Major shift in U.S. banking landscape: The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency just dropped fresh guidance that opens doors for traditional banks to step into crypto markets as intermediaries.

Here's the deal — banks can now execute what they call "riskless principal" transactions. Essentially, they're authorized to buy digital assets on behalf of clients without holding the position risk themselves. Think of it as a middleman service, but with regulatory blessing.

This isn't just bureaucratic paperwork. It's a signal that regulators are building frameworks rather than walls. Banks have been circling crypto for years, but compliance concerns kept them on the sidelines. Now? They've got a clearer playbook.

The timing matters too. With institutional interest heating up and spot ETFs already trading, traditional finance needed this bridge. Banks get to serve clients chasing crypto exposure while staying within regulatory guardrails.

Still, "riskless" doesn't mean effortless. Banks will need robust infrastructure, custody solutions, and compliance systems. But the regulatory green light just removed one of the biggest obstacles.