XRP Community Eyes April 1 Breakthrough for Ripple Bank Charter

A section of the XRP community suggests that the U.S. OCC will lift all restrictions tied to the proposed Ripple National Trust Bank charter by April 1, 2026.

This narrative has gained traction with only a few hours left before April begins. Notably, prominent XRP commentators such as Xaif argue that a recent regulatory amendment could open the door for Ripple to operate with expanded powers, including the provision of digital asset custody services at the federal level.

Despite the growing optimism, the amendment itself does not explicitly support the sweeping interpretation circulating within the community.

Key Points

• The OCC has revised its chartering framework for national trust banks this month, offering greater clarity and operational flexibility.
• The amendment has fueled speculation that the OCC could lift restrictions tied to Ripple’s trust bank charter by April 1, 2026—the date the new rule takes effect.
• Ripple only holds conditional approval, and the amendment does not indicate any plan to remove existing operational restrictions.
• The company must still obtain final OCC authorization before it can operate as a national trust bank and offer federally regulated digital asset custody services.

OCC Amends Trust Bank Charter Rules

On March 2, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) revised its chartering regulations for national trust banks. The update replaced the term “fiduciary activities” with broader language covering general trust company operations.

While this may seem minor, it expands what these banks can do. The new rule makes it clear they can offer both fiduciary and non-fiduciary services, including digital asset custody. Notably, the OCC confirmed that the updated rule will formally take effect on April 1, 2026.

Ripple’s Conditional Approval From OCC

Meanwhile, the OCC granted conditional approval in December 2025 for the creation of Ripple National Trust Bank. At the time, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse described the milestone as a major step in the company’s expansion in the U.S., particularly in support of its RLUSD stablecoin.

Nonetheless, conditional approval represents only an early stage in the chartering process and does not authorize the bank to begin full operations. Before Ripple can officially launch the trust bank and perform activities such as federally regulated asset custody, it must obtain final OCC authorization.

Steps to Achieving Final Approval

To reach that stage, Ripple still needs to meet several regulatory requirements. According to OCC corporate decisions and supervisory guidance, the company must establish comprehensive risk management controls and implement robust anti-money laundering and know-your-customer (KYC) frameworks.

Ripple must also demonstrate that it holds sufficient capital in line with the financial standards outlined in its charter application and also satisfy other requirements.

If the company satisfies these conditions and secures final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank, the updated rule could enable the firm to provide federally regulated digital asset custody services.

Such a development would mark a significant step toward integrating blockchain companies into the traditional U.S. banking system.