Ripple’s announcement that it is applying for a U.S. banking license has led to a rise in the price of $XRP XRP, reflecting renewed investor optimism. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed the application for a national bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the company is also seeking a Federal Reserve master account, which would allow it to hold reserves for its RLUSD stablecoin directly with the Fed.