Japan’s Sony Bank Gets OCC Approval to Build US Stablecoin Trust Bank

TLDR

• Sony Bank received conditional OCC approval for Connectia Trust.
• Connectia Trust is planned as a US national trust bank.
• Sony Bank plans dollar-backed stablecoin services.
• Connectia Trust may launch in 2027 after final approvals.
• Bastion Platforms will support Sony’s stablecoin services.

Sony Bank has received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish Connectia Trust, a national trust bank subsidiary planned for dollar-backed stablecoin services.

The online banking unit of Sony Financial Group said Connectia Trust will support its digital asset business and may launch in 2027, subject to final regulatory approvals. The trust bank is expected to issue, manage, and custody stablecoins tied to the U.S. dollar.

Sony Plans Stablecoin Trust Bank in the US

Sony Bank submitted its de novo national trust bank application to the OCC in October 2025. The OCC granted preliminary conditional approval on July 2, 2026, allowing the company to continue building the structure but not yet begin operations.

Sony said, “Until all approvals and other authorizations, including the OCC’s final approval, have been obtained, no business activities, including the issuance of stablecoins, will be conducted.” The statement confirms that Connectia Trust cannot start issuing stablecoins until regulators complete the approval process.

Connectia Trust will be owned by Sony Bank and based in New York. The planned entity will not operate like a traditional commercial bank because it will not take standard deposits or issue loans.

The trust bank is expected to focus on stablecoin issuance, custody, reserve management, transfers, and redemptions. Reports said the business will be backed by $40 million in capital.

Bastion Partnership Supports Stablecoin Rollout

Sony Financial Group has also partnered with Bastion Platforms to support stablecoin services. Bastion is expected to help with issuance, reserve management, and custody once the stablecoin business receives final approval.

Bastion is also seeking a national trust charter through a conversion application. That makes the partnership relevant to Sony’s plan to run stablecoin operations under a clearer U.S. regulatory structure.

Sony wants to use dollar-backed stablecoins across its global ecosystem. Possible uses include treasury operations, cross-border payments, gaming transactions, streaming payments, and digital commerce tied to music, movies, anime, and other entertainment products.

The company has long used digital payment tools in its consumer businesses. Stablecoins may help reduce reliance on card networks for some in-app purchases, subscriptions, and digital content payments.

Experts See Federal Charter as Key Step

Roman Goldstein of Klaros Group said the charter could allow Sony to become the “issuer of record” for its stablecoin. He said that without its own charter, Sony would need to issue through another company’s license and carry that partner’s regulatory risk.

Goldstein also said a national trust bank would give Sony a direct relationship with the regulator that sets the terms for stablecoin issuance. That could let Sony control compliance, reserve income, and its route toward federal qualified issuer status under the GENIUS Act.

FS Vector principal Evey Guo said the charter would allow Sony to bring the stablecoin lifecycle under one federal regulator. She said,

Guo also said the U.S. market matters because more than 30% of Sony’s global revenue comes from the United States. Sony’s stablecoin launch remains dependent on final U.S. and Japanese regulatory clearances before Connectia Trust can begin operations.