9 mega banks block crypto accounts, but new OCC rules bite back
The OCC’s review of nine major national banks found that many had restricted digital-asset issuers, exchanges, or administrators between 2020 and September 2025, citing financial-crime concerns. Comptroller Jonathan Gould says banks should make objective, risk-based decisions, while regulators challenge exclusions based on reputational disapproval rather than financial, operational, or compliance risks. Existing OCC tools include case-by-case examination of debanking records in licensing reviews and possible consideration in Community Reinvestment Act ratings. The OCC says it is weighing further changes; whether these measures improve practical access for smaller crypto firms remains uncertain. Institutional services such as BNY’s custody and USDC minting and redemption do not resolve that access gap.
