Fintech Startups Push Banking, Stablecoins, and Tokenization Toward Regulatory Approval

OpenReserve emerged from stealth with a $25M a16z-led raise and conditional OCC approval for a banking, payments, tokenization, and stablecoin strategy. Remaining FDIC and Federal Reserve approvals make compliance, security, capital requirements, and execution the key tests as fintech startups challenge established financial rails; Base fundraising provides a smaller signal for alternative capital formation.