Custodia Bank Loses Critical Rehearing Bid Over Fed Master Account – A Major Blow for Crypto Banking

Crypto bank Custodia has suffered a decisive legal defeat, with a federal appeals court rejecting its request to rehear a case challenging the Federal Reserve's authority over master account access. The ruling, delivered on March 15, 2026, solidifies the Fed's position as the ultimate gatekeeper for the banking system, dealing a significant setback to the digital asset sector's quest for seamless integration with traditional finance.

Custodia Loses 6-Year Legal Battle With FRBKC 

In 2023, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) rejected Custodia’s application for a master account, a designation that would have granted the crypto bank access to the Fed’s payment rails, thus eliminating the need for intermediary services. Notably, Custodia challenged this decision at a Wyoming district court in 2024, claiming its eligibility for a master account as a nonmember depository institution, while also stating the FRBKC lacked the constitutional authority to deny its application, having satisfied the requirements. 

Following an initial defeat at this state court, Custodia moved its case to the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, where a three-man panel also sided with the Federal Reserve, reinforcing the central banks as the final authority to grant a master account regardless of the candidate’s eligibility. In December 2025, the crypto bank filed for a petition for an en banc hearing that would include a full ten-member panel. However, a report by independent editor Eleanor Terrett states the appellate court has chosen to uphold the initial ruling in favor of the FRBKC.

NEW: The 10th Circuit has rejected @custodiabank’s request for a full court rehearing in its master account fight with the @federalreserve, after a panel ruled in October that Reserve Banks have legal discretion to deny master account access.

Active judges voted 7–3 against… https://t.co/SXE4qf5TBH pic.twitter.com/O9pQ9zrH5h

— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) March 13, 2026

Further details indicate that the judgment was reached by a 7-3 vote, with the majority of the panel agreeing that the Federal Reserve holds final authority over such account-designation matters.  Notably, dissenting judges Timothy Tymkovich and Allison Eid warned that granting Federal Reserve banks unchecked authority to accept or deny applications from state-chartered institutions contravened the Monetary Control Act of 1980.

What Next For Custodia? 

In terms of its next actions, Custodia is within its rights to take the case to the US Supreme Court. However, the odds of the nation’s apex court granting such reviews are low. Alternatively, the crypto bank can seek to apply for the special limited master account recently granted by the FRBKC to crypto exchange Kraken. Although this differs from standard master accounts, they both have similar features that could ease operations for Custodia. 

At the time of writing, Custodia has yet to issue any official reaction to the Appellate Court’s recent ruling.