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Britain’s financial services watchdog outlined a plan on Tuesday to implement a far-reaching regulatory regime for the cryptocurrency sector by 2026.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which oversees banking and investment products in the UK, has revealed a timetable detailing the key dates and milestones it is working on in its regulatory roadmap for crypto.
In the fourth quarter, the regulator will launch discussion papers on the rules governing the issuance and custody of stablecoins, as well as admission and disclosure processes and how to combat market abuse.
In the first half of 2025, the FCA announced plans to publish documents on trading platforms, intermediation, lending, prudential exposure to cryptocurrencies and so-called staking rewards offered by firms on tokenized holdings users.
By 2026, the FCA said a comprehensive regime governing cryptoassets will be in place in the UK following the publication of final policy statements in the same year.
The FCA said its latest research indicates that crypto adoption is growing in the UK. The average value of crypto held by people in the UK rose to £1,842 in August this year, up from £1,595 a year ago, according to the watchdog.
However, misconceptions remain about how the market is regulated. For example, a third of those surveyed in the FCA study said they believed they could complain to the regulator if something went wrong and were seeking recourse or financial protection.
The FCA’s findings “underscore the need for clear regulation that supports a safe, competitive and sustainable crypto sector in the UK,” Matthew Long, director of payments and digital assets at the FCA, said on Tuesday.
“We are committed to working closely with government, international partners, industry and consumers to help us put future rules in place,” Long added.
