National Trust Bank Bid: Citadel Securities-Backed Crypto Exchange Enters The Fray

EDX Markets, the crypto exchange backed by Wall Street giant Citadel Securities, has applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter, according to a public filing disclosed Wednesday. The move comes as US regulators under the current Trump administration have adopted a more receptive posture toward crypto firms seeking to operate under federal banking charters. EDX Seeks OCC Trust Charter To Court Big Banks EDX’s chief executive, Tony Acuña‑Rohter, who is slated to join the proposed trust’s board, told Bloomberg that the exchange expects large banks to drive the next phase of crypto adoption. He said securing an OCC trust charter would give EDX a competitive edge in servicing those institutions. By operating under a national trust charter, crypto firms can operate across state lines under a single federal regulator, rather than obtaining multiple state money‑transmitter licenses, simplifying custody, settlement, and fiduciary services fo