On December 12, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced a landmark move that may reshape the relationship between digital assets and the traditional financial sector in the United States. Several leading cryptocurrency firms, including Circle Internet Group and Ripple, received preliminary approval to either establish or convert into national trust banks. This decision marks a significant regulatory milestone, allowing these entities to participate more directly in the U.S. financial system, albeit under strict supervision. Among the beneficiaries of this conditional approval are Paxos, BitGo, ... (full story)