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Revolut seeks US banking licence to expand services

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Revolut seeks US banking licence to expand services

Revolut has applied for a US banking licence to deepen its presence in the market.

Summary

  • Fintech firm Revolut has filed an application with the OCC for a US banking charter.
  • The licence would grant access to Fedwire and ACH, enabling products such as credit cards and personal loans.
  • The $75b-valued company views the US as a strategically critical market for growth.

Revolut, one of Europe’s largest fintechs with a valuation reported around $75b, has applied to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a banking licence.

If approved, the charter would give the company direct access to core payment rails including Fedwire and ACH, allowing it to offer a broader array of services such as credit cards, personal loans and expanded deposit products. Until now, Revolut has operated in the US via partnerships and a more limited permissions set, which constrained the speed and scope of its product rollout compared with its European footprint.

The application underscores how intensely the firm views the US as a key strategic market, even as competition from incumbents and other neobanks remains fierce. A banking licence would not only improve Revolut’s economics by reducing reliance on third-party intermediaries, it would also give regulators clearer oversight of its balance sheet, risk management and compliance programs. For users, the result could be a tighter integration of fiat, card, savings and crypto functionality—areas where Revolut has sought to differentiate itself by offering exposure to assets like BTC alongside more traditional services.

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Fintech, crypto and regulatory convergence

Revolut’s move comes as the boundaries between fintech, traditional banking and crypto services continue to blur. Many digital-first institutions already provide some combination of crypto trading, stablecoin access and on-chain transfers, often in partnership with exchanges such as Coinbase or through their own limited offerings. Securing a full banking licence would position Revolut to more deeply embed these services within a regulated framework, potentially easing concerns for both users and policymakers about the safety and soundness of hybrid platforms.

For US regulators, granting or denying the application will send an important signal about how open the system is to globally active, crypto-friendly fintechs seeking full bank status. The decision will likely take into account not only Revolut’s financial strength and compliance track record, but also broader debates about innovation, competition and consumer protection. As regulatory regimes like MiCA shape expectations in Europe, a US banking licence could help Revolut harmonize its oversight environment across major markets, giving it a stronger base from which to compete with both incumbent banks and emerging digital challengers.

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Ripple Says Stablecoins Will Drive Enterprise Crypto Adoption

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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse framed stablecoins as the crypto sector’s potential “ChatGPT moment” for enterprise payments, arguing that faster, more efficient settlements could accelerate real-world adoption among large corporations. In an interview with FOX Business on Friday, he said boards of directors and chief financial officers at Fortune 500 and Fortune 2000 companies are already asking treasurers how stablecoins could fit into their operations, signaling a shift from experimentation to formal strategy.

Garlinghouse described the move as an “unlock” for corporate finance, arguing that giving treasurers a credible on-chain settlement option could accelerate the broader adoption of blockchain-enabled services. He suggested stablecoins could serve as an entry point to a wider ecosystem of digital-asset tools used by enterprises, beyond just payments.

Bloomberg Intelligence has projected that stablecoin payment flows could grow at roughly an 80% compound annual rate to about $56.6 trillion by 2030, underscoring the potential scale if regulation and infrastructure align with demand.

Garlinghouse also highlighted the sheer volumes already moving through stablecoins. He noted that last year stablecoins processed more than $33 trillion in trading volume, with nearly 90% of that activity coming from Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC, illustrating the current concentration of liquidity in a small handful of assets.

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Ripple’s foray into the stablecoin space includes RLUSD, a competitor stablecoin launched in December 2024. CoinGecko data shows RLUSD stands as the 10th-largest stablecoin by market cap, with about $1.4 billion in circulation.

Beyond stablecoins themselves, Garlinghouse highlighted Ripple’s broader push to bolster payments infrastructure through strategic acquisitions. The company bought Hidden Road, an institutional-focused prime brokerage, for $1.25 billion and GTreasury, a corporate treasury platform, for $1 billion. He said the acquisitions have helped Ripple enter a “record quarter” and that the firm has been “on a tear” since closing these deals.

Key takeaways

  • Enterprises are increasingly viewing stablecoins as a payments enabler, with senior executives pressing treasurers to outline deployment plans.
  • Global stablecoin trading volume last year exceeded $33 trillion, with about 90% concentrated in USDT and USDC, underscoring existing liquidity leadership.
  • Ripple operates RLUSD, launched in December 2024, now ranking 10th among stablecoins by market cap at roughly $1.4 billion (per CoinGecko).
  • Ripple’s acquisitions of Hidden Road ($1.25 billion) and GTreasury ($1 billion) are positioned to bolster enterprise payments and treasury management capabilities.
  • Regulatory context matters: the CLARITY Act could accelerate crypto adoption if enacted, but policymakers must avoid weaponizing policy for political ends, according to Garlinghouse.
  • Bloomberg Intelligence foresees stablecoin flows reaching $56.6 trillion by 2030, highlighting the potential scale of enterprise demand.

Stablecoins as a corporate catalyst

The conversation around stablecoins increasingly centers on real-world corporate utility. Garlinghouse framed the narrative around a critical shift: boards and CFOs are evaluating how stablecoins could streamline treasury operations, enable faster cross-border settlements, and unlock a broader set of blockchain-based services for their organizations. In this view, stablecoins are less about speculative trading and more about providing a practical, on-chain settlement layer that can integrate with existing financial workflows.

