Ripple Pursues Dual Paths to Federal Legitimacy

Ripple is pursuing federal legitimacy for its payments technology and XRP token through multiple channels. The company has been actively lobbying for the CLARITY Act, a bill that would establish clearer rules for the US digital-asset industry.

However, Ripple also received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in December 2025 to operate within the federal banking regulatory framework. This means that even if the CLARITY Act stalls, the OCC charter could provide a separate path forward for the company.

The two regulatory routes are not mutually exclusive and could potentially complement each other. The CLARITY Act would establish industry-wide rules, while the OCC charter provides Ripple with a company-specific pathway through an existing federal structure.