Ripple has taken a major regulatory step in the United States after receiving conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish Ripple National Trust Bank.
The development positions Ripple among a small group of crypto-native firms moving directly into federally supervised financial infrastructure, potentially reshaping how stablecoins and blockchain-based payments interact with the traditional banking system.
Key takeaways
Ripple received conditional OCC approval to form Ripple National Trust Bank
The move places RLUSD under both federal and state regulatory oversight
XRP price remains range-bound despite the regulatory milestone
Traders appear to be waiting for follow-up developments before re-pricing XRP
The announcement was confirmed publicly by Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who framed the approval as a breakthrough moment not only for Ripple but for the broader crypto industry. According to him, the decision places Ripple’s operations under both federal oversight from the OCC and state supervision from the New York Department of Financial Services, setting a higher regulatory bar for stablecoin issuers operating in the U.S.
A New Framework for Stablecoins in the U.S.
At the center of the development is RLUSD, Ripple’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin. With the conditional banking charter, Ripple would be able to custody reserves, manage settlement flows, and issue stablecoins under a structure that mirrors traditional trust banks. This could address long-standing concerns from regulators and financial institutions around transparency, reserve management, and consumer protection in the stablecoin market.
Garlinghouse used the announcement to push back against criticism from parts of the banking sector, arguing that crypto firms are increasingly operating under the same – or stricter – regulatory standards as legacy institutions. The move also signals a broader shift in U.S. policy, where regulators appear more open to integrating compliant crypto firms into the existing financial framework rather than excluding them.
XRP Price Reaction Remains Muted
Despite the significance of the regulatory news, XRP’s price reaction has been relatively subdued. On the 4-hour chart, XRP is trading near $1.98, showing limited short-term momentum. The token remains locked in a broader consolidation range after failing to sustain a move above the $2.20-$2.30 resistance zone seen earlier in November.
Technical indicators suggest caution among traders. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering in the low 40s, indicating weak bullish pressure without reaching oversold territory. Meanwhile, the MACD remains slightly negative, reflecting a lack of strong directional conviction in the near term.
This muted response suggests that while the regulatory milestone is structurally important, traders may be waiting for confirmation through follow-up approvals, operational timelines, or clearer signals on how Ripple’s banking ambitions translate into XRP demand.
What Comes Next for Ripple and XRP
If finalized, Ripple National Trust Bank could give Ripple direct access to U.S. payment rails and allow it to bridge crypto-based settlement with traditional finance more efficiently. For XRP, the long-term implications could be significant, particularly if the token sees expanded use in regulated payment and liquidity products.
However, in the short term, market participants appear cautious. XRP continues to trade within a well-defined range, and a decisive breakout above $2.05-$2.10 would likely be needed to reignite bullish momentum tied to the regulatory narrative.
For now, Ripple’s banking approval stands as a strategic win, even if the market has yet to fully price in its potential impact.
