The application, submitted March 4 to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), proposes creating a federally supervised entity called “Zerohash National Trust,” designed to handle digital asset custody and other services tied to blockchain-based finance.

If approved, the charter would allow Zerohash to operate as a national trust bank with authority to provide custody for cryptocurrencies, staking services, stablecoin management, and trade execution tied to digital assets. The process typically includes a public comment period and can take several months before a decision emerges from regulators.

The filing places Zerohash among a growing list of crypto and fintech companies seeking federal banking charters, part of a broader push to blend blockchain infrastructure with traditional financial (TradFi) rails. A national charter can boost institutional credibility, streamline compliance, and eliminate the need to juggle dozens of state licenses.

Founded in Chicago in 2017 by Edward Woodford and Brian Liston, Zerohash has built a business around backend infrastructure that allows companies to integrate crypto services without building the regulatory and technical plumbing themselves.

The company’s platform powers fiat-to- crypto on-ramps, custody services, trading infrastructure, tokenization systems, payroll tools, and stablecoin settlement rails through a set of application programming interfaces used by fintechs and brokerages. It supports more than 100 digital assets and has processed more than $65 billion in transaction volume across over 200 jurisdictions.

Zerohash has also attracted substantial investor backing. The company has raised more than $286 million across funding rounds, including roughly $100 million in financing during 2025 that valued the firm at nearly $1 billion. Investors include Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, NYCA, Interactive Brokers, SoFi, Apollo, and Tastytrade.

The firm already operates within a complex regulatory framework. It is registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN and holds money transmitter licenses in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. In 2025, a subsidiary obtained a non-depository trust company charter from the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, allowing it to act as a qualified custodian for registered investment advisors and certain retirement accounts.

Zerohash has also embedded its infrastructure into a roster of financial platforms. Partnerships include integrations with Stripe for stablecoin conversions and settlements, Securitize for tokenized securities infrastructure, and brokerage integrations such as crypto trading capabilities for Morgan Stanley’s E*Trade platform.

The OCC’s growing willingness to consider crypto-focused trust banks has opened the door for companies like Zerohash. In December 2025, the regulator issued conditional approvals to several digital asset firms, including Circle, Ripple, Bitgo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos, while additional approvals followed in early 2026 for companies tied to Stripe and Crypto.com.

Still, the charter push has its critics. Banking trade groups such as the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America have warned that regulators should move cautiously when granting federal charters tied to crypto custody or stablecoin infrastructure, especially after the GENIUS Act and debates over rewards.

For Zerohash, the payoff could be substantial if regulators sign off. A national charter would give the firm federal preemption over many state rules and potentially make it a preferred custody partner for institutional clients seeking regulated exposure to digital assets.

Whether the OCC ultimately grants the charter remains uncertain, but the application adds another chapter to the rapidly evolving relationship between Wall Street, federal regulators, and the crypto industry’s quest for mainstream financial legitimacy.

• What did Zerohash apply for?
  Zerohash submitted an application to the OCC to create a federally regulated national trust bank focused on digital asset custody and related services.
• What would the charter allow Zerohash to do?
  Approval would permit Zerohash to provide crypto custody, staking, stablecoin management, and trade execution under federal banking supervision.
• Why are crypto firms seeking national trust bank charters?
  A federal charter can streamline compliance, preempt many state regulations, and boost credibility with institutional financial clients.
• When could a decision from the OCC arrive?
  The review process typically includes a public comment period and regulatory analysis that can take several months before approval or rejection.

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