OCC: Agency Confirms Bank Authority to Engage in Riskless Principal Crypto-Asset Transactions
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today confirmed permissible bank activities related to riskless principal transactions in crypto-assets. The OCC published Interpretive Letter 1188 confirming that a national bank may engage in riskless principal crypto-asset transactions as part of the business of banking. Such transactions involve a bank acting as principal in…
OCC: Agency Confirms Bank Authority to Hold Certain Crypto-Assets as Principal for Purposes of Paying Crypto-Asset Network Fees
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today confirmed permissible bank activities related to paying crypto-asset network fees. The OCC published Interpretive Letter 1186 confirming that a national bank may pay network fees, sometimes referred to as “gas fees,” on blockchain networks to facilitate otherwise permissible activities and hold, as principal, amounts of…
Agencies Issue Joint Statement on Risk-Management Considerations for Crypto-Asset Safekeeping
Federal bank regulatory agencies today issued a joint statement in their continued efforts to provide clarity on banks’ engagement in crypto-asset-related activities. The statement highlights for banks potential risk-management considerations related to holding crypto-assets on their customers’ behalf, or crypto-asset safekeeping. The joint statement discusses existing risk-management principles that apply to crypto-asset safekeeping and reminds…