Digital asset infrastructure firm Zerohash formally applied on March 4, 2026, for a U.S. national trust bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). If approved, the Chicago-based company would operate under federal banking oversight, significantly expanding its reach in the crypto and stablecoin economy.
What Zerohash National Trust Would Offer
The application proposes creating a federally supervised entity named Zerohash National Trust to provide cryptocurrency custody, staking services, stablecoin management, and digital asset trade execution. The OCC review process typically includes a public comment period and can take several months before a final decision.
A national charter would grant Zerohash federal preemption over many state regulations, simplifying compliance and boosting credibility with institutional clients. This move places Zerohash among a growing list of crypto and fintech companies seeking federal banking charters as part of a broader push to merge blockchain infrastructure with traditional finance.
Company Background: Over $65B Processed
Founded in Chicago in 2017 by Edward Woodford and Brian Liston, Zerohash builds backend infrastructure that allows companies to integrate crypto services without building regulatory and technical plumbing from scratch. Its platform supports over 100 digital assets and has processed more than $65 billion in transaction volume across 200+ jurisdictions. Services include fiat-to-crypto on-ramps, custody, trading, tokenization, payroll, and stablecoin settlement via APIs.
The company has raised over $286 million in funding, with a 2025 round of roughly $100 million valuing the firm at nearly $1 billion. Investors include Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, NYCA, Interactive Brokers, SoFi, Apollo, and Tastytrade. It is registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN and holds money transmitter licenses in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. In 2025, a subsidiary obtained a non-depository trust company charter from North Carolina, enabling it to act as a qualified custodian for registered investment advisors.
Partnerships and Regulatory Landscape
Zerohash has integrated its infrastructure with major platforms including Stripe (stablecoin conversions and settlements), Securitize (tokenized securities), and Morgan Stanley's E*Trade (crypto trading). The OCC has shown growing willingness to approve crypto-focused trust banks, issuing conditional approvals in December 2025 to Circle, Ripple, Bitgo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos, followed by additional approvals in early 2026 for entities tied to Stripe and Crypto.com.
However, banking trade groups such as the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America have urged regulators to proceed cautiously with crypto-related charters, particularly amid debates over the GENIUS Act and rewards policies. For Zerohash, a successful application would make it a preferred custody partner for institutional clients seeking regulated digital asset exposure, further bridging Wall Street and the crypto industry.