UNCHAINED: Caitlin Long on Why the Fed’s Rejections of Custodia Bank Seem Politically Motivated

Aug 14, 2024

Guest

Michelle Kallen

Guest

Caitlin Long

Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, teams up with Michelle Kallen, a financial sector legal expert, to delve into Custodia's legal battle against the Federal Reserve. They discuss the politically charged rejection of Custodia's application for a master account, suggesting it may be linked to broader efforts to suppress the crypto sector. The duo also explores the implications of their lawsuit, the dual banking system, and the lack of representation for women-owned banks in America, painting a vivid picture of the struggles within crypto banking.

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Intro

00:00 • 6min

Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Crypto Banking

05:50 • 25min

Political Pressures and Legal Concerns in Custodia's Application Process

31:04 • 4min

Political Maneuvers Against Custodia Bank

34:45 • 6min

Custodia Bank's Legal Battle

40:40 • 21min

Understanding Statutory Language and Its Implications on Federal Reserve Access

01:01:32 • 2min

Navigating Federal Banking Regulations

01:03:35 • 9min

Caitlin Long and lawyer Michelle Kaplan explain why Custodia Bank felt compelled to sue the Fed.

Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, and Michelle Kallen, partner at Jenner & Block, join the podcast to discuss Custodia’s legal battle with the Federal Reserve—a fight that has drawn significant attention in the crypto industry.

Custodia, established as a special purpose depository institution in Wyoming, aimed to offer secure banking services for the crypto sector. Despite meeting state requirements and taking extra steps to demonstrate its commitment to safety, Custodia’s application for a Fed master account was met with delays and ultimately denied in an unprecedented 86-page report.

In this episode, Caitlin and Michelle explains why they believe the Fed’s rejection was politically motivated, how this relates to a operation Choke Point 2.0, the appalling small number of American banks owned by women, where they are in their lawsuit against the Fed, and what this case means for the future of crypto banking in the U.S.

Show highlights:

What Custodia Bank is and how it got started in Wyoming
How Custodia got into a fight with the Fed to get its master account
How the dual banking system works in the U.S. and the differences between Custodia and traditional banks
Why Custodia filed a lawsuit against its own regulator
Why the Fed denied Custodia its applications and Caitlin’s response to the criticisms
The political coordination meant to “intimidate” Custodia, according to Caitlin
The amicus briefs that were filed in favor of Custodia
Caitlin’s reaction to the Fed’s enforcement action against Customers Bank
Why Caitlin says that it’s “abusive and corporatist” that the SEC is granting exceptions to big banks
Why so few banks are owned by women and whether this played a role in Custodia’s denial
The next steps in Custodia’s case and whether a stablecoin is viable for them
Whether the elections are going to impact the case

Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com

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Guests:

Caitlin Long, Founder & CEO of Custodia Bank
Previous appearances on Unchained:
Why Caitlin Long and Meltem Demirors Are Worried About Crypto’s Future in the US
Caitlin Long: Why Avanti Will Be a New Kind of Crypto Bank
Michelle Kallen, Partner at Jenner & Block

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