SEC updates transfer-agent rules for blockchain records
On September 1, the SEC proposed modernizing rules for registered transfer agents, explicitly addressing electronic and blockchain-based recordkeeping as well as uncertificated securities. Transfer agents maintain official ownership records, so the proposal moves blockchain from an experimental layer closer to regulated securities infrastructure.
OCC conditionally approves two crypto-linked banks
On September 2, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency published conditional approvals for Revolut Bank US and OpenReserve Bank. The decisions show crypto and fintech firms continuing to seek federal banking charters, bringing digital-asset services under bank-level supervision rather than leaving them at the edge of the financial system.
Standard Chartered expands institutional crypto trading to the UAE
On September 3, Standard Chartered launched institutional Bitcoin and Ether spot trading in the UAE. The DFSA-regulated service is integrated into the bank’s existing electronic and FX channels and adds execution to its custody offering. The significance is less about another trading venue than a global bank making crypto available through familiar institutional infrastructure.