OCC Lets U.S. Banks Hold BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP on Balance Sheets for Gas Fees
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced on Nov. 18, 2025 that U.S. banks may hold Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL) and XRP on their balance sheets to pay on-chain gas and transaction fees. The guidance specifically allows institutions to maintain modest token holdings for settlement, smart-contract interactions and other operational needs, removing a regulatory gray area about whether banks could retain such assets internally.
The decision could streamline custody and payment flows for institutional clients, reduce dependence on third-party wallets, and speed product development in bank-led crypto services. Market participants see it as a pragmatic step toward integrating digital assets into regulated banking plumbing, though banks will still face OCC oversight and risk-management requirements when holding tokens. Overall, the move signals further mainstreaming of crypto infrastructure under existing regulatory frameworks.