The enterprise lens also emphasizes risk management and liquidity considerations. Real-time settlements and improved cash visibility could reduce foreign exchange exposure and nested settlement delays that plague traditional cross-border payments. While these advantages exist in theory, they hinge on reliable rails, robust custody, compliance, and interoperability with conventional banking rails—a set of criteria Ripple has sought to address through its product suite and partnerships.

Ripple’s push to enterprise infrastructure

RLUSD represents Ripple’s commitment to building a native stablecoin option within its payments ecosystem. Launched in late 2024, RLUSD has quickly become a test case for how corporate users might leverage stablecoins to settle obligations on Ripple’s rails. According to CoinGecko, RLUSD ranks among stablecoins with a $1.4 billion market cap, placing it in the top tier of on-chain stablecoins by liquidity and size.

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Concurrently, Ripple’s strategic acquisitions broaden the toolkit available to enterprises. Hidden Road provides institutional-grade prime brokerage capabilities, potentially easing access to liquidity and trading infrastructure for large clients. GTreasury, a corporate treasury management platform, adds cross-functional treasury tools, enabling better visibility and control over digital-asset holdings within corporate finance operations. Garlinghouse said these acquisitions have strengthened Ripple’s trajectory, contributing to what he described as a “record quarter.”

Taken together, the RLUSD initiative and the strengthened payments backbone position Ripple to offer a more complete enterprise solution: on-chain settlement via stablecoins, coupled with governance, liquidity, and treasury management tools designed for large organizations. For investors and users watching adoption curves, the question is how quickly these capabilities translate into tangible enterprise uptake and steady revenue streams for Ripple and its partners.

Regulatory context and market outlook

The regulatory backdrop remains a pivotal variable in the trajectory of stablecoins and enterprise crypto adoption. Garlinghouse emphasized the potential impact of market-structure legislation such as the CLARITY Act, arguing that Congress could push the sector forward if crafted with clarity and sound policy. He warned against policymakers weaponizing regulation for political ends and urged a measured approach that protects the United States’ competitive standing while fostering innovation.

The broader market context underscores why this regulatory moment matters. The ongoing debate around stablecoin disclosures, reserve standards, and liquidity requirements will influence whether corporate treasuries view stablecoins as a reliable part of their long-term liquidity strategy. As policymakers weigh risk controls and consumer protections, the ability for enterprises to adopt stablecoins at scale will hinge on clear, consistent rules and interoperable infrastructure that can withstand institutional scrutiny.

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Looking ahead, the market will be watching how the CLARITY Act progresses through Congress and how Ripple, RLUSD, and related infrastructure adapt to any regulatory requirements. The combination of a strong enterprise narrative, improving payments infrastructure, and a favorable regulatory framework could accelerate corporate engagement with stablecoins, while lingering ambiguities or policy missteps could slow momentum.

Ultimately, the next phase of enterprise crypto adoption will hinge on demonstrated use cases, governance reliability, and the ability to deliver on real-world efficiency gains. For investors and builders, the key watch points are enterprise interest in RLUSD and Ripple’s broader treasury-management story, regulatory developments around stablecoins, and the degree to which large corporations actually embed stablecoins into their treasury operations and payment workflows.

As policymakers deliberate and corporates experiment, the landscape will reveal whether this era’s “ChatGPT moment” translates into durable, enterprise-grade crypto infrastructure and a measurable shift in how businesses move value across borders.

Watch for updates on CLARITY Act progress, RLUSD adoption by enterprises, and any new milestones from Ripple’s expanding payments ecosystem in the coming quarters.

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Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Stablecoins Will Be Crypto’s “ChatGPT Moment,” Says Ripple

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Stablecoins Will Be Crypto’s "ChatGPT Moment," Says Ripple

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said stablecoins will be the crypto sector’s “ChatGPT moment” for businesses in search of faster, more efficient payments, and that many companies are already discussing and strategizing how to implement stablecoins into their operations.

“You have boards of directors and CEOs of companies, whether it’s Fortune 500 or Fortune 2000, they’re asking their treasurers, they’re asking their CFOs, hey, what are we doing with stablecoins,” Garlinghouse told FOX Business on Friday.

“Giving the treasurer and the CFO that option is the unlock,” he said. 

Garlinghouse said this unlock would be “the ChatGPT moment of crypto” because it would be the entry point for businesses to access a broader range of blockchain-based services. 

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Garlinghouse speaking with FOX Business on Friday. Source: FOX Business

Bloomberg Intelligence predicted in early January that stablecoin flows could increase at a compounded annual growth rate of 80% to $56.6 trillion by 2030, a rise that would make stablecoins one of the most important payment tools in global finance.

Garlinghouse noted that stablecoins processed more than $33 trillion in trading volume last year, though nearly 90% of that came from Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC).

Ripple launched a competitor stablecoin — Ripple USD (RLUSD) — in December 2024, which is currently the 10th largest stablecoin by market cap at $1.4 billion, CoinGecko data shows.