FDIC Lifts Crypto Restrictions, Allows 5,000 Banks to Engage in Bitcoin Activities

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has made a significant regulatory shift by allowing over 5,000 banks under its supervision to engage in Bitcoin and crypto-related activities without the need for prior approval. This decision, outlined in the FDIC’s Financial Institution Letter FIL-7-2025 issued on March 28, rescinds a previous mandate from April 7, 2022, that required financial institutions to notify the FDIC before engaging in crypto-related activities. This move encourages banks to explore blockchain-based financial services, provided they implement adequate risk management measures.

This regulatory change follows a similar position taken by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which earlier this month granted banks the ability to engage in crypto custody and distributed ledger validation without cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles. Together, these developments signal a fundamental shift in the U.S. government’s stance on digital assets, suggesting a growing recognition of crypto’s role in the future of finance.

By eliminating the prior approval requirement, the FDIC has opened the doors for traditional financial institutions to directly interact with the cryptocurrency industry. Banks can now more freely offer services such as crypto custody, payments, lending, and blockchain-based transactions without regulatory roadblocks. This newfound flexibility could trigger a wave of partnerships between banks and crypto firms, further integrating digital assets into the traditional financial ecosystem.

FDIC Acting Chair Travis Hill described the move as a regulatory course correction, acknowledging that prior restrictions had stifled innovation. Hill emphasized that the FDIC will continue to work closely with the White House’s crypto working group to ensure that regulatory policies remain fair and adaptive to emerging technologies.

The announcement has been met with applause from both the crypto industry and key political figures. The White House’s crypto and AI czar took to social media to commend the FDIC for adopting a more pragmatic approach. He asserted that this decision would not only bolster institutional confidence in digital assets but also serve as a catalyst for broader adoption.

Crypto proponents argue that regulatory clarity and financial inclusion are necessary to drive innovation, and the FDIC’s move is seen as a giant leap in the right direction. With over 5,000 banks now free to engage with crypto, the potential impact on market liquidity, institutional participation, and consumer access to digital assets cannot be overstated.

The FDIC’s decision represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing evolution of cryptocurrency regulation in the U.S. By granting banks greater autonomy in exploring digital assets, the financial sector inches closer to a future where crypto and traditional banking coexist seamlessly. As banks rush to capitalize on these new opportunities, all eyes will be on how the broader financial system adapts to this bold new direction.

For the crypto industry, this is more than just a regulatory update—it’s a signal that digital assets are here to stay, and they’re no longer on the fringes of finance. The question now is: Which banks will seize this opportunity first?