The American Bankers Association (ABA) is urging the OCC to halt approval of national trust bank charters for crypto firms until regulatory clarity under the GENIUS Act. ABA warns of oversight uncertainties from federal and state regulators for stablecoin and digital asset activities. Uninsured national trusts raise safety, operational, and cybersecurity concerns.

ABA advises the OCC to be patient, avoid traditional timing expectations, and ensure full regulatory responsibilities are clear before advancing charter applications. The association calls for transparency on capital standards and naming rules to prevent consumer confusion. This follows the OCC granting conditional national trust bank approvals to five crypto firms in December 2025.

The banking lobby seeks to influence Congress through the CLARITY Act to restrict stablecoin rewards, arguing they function as bank-like products without full regulatory oversight. The push for more stringent regulations comes in light of concerns over consumer protection and financial stability in the crypto market.

Read more at Cointelegraph: Bankers Urge OCC to Slow Crypto Trust Bank Charters