World Liberty Financial is reportedly close to securing a national trust bank charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, with NOTUS saying the agency is preparing to announce its decision in the coming days. Former OCC officials cited in the report said approval appears highly likely, and one former staff member described a rejection as “inconceivable.”
If approved, the federal charter would give World Liberty direct control over key parts of its business. The company would be able to issue and redeem its USD1 stablecoin itself, manage reserves under federal oversight, and offer digital asset custody and settlement services through one regulated entity instead of operating across multiple regulatory channels.
USD1 operations could move in-house under federal oversight
World Liberty set up a U.S. trust company in January before filing with the OCC. The application came after several crypto firms, including Circle, Ripple, and BitGo, received conditional approvals. At present, BitGo acts as an intermediary for some of World Liberty’s stablecoin functions. A charter would allow the company to handle those activities directly.
That shift matters for institutional business. A single federal regulator would replace a patchwork of state-level requirements, which could simplify compliance and make the firm’s custody, settlement, and stablecoin structure easier for institutions to evaluate.
Trump ties and token-sale flows remain under political review
The expected approval has sharpened attention on the company’s political connections. Trump and his family helped establish World Liberty before the 2024 presidential election. Company disclosures show that 75% of proceeds from WLFI token sales go to DT Marks DEFI LLC, a Trump-linked entity.
Reuters reported on June 9 that the Trump family generated more than $2.3 billion from four crypto ventures since the start of Trump’s second term, with World Liberty said to account for the largest share. Earlier this year, House lawmakers opened an inquiry into World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin activities, focusing on possible conflicts of interest and national security issues. They also reviewed reports involving a $500 million investment from the United Arab Emirates and a related $2 billion Binance transaction tied to the company.
Warren pressed OCC nominee on the review process
The application was also discussed during a February Senate Banking Committee hearing. Senator Elizabeth Warren asked OCC nominee Jonathan Gould whether the agency should approve the charter. Gould said regulators would evaluate the application under existing legal standards. He also said political pressure on the issue had come from lawmakers, not the White House.
White House officials have continued to reject conflict-of-interest claims, saying Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children. The OCC decision, once announced, would not only determine whether World Liberty gains a major federal foothold in digital assets; it would also keep the company at the center of an active debate over regulation, political ties, and the reach of crypto firms in the U.S.