Fintech giant SoFi plans crypto comeback by year-end, riding Trump-era regulatory shift

SoFi CEO Anthony Noto has confirmed that the fintech company plans to reintroduce cryptocurrency investing by the end of the year, following a “fundamental shift” in the regulatory environment influenced by policies under the Trump administration.

SoFi was compelled to discontinue its crypto investing services in late 2023 as a condition for securing its bank charter during a period of intensified federal scrutiny of digital assets. 

At the time, users could trade over 20 cryptocurrencies but were either redirected to Blockchain.com or required to liquidate their holdings.

Thanks to updated guidance from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), SoFi is preparing a more ambitious return to the crypto space, Noto told CNBC in an interview aired late Monday.

“We’re going to re-enter the crypto business, which we had to exit,” Noto said. “This time, we’re planning a broader, more integrated approach—embedding crypto or blockchain capabilities across all of our product areas.”

SoFi’s crypto comeback tracks growing interest in digital assets 

SoFi’s move signals renewed interest from traditional financial institutions in crypto, particularly under a Trump-era regulatory environment. 

In January, the CEOs of Bank of America and Morgan Stanley expressed readiness to explore crypto opportunities, while digital-native firms like Circle and BitGo are pursuing banking licenses, further merging the boundaries between legacy finance and digital assets.

According to Noto, SoFi aims to resume crypto investing services by year-end, pending any unforeseen regulatory or operational setbacks.

He pointed to a recent OCC letter clarifying that federally regulated banks can engage in crypto activities—a move he described as a “fundamental shift” in the oversight of digital finance.

With a more favorable regulatory climate emerging—driven by deregulatory moves from Trump-appointed officials and proposed legislation to formalize stablecoin oversight—Noto believes SoFi can go beyond crypto investing.

Over the next six to 24 months, SoFi intends to integrate crypto and blockchain technologies across its core offerings, including lending, saving, spending, investing, and insurance. That timeline could be accelerated with acquisitions, he added.

Noto said their aspirations are as broad as those of any other product that they have, and they believe the company can leverage the technology across lending, savings, spending, and investing.

Future offerings could include crypto-backed loans and payment features that allow customers to transact directly using their digital assets.

SoFi’s record growth and improved credit metrics position it to lead in crypto

SoFi Technologies Inc. reportedly brought in 800,000 new customers in the latest quarter, helping to propel the company to better-than-expected overall results.

SoFi noted that its credit performance has improved, with a 3.31% annualized charge-off rate for personal loans during the first quarter, compared with 3.37% in the fourth quarter. SoFi noted that those numbers account for asset sales, originations, and delinquency sales.

With increasing customer demand for diversified investment options and a shift in regulatory attitudes, SoFi could capitalize on both traditional financial services and the growing appeal of blockchain-based technologies.

According to a report by Fidelity, governments worldwide will finally overcome years of reticence about buying Bitcoin and start pouring money into cryptocurrencies in 2025.

If the prediction published by the asset manager turns out to be correct, it would significantly change how most countries deal with Bitcoin. Since the cryptocurrency was created 16 years ago, many nations have opposed creating Bitcoin reserves alongside their traditional foreign currency and gold stockpiles because of the perceived risk and lack of regulatory clarity.

Any move by countries to establish national Bitcoin reserves, particularly by large, wealthy nations, would help solidify the asset as a legitimate store of value and likely trigger a surge in its price.

Fidelity expects some countries to start buying Bitcoin for their treasuries and central banks to hedge against financial instability, much like gold reserves. 

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