OCC Confirms Banks' Authority to Hold Cryptocurrencies for Gas Fees

According to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has issued guidance allowing banks to hold specific cryptocurrencies for the purpose of paying network gas fees. In a notice released on Tuesday, the OCC clarified that U.S. banks are permitted to maintain crypto on their balance sheets to cover network or gas fees, provided these transactions align with permissible activities. The regulator emphasized that an authorized national bank "may hold amounts of crypto-assets as principal necessary for testing otherwise permissible crypto-asset-related platforms." The OCC stressed the importance of conducting these activities in a safe and sound manner, adhering to applicable laws. The notice builds upon a previous communication from May, which informed banks of their ability to manage digital assets on behalf of customers and outsource certain crypto activities to third parties. This guidance reflects a shift in the OCC's stance on cryptocurrency under U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to reduce the regulatory burden on financial institutions. The Tuesday letter also referenced the GENIUS stablecoin bill, signed into law in July, which establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. The OCC noted that stablecoin transactions at authorized national banks will likely necessitate network fees, which can be paid using assets held in custody or through an agent. While the stablecoin bill was enacted in July, its implementation is expected to take several months as the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve work to finalize the regulations. Meanwhile, U.S. Senate lawmakers are reportedly advancing negotiations on a digital asset market structure bill, regarded by many in the industry as a pivotal piece of crypto-related legislation currently under consideration.