OCC Appoints Stephen Lybarger to Oversee Fintech and Stablecoin Chartering

On September 9, 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) appointed Stephen Lybarger as Senior Deputy Comptroller for Chartering. In this role, Lybarger oversees applications for national bank charters, including those from fintech companies and stablecoin issuers. The appointment comes amid heightened interest from fintechs such as Wise, Circle, and Ripple in obtaining federal charters, following the OCC's Interpretive Letter 1176 expanding permissible activities.

The GENIUS Act, enacted on July 18, 2025, further boosted stablecoin issuer interest in chartering pathways. Despite surging application interest, actual approvals remain limited, with no new fintech charter grants reported in September 2025. The leadership change positions the OCC to manage a growing pipeline of novel charter applications as the regulatory environment shifts toward greater accommodation of digital finance.