Gould Emphasizes OCC's Support for Digital Assets Amid Growing Interest

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has been actively embracing digital assets, according to Comptroller Jonathan Gould. He made this statement at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium on Wednesday.

Gould emphasized that crypto is an integral part of banking and acknowledged a significant increase in applications for new bank charters incorporating digital assets. Since the Biden administration, there have been 40 such applications, with 23 of them involving digital assets, he said.

The OCC has seen an eightfold increase in applications with a digital-asset component since the Trump era, Gould noted. He contrasted this with the Biden-era approach, which he characterized as 'risk elimination' and attempting to shield the banking system from crypto activities.

Gould made it clear that his job is not about protecting traditional banks but ensuring the integrity of the banking system and its relevance over time. The OCC intends to have a final rule for the Genius Act in place by November, and Gould aims to process applications starting January 18, 2027.