🚨 Crypto’s Worst Nightmare: UK’s Regulatory Hammer 🚨

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As the clock ticks away, the United Kingdom is concocting a witch’s brew of regulations to cast a spell of compliance on the crypto industry. With only a year to prepare, the sector is about to enter a realm of unrelenting scrutiny, courtesy of Her Majesty’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). 🕰️

The Gateway to Bureaucratic Limbo: New Authorization Process

Matthew Long, the FCA’s director of payments and digital assets (a title that sounds ominously like a Soviet apparatchik), revealed to CoinDesk that the “gateway regime” – a term that sends shivers down the spines of libertarians everywhere – will materialize by 2026. This will usher in a novel authorization process, because, you know, the old one was far too… straightforward. 🙄

“We will have a gateway which will allow authorization,” Long noted, with all the excitement of a sedated sloth. “But obviously we’ve got to go through those consultations, create those rules and get the legislation for that to take place.” Because, of course, what’s a regulatory overhaul without an avalanche of paperwork? 📝

Notably, this new regime will transcend the current anti-money laundering (AML) rules, ensuring that crypto behemoths like Coinbase, Gemini, and Bitpanda will need to navigate an obstacle course of stricter requirements for a broader range of services. Think of it as a regulatory hurdles competition – without the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, just endless, soul-sucking bureaucracy. 🏋️‍♂️

FCA’s Master Plan: Crypto Rules to be Set in Stone by 2026

In a flurry of activity that promises to keep crypto enthusiasts on the edge of their seats (not really), the FCA plans to unleash a plethora of papers this year on stablecoins, trading platforms, staking, and more. The grand finale? The full, glorious regulatory framework will be finalized in 2026, once the final policy papers are published, and the world will finally know the true meaning of “compliance nirvana.” 🌌

Since the AML register opened its doors in 2020, a whopping 368 firms have applied, with a staggering 50 (a dizzying 14%) emerging victorious. This means many companies will get to experience the thrill of re-applying under the new regime, because who doesn’t love a good game of regulatory roulette? 🎲

The UK is busily crafting rules to define which crypto activities require FCA approval, including stablecoin issuance, crypto payments, exchanges, and lending services. Essentially, a comprehensive guide to what will soon be known as “The Crypto Peril.” 📚

Stablecoins: The Special Snowflakes of Crypto

In a shocking twist, stablecoins won’t be regulated under the same rules as payments, because, well, they’re just too darn special. Instead, the FCA will consult on bespoke stablecoin rules later this year, carefully adapting existing financial regulations to cradle the delicate nature of stablecoins. 🤗

As the FCA finalizes the authorization process, one thing is certain: the path to compliance will be shrouded in mystery, with a dash of European flair and a pinch of IOSCO’s best practices. Stay tuned, folks! 🎥

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2025-03-28 12:54