Independence Bancshares a publicly traded (albeit thinly on the OTC:QX), FDIC-insured, community-based bank in Greenville, South Carolina - seemed poised to become the first bank in the United States to embrace Bitcoin payments, according to three patents published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. However, after speaking with Chief Executive Officer Gordon Baird, Let's Talk Bitcoin has learned that Independence Bancshares has clearly distanced themselves from Bitcoin, but is "studying virtual currencies."
More:
http://letstalkbitcoin.com/blog/post/independence-bancshares-studying-virtual-currencies
