MoonPay, a leading crypto payments provider, has secured a coveted New York Trust Charter, gaining the green light to custody customers’ digital assets and support over-the-counter (OTC) trading for institutional and high-net-worth clients. The approval places MoonPay in the same regulatory league as major industry players such as Coinbase and Ripple, which also operate under New York’s strict trust company framework.
With this charter, MoonPay can legally hold and safeguard digital assets on behalf of customers in New York, one of the world’s most tightly regulated financial jurisdictions. In practice, that means the firm can act as a qualified custodian for cryptocurrencies and other digital assets—an increasingly important requirement for traditional financial institutions and corporates that want exposure to crypto, but must adhere to rigorous compliance and risk standards.
The license also authorizes MoonPay to facilitate OTC crypto trades. Unlike transactions routed through public, centralized exchanges, OTC trades are conducted directly between counterparties, typically involving larger order sizes and tailored settlement terms. This type of service is especially attractive to institutions that need deep liquidity, minimal market impact, and a more discreet execution environment.
Co-founder and CEO Ivan Soto-Wright framed the charter as a turning point in the company’s evolution. He said the designation underscores MoonPay’s focus on Wall Street-level security, governance, and regulatory alignment. According to Soto-Wright, the authorization will allow MoonPay to broaden its menu of regulated services, build closer ties with global financial institutions, and accelerate its mission to connect traditional finance with the digital asset economy.
The Trust Charter is particularly significant because New York’s regulatory architecture is among the most demanding in the United States. The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) enforces extensive requirements around capital adequacy, cybersecurity, compliance programs, anti–money laundering controls, and consumer protections. Securing a trust license signals that MoonPay has met a high bar on all of these fronts.
For institutional players—banks, asset managers, broker-dealers, and fintechs—this kind of regulatory clarity reduces friction. Many firms are willing to explore digital assets only if they can partner with providers that operate under clearly defined, robust regulatory regimes. MoonPay’s new status enables those firms to integrate crypto services such as custody, settlement, and OTC execution within a framework that is more familiar and palatable to internal risk committees and regulators.
The ability to hold assets in trust for clients also opens the door to more sophisticated product offerings. Beyond straightforward storage, institutional-grade custody can underpin services like collateral management, structured products linked to crypto, tokenized assets, and institutional staking—depending on future regulatory guidance and MoonPay’s own strategic roadmap. In that sense, the charter functions as both a regulatory badge and an infrastructure building block.
OTC capabilities are likely to be a key pillar of MoonPay’s institutional strategy. Large investors often avoid executing big orders on public exchanges due to slippage and price volatility triggered by visible order books. With an OTC desk operating under a New York Trust Charter, MoonPay can offer negotiated deals, customized settlement timelines, and potentially multi-asset trades that better fit the workflows of hedge funds, family offices, treasuries, and corporates.
The move aligns with a broader trend where crypto-native firms seek licenses that mirror traditional financial institutions. Trust charters, broker-dealer registrations, money transmitter licenses, and virtual asset service provider registrations are increasingly viewed not just as regulatory obligations, but as competitive differentiators. Companies that invest early in this kind of compliance infrastructure often find it easier to win enterprise clients, secure banking partners, and withstand market downturns.
By joining the ranks of Coinbase and Ripple in New York’s trust ecosystem, MoonPay also strengthens its brand as a long-term player rather than a speculative entrant. In an industry marked by high-profile failures and enforcement actions, demonstrable commitment to governance and oversight can be a deciding factor for both institutional and retail partners choosing service providers.
From a strategic perspective, the charter may help MoonPay expand beyond its reputation as primarily a crypto payments and on-ramp provider. While the company is widely known for enabling quick fiat-to-crypto purchases for end users, institutional custody and OTC services position it more squarely in the infrastructure layer of the digital asset market. That diversification could make MoonPay less vulnerable to swings in retail trading volumes and consumer sentiment.
The timing is also notable. As global regulators refine their approaches to stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance, firms with robust compliance foundations are better positioned to adapt. A New York Trust Charter does not automatically cover every new product category, but it indicates that MoonPay has the internal controls and governance structures necessary to engage constructively with regulators on emerging services.
For clients, the charter can translate into more confidence around how their assets are handled. Trust companies in New York must adhere to strict rules on segregation of customer assets, reporting, and operational resilience. This reduces the risk that customer funds could be misused, commingled, or lost due to poor internal practices—a concern that has been at the forefront for many after several high-profile collapses in the crypto space.
The development may also accelerate collaboration between MoonPay and traditional financial institutions that are cautiously exploring digital assets. Banks and wealth managers looking to offer crypto exposure to their customers often seek partners that can shoulder the technical and operational heavy lifting while satisfying supervisory expectations. A trusted, regulated custodian with OTC capabilities can act as the backbone for white-label solutions, co-branded offerings, or integrated digital asset rails.
At an industry level, MoonPay’s approval sends a signal that regulators remain open to working with crypto-native companies that are prepared to meet established financial standards. While the sector continues to face scrutiny, the granting of new charters suggests that the regulatory conversation is shifting from “if” to “how” digital assets should be integrated into the mainstream financial system.
Ultimately, MoonPay’s New York Trust Charter is more than a regulatory box checked. It marks a strategic upgrade that enables the company to move deeper into institutional markets, expand its service portfolio, and play a more central role in linking traditional financial infrastructure with the growing universe of digital assets. How effectively MoonPay leverages this new status—through partnerships, product innovation, and disciplined risk management—will help determine its influence in the next phase of crypto’s integration with global finance.