Revolut has taken what its chief executive described as an “important first step” towards becoming a bank in the United States after receiving conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
The approval, announced on Thursday, moves the fintech company closer to being able to offer banking products directly to US customers, including loans, stablecoins and credit cards.
Revolut chief executive Nik Storonsky said the decision provided the basis for the company to expand in the world’s largest financial market.
“It gives us the foundation to build in the world’s largest financial market and bring the full Revolut experience to millions of Americans,” Storonsky said in a statement.
The OCC’s decision is preliminary and conditional, meaning Revolut must still meet the regulator’s requirements before it can operate as a fully authorised bank in the US.
The company already holds bank licences in France, Australia and the UK, according to Revolut. Its US application comes as financial technology and cryptocurrency companies increasingly seek access to the US banking system through federal charters.
Over the past year, the OCC has conditionally approved applications from Coinbase, Paxos, BitGo, Ripple and Circle. The regulator has adopted a more supportive position towards companies operating in cryptocurrency and other emerging technology sectors.
Last month, the OCC also gave conditional approval to World Liberty Financial, a company backed by the family of President Donald Trump. That decision attracted scrutiny because of potential conflicts of interest.
OCC chief Jonathan Gould has said companies involved in cryptocurrency and other novel technologies should “have apathwayto become federally supervised banks.”
Since 2025, the OCC has received 40 applications for new bank charters, known as de novo applications. Of those, 21 have been approved and two rejected.
Revolut’s move reflects the wider efforts of digital finance companies to gain a formal role within the regulated banking sector. A US bank charter would allow the company to provide a broader range of services directly, rather than relying solely on partnerships or separate approvals for individual products.
The company’s planned offering includes lending, card services and stablecoins, although the conditional approval does not mean all of those products can immediately be launched in the US.
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