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OCC Grants Nubank Conditional Approval to Form U.S. National Bank With Crypto Custody Plans

The Brazilian fintech now enters an organization phase that requires FDIC and Federal Reserve sign-offs, full capitalization within 12 months and a launch within 18 months.

Overview

  • Nubank, N.A. would operate under a federal charter that, once fully authorized, permits deposit accounts, credit cards, lending and regulated digital-asset custody.
  • Co-founder Cristina Junqueira will lead the U.S. operation, with former Central Bank of Brazil president Roberto Campos Neto set to chair the board.
  • Nu filed its OCC application on Sept. 30, 2025, and received conditional approval after roughly 120 days, a pace experts say signals stricter adherence to faster review timelines.
  • The company plans U.S. hubs in Miami, the San Francisco Bay Area, Northern Virginia and North Carolina’s Research Triangle to support its build-out.
  • Nu reports about 127 million customers and sizable balance-sheet scale, and is publicly listed on the NYSE under the ticker NU.