The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has issued new guidance clarifying that national banks may hold crypto-assets on their balance sheets for the limited purpose of paying blockchain network fees, marking another formal step in integrating crypto into regulated banking infrastructure. In Interpretive Letter 1186, released on Nov. 18, the OCC confirmed that a national bank may “Pay network fees… on blockchain networks to facilitate otherwise permissible activities” and may “hold, as pr ...

Core Insights - SoFi Bank has relaunched crypto trading, becoming the first and only nationally chartered, FDIC-insured US bank to integrate banking, borrowing, investing, and crypto trading in a single application [1] - The bank supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, with additional cryptocurrencies available, and the phased rollout began on November 11, 2023, with a waitlist open until November 30, 2025 [1][2] - SoFi is incentivizing early adopters with a chance to win one Bitcoin for users who join the waitlist and complete specific trading activities by January 31, 2026 [2] - The relaunch follows a surge in decentralized finance (DeFi) interest post-election, with 60% of SoFi members preferring licensed banks for crypto transactions [4] - Crypto ownership among SoFi members doubled in 2025, indicating a growing interest in digital assets [4] - Traditional financial institutions are increasingly integrating crypto services, with notable examples including JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs [5] Company Specifics - SoFi originally launched crypto trading on September 25, 2019, but services were suspended on December 19, 2023, due to regulatory uncertainties during the bank's charter transition [3] - SoFi's crypto services are regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, distinguishing it from other banks that offer crypto custody or payment services without integrated trading [6]