On July 31, 2018, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) issued a news release announcing that it will begin accepting special purpose national bank (“SPNB”) charter applications from fintech companies that do not take deposits but are engaged in the business of lending money or paying checks (including the modern equivalent thereof, which the OCC suggests includes issuing debit cards or otherwise facilitating payments electronically). The OCC’s decision was announced shortly after the U.S. Department of the Treasury released an extensive report endorsing SPNB charters for fintech companies. As part of its announcement, the OCC also published a Policy Statement on Financial Technology Companies’ Eligibility to Apply for National Bank Charters as well as a supplement to the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual.
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