World Liberty Seeks US Banking Charter as Trump-Linked Stablecoin Expands
World Liberty is taking a major step toward bridging crypto and traditional finance. The company announced Wednesday that World Liberty Trust has filed for a US national banking charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)—the Treasury bureau responsible for supervising national banks.
If approved, the charter would allow World Liberty to issue and safeguard USD1, its dollar-backed stablecoin launched last year. USD1 has grown to roughly $3.4 billion in market value and has already made headlines: a third-party investor used USD1 tokens to acquire a $2 billion stake in Binance.
Trust Banks: A Middle Ground Between Crypto and Traditional Banking
So far, World Liberty has leaned on established crypto infrastructure. BitGo currently handles custody for USD1 reserves, providing a framework that blends stablecoin issuance with traditional reserve management and reporting.
The move comes amid a Washington regulatory climate that has grown friendlier to crypto under President Donald Trump. In December, the OCC approved national trust bank charters for several digital asset firms, including BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, Circle, Ripple, and Paxos, signaling a willingness to bring more crypto businesses under bank-style supervision.
Trust banks operate in a narrower lane than full-service banks—they generally cannot take deposits or make loans—but they give stablecoin issuers the ability to custody assets and run conversion or settlement services without fully relying on third-party providers.
Balancing Institutional Demand With Political Risk
World Liberty is pitching its trust primarily to institutional clients, such as exchanges, market makers, and investment firms, who want stablecoin custody and conversion services with a bank-level regulatory wrapper.
The company plans to comply with the GENIUS Act, the stablecoin law signed by Trump in July 2025, and says the trust will adhere to anti-money laundering and sanctions screening requirements.
The move also carries a political dimension. Critics have flagged potential conflicts of interest given the Trump family’s association with USD1, though World Liberty says the family holds a non-voting interest and will not manage daily operations.
By pursuing a national charter, World Liberty aims to bring its stablecoin deeper inside the regulated financial system, offering institutions a trusted bridge between crypto and traditional banking.
