I hadn't even considered faction bound as an option. I'm not too keen on that at all. I think there's a higher balance that needs to be maintained that blurring the line may introduce issues.
I'm also concerned about currency, which is why I don't think I'm on board with crests being transferred between characters. That said, I haven't even put a lot of though at those items, so I'm not going to declare a stance on it at the moment. Appreciate the suggestions!