he OCC’s April 2025 announcement allows U.S. banks to legally engage in crypto activities like custody, stablecoin reserves, and DLT payments, following a March 2025 policy shift that removed the need for prior regulatory approval, as reported by Reuters.
This regulatory change reverses earlier caution, such as the 2023 OCC statement highlighting crypto volatility, and aligns with a broader push to integrate blockchain into finance, spurred by industry maturation and improved risk management, per Forbes.
The decision comes amid heightened OCC scrutiny after a February 2025 email breach affecting over 100 accounts, prompting major banks like JPMorgan Chase to limit data sharing, potentially complicating oversight of these new crypto activities, according to PYMNTS.
