OCC approves three new trust banks

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted conditional approvals to Agora National Trust Bank and Catena Trust Bank, and allowed Bastion Platforms to convert into a national bank.

Bastion issues white-label stablecoins

Bastion creates stablecoins for other companies and manages custody of reserves and customer wallets. CEO Nassim Eddequiouaq says banks now have a regulated partner for launching stablecoin products.

“We can now be that regulated partner for all of the largest financial institutions in and outside of the U.S., who want to launch products here.”

Stablecoins promise faster, cheaper payments

Stablecoins enable 24/7 transactions for a fraction of a cent, compared to traditional wire transfers. They're gaining traction in mainstream finance as advocates highlight speed and cost advantages.

“There's going to be this expectation that banks can actually transact 24/7 for a fraction of a cent.”

Catena builds AI-first banking infrastructure

Catena is developing financial infrastructure specifically for artificial intelligence agents, including accounts, payments, treasury functions, and controls over agent spending. It's built from the ground up rather than adapted from legacy systems.

“We're not bolting AI requirements onto a legacy platform. We're building from the ground up.”

Agora builds digital dollar operating system

Agora offers the AUSD stablecoin and is developing a full financial operating system for global businesses, including settlement infrastructure, treasury management, and fiat connectivity. The federal charter enables it to operate at scale.

“Operating without a U.S. federal charter means renting the rails in the world's most important financial market.”

Charter demand surges after years of decline

The OCC received 40 de novo applications in 18 months, compared to 48 applications over 14 years from 2011 to 2024. The surge reflects renewed interest in federal charters for new banking services.