.

Garlinghouse described the approval as huge news and sharply criticized lobbying efforts from the traditional banking sector. Responding to claims that the crypto industry fails to comply with regulations, he said, “We are voluntarily embracing the OCC’s strict oversight and standards, prioritizing trust and innovation,” and questioned, “What are traditional banks so afraid of?” With this federal charter, Ripple will now be subject to dual oversight by both the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) and the OCC, further strengthening transparency.

Ripple National Trust Bank is expected to play a key role in managing reserves for Ripple USD (RLUSD), the stablecoin issued by Ripple. The company has already secured institutional trust by appointing BNY Mellon, the world’s largest custodian bank, as a primary reserve custodian. Garlinghouse explained that stablecoins and XRP will serve distinct roles in global money transfers while integrating with the traditional financial system to create new value.

Ripple’s aggressive expansion is also evident in its acquisition strategy. In 2025 alone, Ripple invested more than $2.4 billion to acquire at least four companies, including Metaco, Standard Custody, GTreasury, Rail, and Hidden Road (now Ripple Prime). Through these acquisitions, it has built an integrated financial ecosystem encompassing custody, payments, liquidity, and treasury management functions.

Garlinghouse made it clear that even as Ripple expands into banking and stablecoins, XRP remains at the core of its ecosystem. “Whatever we build, XRP will remain the foundation of all technological and financial frameworks,” he emphasized. With this federal bank charter, Ripple is expected to further solidify its dominance in the institutional finance market, including the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) and securing direct access to the Federal Reserve.

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