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BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

FinTech Charter Program

Denials and withdrawals are expensive. Your preparation is an investment.

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The Legal and consulting costs for a
de novo charter can exceed $1 million.

With that much at stake, getting it right the first time matters.

The expensive problems often start before the application is filed, so we identify issues early, build what’s missing and prepare an application that withstands regulatory scrutiny.

Our OCC and state reviews focus on:

  • Demonstrated BSA/AML (not decks)
  • U.S.-credible board & management (banking + fiduciary when trust)
  • Capital & earnings realism
  • Product-specific supervisory experience
  • Operating model that survives field investigation

The best time to uncover a charter problem is before it becomes an application problem.

Whether you're evaluating charter options or preparing to file, starting early gives you more time to close leadership, governance, capital and control gaps without putting your application timeline at risk.
See Where You Stand

OUR PLAYBOOK

Guiding Your Investment from Start to Finish

From the first readiness check through regulatory response, the same team stays engaged with you the entire way.

Our four-stage playbook identifies issues early, turns them into a clear action plan and provides actual hands-on support throughout the whole application process.*

*Legal filings remain with specialized banking counsel; SolomonEdwards provides operator/readiness leadership alongside counsel.*

1

Finding Your Starting Line

We assess your current state and identify gaps that could create regulatory concerns, delays or costly rework.

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DELIVERABLES

  • Gap Memo
  • Red/Amber/Green Scoring
  • Priority Fixes

2

Charting Your Course

We define the charter path, workstreams, ownership and 90/180-day plan, including how you will present your story to regulators.

DELIVERABLES

  • Charter Operations Memo
  • RACI Model
  • Budget & Timeline
  • Risk Register

3

Making the Climb

Our operators work alongside your team to address the identified gaps and build the leadership, governance, compliance and operating foundation behind your application.

DELIVERABLES

  • Policy Set Outline
  • Org Chart and Management Slate
  • BSA Program Plan
  • Vendor/Core Map
  • Board Calendar

4

Taking Your Final Steps

We work alongside management and specialized banking counsel to support application inputs, coordinate requirements and respond to regulator questions.

DELIVERABLES

  • Business Plan Inputs
  • Application Checklist
  • Q&A War-Room Support with Counsel

PATHWAYS

The Right Answers Regardless of Charter Path

Fortunately, our experienced operators and former regulators know what each charter path requires,
so you can avoid the costly pitfalls that come with it.

OCC

National
Bank

Operation as a national bank

Hidden Complexity

Requires experienced banking leadership, a credible BSA/AML program, capital planning and operational controls.

How We Help

  • Build the Management and Board Slate
  • Establish BSA/AML Ownership and Oversight
  • Develop the capital plan and narrative
  • Put required policies and controls in place

OCC

National
Trust Bank

Trust and fiduciary activities

Hidden Complexity

Requires specialized fiduciary leadership, governance and controls

How We Help

  • Define Fiduciary Roles and Accountability
  • Build the Trust Governance Structure
  • Establish Custody and Safeguarding Controls
  • Put Fiduciary Policies and Oversight in Place

STATE

State Trust Bank /
Trust Company

Operation under a specific state

Hidden Complexity

Requirements can vary greatly depending on jurisdiction and business model

How We Help

  • Map Your Model to State Requirements
  • Identify Jurisdiction-specific Gaps
  • Build the Required Governance and Leadership Structure
  • Prepare Policies and Supporting Application Materials

ONLINE ASSESSMENT

We Make it Easy to Start Right Now

Our free Charter Trust Snapshot provides you with an instant view of where your organization stands and puts a clear, downloadable action plan in your hands that you can act on today.

Fintech Charter Readiness Snapshot: SolomonEdwards

Fintech Charter Readiness Snapshot

9 quick questions. Get an instant readiness snapshot and your top next steps toward an OCC or state charter.

Free · ~2 minutes · No essays, just quick-select answers

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Your responses will be included with your submission so a SolomonEdwards advisor can better understand your results.
READINESS LEVEL

Charter Readiness Level

Your Top Next Steps

Based on your responses, here's where to focus first.

Want a deeper look?

A brief scoping conversation can turn this snapshot into a concrete plan and timeline.

Book a 30-Min Consultation Send Me More Info

No cost. No commitment.

SolomonEdwards · Fintech Banking & Trust This snapshot is an informal, self-reported estimate for planning purposes only and does not constitute regulatory or legal advice. www.solomonedwards.com

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Our Charter Experts

Bring experienced banking operators and former regulators directly into the process, including professionals with de novo, banking, payments, fiduciary, custody and digital asset experience.
Schedule a Conversation

Prescott Ford, CFA

Principal, Banking & Financial Services

Meredith Rousseau

Senior Vice President, Banking & Financial Services

John Zazzera

Principal

Insights From Our Experts

Fintech’s Next Frontier: Securing the Trust Charter Advantage in the Era of Stablecoin Regulation

FREE DIGITAL GUIDE

A governance foundation that rises to meet your AI ambition

As AI threatens to outpace our ability to govern it, financial institutions can’t afford to let adoption get ahead of the fundamentals.

Our free Implementing AI in Banking & Financial Services digital guide gives banking leaders a practical starting point for identifying AI use cases and establishing effective governance to manage AI-related risk as adoption grows within their organizations.

Read the Free Guide

Results in Action

We’ve been there, solved that. See how we’ve helped our clients strengthen compliance, improve reporting accuracy and enable smarter, faster growth.

Accelerating SOX 404(b) Readiness Following an Acquisition

A public aerospace company engaged SolomonEdwards to integrate an acquired satellite and space systems manufacturer into its SOX program and establish a scalable, audit-ready internal control framework under an accelerated timeline.
Read Full Case Study

Fractional C-Suite Leadership and Strategic Transformation Support for Regional Financial Institutions

Read Case Study

Scaling Nationwide Mortgage Fulfillment Operations Through a High-Performance Workforce Partnership

Read Case Study

Enhancing Internal Audit Testing and Regulatory Readiness

Read Case Study

Are you struggling to increase liquidity and free cash flow? Contact us to learn more about how we can help you realize significant cash flow improvements in as little as 8 weeks.

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