Financial giant Stripe's Bridge applies for a national trust bank license, accelerating the wave of "federalization" of US stablecoins!

The stablecoin infrastructure department Bridge under fintech giant Stripe has submitted an application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the United States, aiming to establish a national trust bank. This move is intended to conduct issuance, redemption, and custody operations of stablecoins under the unified federal regulatory framework created by the GENIUS Act, thereby bypassing the cumbersome state licensing requirements for fund transfers. Zack Abrams, co-founder of Bridge, clearly stated that if approved, this federal regulatory infrastructure would allow Bridge to "tokenize trillions of dollars in assets." Bridge's application is in sync with similar actions from industry leaders such as Circle, Ripple, and Paxos, marking a significant step towards federal recognition and compliance of the U.S. digital dollar infrastructure.

Bridge Embraces the GENIUS Act: Aiming for "Tokenization of Trillions of Dollars"

Stripe acquired Bridge for $1.1 billion last October, aiming to integrate its blockchain payment into its global merchant network. Bridge's submission of the national trust bank license application to OCC is a key step in its strategic deployment.

· Unified Federal Regulatory Framework

Zack Abrams, co-founder of Bridge, stated on the X platform that once approved, the charter will allow Bridge to operate under a unified federal framework in accordance with the GENIUS Act. This means that Bridge will no longer need to obtain individual state licenses through state-level money transmission licenses, greatly enhancing efficiency and business coverage.

· The core requirements of the GENIUS Act

The "GENIUS Act" (full name: Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act) creates a new charter category for "licensed payment stablecoin issuers." The act imposes strict requirements on stablecoin issuers, including:

**100% Reserve: ** Must maintain a 100% reserve in cash or U.S. Treasury bonds.

Transparent Disclosure: Information disclosure reports must be published monthly.

Priority Redemption Rights: The redemption rights of token holders must be prioritized.

Through the GENIUS framework, OCC can directly supervise non-bank issuers like Bridge, which is a regulatory model shift that fintech companies have long desired.

The Battle for Stablecoin Licenses: Leading Companies Accelerate Pursuit of Federal Recognition

The application for Bridge is the latest example of the concentration of federal regulation in the U.S. stablecoin space. After the enactment of the GENIUS Act, major players in the crypto industry quickly took action, lining up to apply for federal banking licenses:

· Industry giants are entering the field

Circle: In July of this year, Circle, the issuer of USDC, submitted an application for a national trust charter, seeking OCC oversight to manage its reserve assets.

Ripple: Following closely, Ripple has also submitted an OCC license application, aiming to seek dual regulation at the federal and state levels.

Paxos: In the following month, Paxos also joined the application team to obtain national-level licensing, rather than just state-level licensing.

Mainstream CEX Takes Action: Earlier this month, a mainstream CEX also announced that it has applied for a national trust company license.

If the application for Bridge is approved, it will become one of the first national trust banks in the United States focused on stablecoins, and its success will bring a strong demonstration effect to the entire industry.

Expert Interpretation: A Major Turning Point Towards the Infrastructure of the "Digital Dollar"

The submission of the OCC charter application by Bridge is seen by the industry as a "touchstone" for Washington's new regulatory approach to digital assets.

· "On-chain liquidity and off-chain regulation"

A representative of the decentralized exchange aggregator Astros stated that Bridge's pursuit of an OCC license is "a significant turning point in the stablecoin space," indicating that the U.S. is moving towards federal recognition of a "digital dollar infrastructure." "Under the GENIUS Act, federally chartered stablecoin banks will set a precedent for interoperability between on-chain liquidity and off-chain oversight," the representative added.

· Integration and Complementarity

For stablecoin issuers like Circle and Paxos that adopt a state-level licensing model, Astros believes that the actions of Bridge are "complementary, not substitutive." The key lies in how to strengthen the construction of "a layered system" to ensure that regulated institutions and decentralized protocols can coexist safely.

· Compliance dividends of DeFi

The clarification of regulatory measures at the federal level will also benefit decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, allowing them to "integrate compliant and high-quality collateral without sacrificing user autonomy or innovation."

Conclusion

Stripe's Bridge has submitted an application for a national trust bank license, marking a significant event in the crypto industry's proactive adaptation and integration into the U.S. regulatory environment following the passage of the GENIUS Act. Driven by leading companies like Circle and Ripple, the U.S. stablecoin market is moving towards federal unified regulation at an unprecedented speed. This shift is expected to provide a solid compliance foundation for the widespread adoption of stablecoins and the on-chain tokenization of trillions of dollars in real assets, thereby reshaping the global digital financial landscape and further reinforcing the U.S. dollar's global dominance in the digital age.

This article is news information and does not constitute any investment advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and investors should make cautious decisions.