World Liberty officially applies for a nationwide banking license: Is the crypto industry moving towards mainstream regulation?

January 8, 2026, the World Liberty Financial Corporation officially took a key step toward integrating into the mainstream U.S. financial system—its subsidiary WLTC Holdings LLC has submitted an application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) seeking to establish a national trust bank dedicated to stablecoin services.

If approved, the World Liberty Trust Company will become the second digital asset company to hold a national trust bank license, after Anchorage Digital.

This move signifies that the crypto industry is accelerating its alignment with traditional financial regulatory frameworks, and the USD1 stablecoin, with a market cap exceeding $3.3 billion under the World Liberty umbrella, is poised to attract more institutional investors under a stricter regulatory environment.

01 Application Progress

World Liberty’s bank license application marks an important milestone in the integration process between the crypto industry and traditional financial systems. WLTC Holdings LLC has submitted a new application to the OCC to establish a national trust bank called World Liberty Trust Company.

This application is classified as a “de novo application,” meaning it seeks to establish a brand-new banking entity rather than acquiring an existing institution.

According to the plan, this trust bank will focus on stablecoin services, including issuance, custody, and exchange of USD1 stablecoins. Currently, the OCC regulates about 60 nationwide trust banks, but only Anchorage Digital, a digital asset company, holds such a license.

This initiative by World Liberty aligns with the recently passed GENIUS Act, which establishes a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins. The company states that the trust bank’s structure will fully comply with the act’s requirements, marking a step toward formal regulatory inclusion for the crypto industry.

02 Strategic Positioning

World Liberty’s strategic intent in applying for a national trust bank license is clear. The company plans to consolidate stablecoin issuance, custody, and exchange services within a single, strictly regulated framework.

The proposed bank will focus on serving institutional clients, including cryptocurrency exchanges, market makers, and investment firms.

Co-founder Zack Vitkoff noted, “The national trust license provides us with a clear federal regulatory framework covering custody, reserve management, and trustee oversight.”

The application details three core services the bank will offer: stablecoin issuance and redemption, fiat on/off ramps, and digital asset custody and exchange. Notably, the bank plans to charge no fees initially, including for minting and redeeming USD1 and for exchanges between USD1 and USD1.

03 USD1 Stablecoin Performance

The rapid growth of USD1 stablecoin provides a solid foundation for World Liberty’s bank license application. This dollar-backed stablecoin achieved a circulation of over $3.3 billion within its first year.

USD1’s growth rate ranks among the top in all stablecoins historically, demonstrating strong market demand for this product.

USD1 is backed by USD held at regulated depository institutions and short-term U.S. Treasuries. The stablecoin has been deployed across ten blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Solana, BNB Smart Chain, TRON, Aptos, and AB Core.

This multi-chain deployment strategy enables USD1 to support near-instant cross-border payments, tokenized settlements, and programmable payments for enterprise clients. In August 2025, World Liberty partnered with Gate to launch the USD1 points program, incentivizing users to utilize its stablecoin.

04 Regulation and Compliance

World Liberty’s bank license application is situated within an increasingly crypto-friendly regulatory environment. Recently, President Trump signed legislation regulating dollar-backed stablecoins, providing a clearer legal framework for the industry.

The company states that the proposed trust bank will fully comply with the GENIUS Act, a key piece of legislation for federal stablecoin regulation.

The proposed World Liberty Trust Company will implement strict anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions screening procedures, along with advanced cybersecurity protocols.

Chief Legal Officer Mike McCain will serve as the trust officer, overseeing fiduciary operations. The OCC has over a century of experience regulating trust activities, and World Liberty plans to operate within this mature framework, ensuring client assets are segregated, reserves are managed independently, and regular audits are conducted.

05 Market Impact and Industry Trends

World Liberty’s bank license application reflects a broader trend of accelerated integration between the crypto industry and traditional finance. Recently, several crypto firms—including Coinbase, Ripple, Paxos, and BitGo—have applied for or received preliminary approval from banking regulators.

This trend has raised concerns among traditional banks, who see it as a move by digital asset companies to gain federal legitimacy without fully assuming the obligations of a national bank.

BitGo CEO Mike Belshe stated, “BitGo is proud to support USD1’s rapid growth to over $3.3 billion in its first year.” This partnership demonstrates increasing collaboration between traditional financial infrastructure providers and crypto innovators.

Overall, the crypto industry is maturing, with yields stabilizing and comparable to money market funds and short-term Treasuries. As liquidity deepens, arbitrage opportunities diminish, and participation expands, core crypto products are shifting from alpha sources to financial infrastructure.

06 WLFI Token Performance

Alongside the bank license application news, the market performance of World Liberty Financial’s native token WLFI is noteworthy. As of January 8, 2026, WLFI’s trading price is $0.1695.

The token’s market cap is approximately $4.53 billion, with a 24-hour trading volume of $124.15 million. Although it has declined from a historical high of $0.46 on September 1, 2025, it remains relatively stable in the current market environment.

WLFI was initially designed as a non-transferable governance token but was later made tradable through a community governance proposal. The current circulating supply is 26.73 billion tokens, with a maximum supply of 100 billion.

It is worth noting that World Liberty has recently continued to actively expand its digital asset portfolio. According to a post on Gate.io, the company recently purchased $100,000 worth of SEI tokens. This strategic investment indicates confidence in specific tokens and ecosystems, despite the overall market downturn.

Future Outlook

The crypto industry stands at the threshold of mainstream finance, and World Liberty’s application for a national trust bank license is just one example of this transition. From Anchorage Digital obtaining its first license to companies like Coinbase and Ripple following suit, national trust banks are becoming a nexus between crypto firms and traditional regulation.

With USD1 stablecoin’s circulation surpassing $3.3 billion and WLFI tokens trading on hundreds of exchanges, the financial ecosystem built by World Liberty is taking shape. That application in the OCC office not only concerns the future of a single company but also signals how digital assets will enter the mainstream financial arena.