The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has sued the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The October 2 complaint alleges the OCC lacks the power to charter non-fiduciary crypto firms as national trust banks.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. It also names Comptroller Jonathan Gould in his official capacity. It asks the court to strike down the 2026 rule and 2021 guidance behind the OCC’s crypto charter approvals.

What ICBA Wants the Court to Undo

The complaint targets three OCC actions. They include the March 2026 final rule, Interpretive Letter 1176 from January 2021, and Protego’s conditional approval. Protego received…