For holders evaluating institutional custody, Coinbase’s US national trust bank charter establishes a specific role: holding digital assets on clients’ behalf as a fiduciary. The broader services described in its application remain plans, rather than confirmed launches.
According to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Coinbase’s national trust bank charter took effect on the Friday preceding the original report, published on November 9, 2026, at 19:38:52 UTC+8.
What the charter permits
The OCC’s preliminary approval letter allows Coinbase National Trust Company to hold digital assets for clients as a fiduciary. The regulator’s filing record shows that Coinbase applied in October 2025 and received preliminary approval in April 2026.
In its charter application, Coinbase outlined plans to offer institutional clients segregated custody accounts. Access to staking, financing and trading would be provided through other Coinbase entities—a distinction between the trust company’s custody role and the related services described in the application.
Coinbase also proposed exploring digital asset payment products and custody services that would let clients interact with select smart contracts. These were plans outlined in the application, not services the report confirmed were available.
Other crypto trust bank applications
The report also named Ripple, Circle, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets and Paxos as recipients of OCC national trust bank charters. Crypto.com and Stripe-owned Bridge had received conditional approval, while Kraken and EDX Markets were still pursuing charters.
For readers comparing custody arrangements, the central distinction is between the fiduciary custody authorized by the charter and the additional services Coinbase described as planned or exploratory.
Original article: Cointelegraph — published November 9, 2026, at 19:38:52 UTC+8.