A surge in applications for federal banking charters is being driven by stablecoin-focused firms, according to a Seeking Alpha report. At least 15 applications have been submitted to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) since early 2025, with 11 explicitly citing stablecoin issuance or related services. Companies like Sony Financial Group, asset manager FMR LLC, and payments firm Stripe's Bridge Ventures are among those seeking charters to embed stablecoin operations within regulated banks. The move aims to provide credibility for corporate use in areas like payroll and cross-border payments.