The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has officially cleared the way for national banks to act as intermediaries in crypto transactions under a ‘riskless principal’ model. That means banks can buy crypto from one customer and immediately sell it to another – without ever holding the assets on their own books.
In practice, this opens the door for regulated banks to offer crypto-brokerage services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The OCC clarified these activities are now considered part of the ‘business of banking,’ as long as banks manage compliance, credit risk, and operational safeguards properly.
This marks a shift toward mainstream integration of crypto: instead of relying only on unregulated exchanges, customers might soon access crypto trading via familiar banks – likely with stronger oversight, security, and regulatory protections.
But the change also raises important questions:
Will this steer crypto toward more centralization under big financial institutions?
Will smaller exchanges and decentralized platforms be squeezed out?
Could this reshape how everyday users buy or hold crypto in a meaningful way?
Overall: a potential turning point for crypto adoption – one that could reshape the bridge between traditional finance and digital assets.
BANKING | 31% of Kenyan Banks Signal Openness to Facilitate Virtual Assets Transactions, Central Bank of Kenya Survey Shows
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