New York, Jan 31, 2026, 06:05 EST — Market closed
Nu Holdings Ltd (NU) shares were down 5.3% at $17.75 in Friday’s session, after a filing showed the digital lender had received conditional approval to form a U.S. national bank. Trading volume topped 51 million shares.
The company said the approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency covers a “de novo” national bank — a new lender built from scratch. Nu said the charter would, once fully approved, let it offer deposit accounts, credit cards, lending and digital-asset custody in the United States, while it stays focused on Brazil, Mexico and Colombia. Founder and CEO David Velez called it “an opportunity to prove our thesis that a digital-first, customer-centric model is the future,” while co-founder Cristina Junqueira said it was “a significant step.” (Nu International)
The company has moved into an organisational phase that requires it to satisfy conditions set by the OCC and win separate approvals from the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, the U.S. deposit insurer, Davis Polk said. The law firm said the bank would be based in McLean, Virginia. (Davis Polk)
Michele Alt, a partner and co-founder of Klaros Group, said the decision “sends a strong signal to other charter applicants that the OCC is serious about adhering to its 120-day application review timeline and streamlining the process.” (American Banker)
Nu’s drop came on a weak day for Brazil-linked and fintech names. Invesco QQQ Trust fell 1.2% and iShares MSCI Brazil ETF slid 2.8%, while SoFi Technologies dropped 6.4%.
With U.S. markets closed for the weekend, Monday’s open is the first real test of whether investors treat the charter win as a near-term catalyst or a long, expensive project with lots of regulatory gates.
Traders will be watching for any follow-up filings and for clues on how Nu plans to staff and fund the U.S. build-out. Details matter here: bank charters can change a lender’s funding options, but they also bring heavier supervision.
But conditional approvals can still stall. Extra compliance costs, limits on what the new bank can do early on, or a longer-than-expected buildout could weigh on sentiment even if the long-term story looks bigger.
A nearer checkpoint is earnings. Nu’s investor relations calendar lists fourth-quarter results on Feb. 25, when investors will listen for any early read on spending and timelines tied to the U.S. plan. (Nubank RI)
Until then, the market’s “next” is simple: the first trading day after the disclosure settles in, and any sign the regulatory process is moving from headline to paperwork. Feb. 25 is the next dated catalyst on most screens.
