ICBA Sues OCC Over National Trust Charters for Crypto Firms
The community banking association ICBA has challenged in federal court the OCC’s authority to grant national trust charters to crypto firms and other nontraditional entities.
ICBA’s lawsuit against the OCC challenges the U.S. regulator’s authority to grant national trust charters to cryptocurrency firms and other nontraditional entities. Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) filed a lawsuit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in federal court in Washington, D.C., on October 2, 2026.
ICBA claims that the OCC exceeded the authority granted by Congress. This is the plaintiff’s claim, and the court has not yet ruled on it. The lawsuit itself does not revoke existing charters or automatically stop the provision of crypto services.
ICBA’s lawsuit against the OCC and the scope of its authority
The dispute concerns the legal basis of the federal pathway through which digital asset firms can obtain a national trust charter.
In its decisions, the OCC states that it can charter national banks limited to trust company activities, including related custody and safekeeping services.
What the dispute could mean for crypto firms
The dispute could test the legal basis of the federal pathway through which crypto companies obtain limited banking trust charters. The outcome could affect whether crypto firms can offer custody and related services under OCC supervision through a national trust charter and what regulatory obligations apply to them.
In the immediate term, however, the lawsuit does not change the validity of existing authorizations or mean that crypto services are banned.
The exact scope of the requested relief, the number of challenged charters, and the names of all affected firms have not been independently verified from the full court filing.
Further developments in the dispute
The OCC’s position on the newly filed lawsuit and the date of the next procedural step have not yet been confirmed. There is also no court decision on the legality of the OCC’s actions.
It will be important to monitor the release of the complete court filing and case number, the OCC’s response, any statements from the affected charter holders, and court decisions on preliminary motions or the merits. It also remains unclear whether the OCC will continue granting additional trust charters during the dispute.
Sources
- Independent Community Bankers of America – The ICBA page lists an October 2, 2026, press release about the lawsuit against the OCC over national trust charters for crypto firms and documents the association’s position.
- Bloomberg Law – Independently confirms ICBA’s filing of the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the core challenge to the OCC’s authority.
- Office of the Comptroller of the Currency – The OCC decision on Ripple’s application describes the agency’s legal interpretation that trust banks may conduct fiduciary and related custody and safekeeping activities.
- CoinDesk – Confirms that ICBA sued the OCC on October 2, 2026, and accuses it of exceeding its statutory authority.
Verified and updated: October 3, 2026, 15:20
