Bridge Targets Federal Oversight via OCC Charter
Bridge, the stablecoin infrastructure company owned by Stripe, has applied for a national bank trust charter with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), one of the country’s main federal banking regulators.
If approved, the charter would allow Bridge to issue and manage regulated stablecoins under federal supervision, operating within a unified framework consistent with the GENIUS Act — the stablecoin legislation enacted earlier this year. The law established national standards for dollar-backed tokens and reserve disclosures.
“We’ve long believed stablecoins will be a core, regulated financial building block. This regulatory infrastructure will enable us to tokenize trillions of dollars and make this future possible,” Bridge co-founder Zach Abrams wrote on X on Wednesday. Stripe first signaled its intent to seek OCC oversight two weeks ago.
Investor Takeaway
Joining the Federal Stablecoin Race
Stripe Expands Stablecoin Capabilities
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Stripe is testing a new subscription service for recurring payments using stablecoins. If Bridge’s charter is approved, it could streamline these products under a single regulated entity, reducing compliance friction and enhancing trust among financial institutions and payment partners.
Investor Takeaway
What the OCC Review Means
The OCC charter process typically takes several months and involves detailed scrutiny of compliance systems, reserve management, and risk frameworks. If approved, Bridge would join a small group of federally supervised entities authorized to issue and custody digital assets nationwide.
The GENIUS Act has spurred a wave of charter applications as companies seek clarity amid a fragmented regulatory environment. For Stripe, whose payment infrastructure processes billions of dollars daily, an OCC license could provide a foundation for stablecoin-based settlement across U.S. and international markets.
