ARTICLE
13 August 2020

OCC Gives Varo A Bank Charter And Tells FinTechs "The Water Is Fine"

PC
Pryor Cashman LLP

Contributor

A premier, midsized law firm headquartered in New York City, Pryor Cashman boasts nearly 180 attorneys and offices in both Los Angeles and Miami. From every office, we are known for getting the job done right, and doing it with integrity, efficiency and élan.
On July 31, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Varo Money a national bank charter.
United States Technology

On July 31, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Varo Money a national bank charter. This makes Varo the first FinTech to receive a national bank charter from the OCC. In an interview about Varo, Brian Brooks, the Acting Comptroller of the OCC, called the granting of Varo's charter a "come on in, the water's fine" moment for Fintechs. 

FinTechs are starting to line up to take the plunge, but are having a hard time weighing the advantages and disadvantages. As Jeff Alberts, co-head of the FinTech Group, discusses in the video below, there are numerous benefits to getting a bank charter, including:

  • Avoiding duplicative state regulation
  • direct access to payment systems
  • Funding through FDIC-insured deposits
  • Access to wholesale funding

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits and challenges of obtaining a bank charter, check out the video.

Originally published August 12, 2020.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Mondaq uses cookies on this website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies as set out in our Privacy Policy.

Learn More