A U.S. federal agency that serves to charter, regulate and supervise the national banks and the federal branches and agencies of foreign banks. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is headed by the Comptroller of the Currency, who is appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. |||Founded through the National Currency Act of 1863, the OCC monitors the banks to ensure that they are operating safely, and meeting all requirements. In particular, the OCC monitors capital, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity, sensitivity to market risk, information technology, compliance and community reinvestment.