UK confirms plans to regulate crypto industry with formal legislation

Technology
Monday, October 30th, 2023 2:25 pm EDT

Key Points

  • UK Government’s Plan for Crypto Regulation: The UK government has officially confirmed its plans to regulate the cryptocurrency industry. This announcement comes in response to a consultation paper issued earlier in the year, outlining recommendations for regulating the crypto sector. The government’s goal is to establish formal legislation for crypto activities by 2024.
  • Alignment with Financial Services Regulations: The UK government intends to subject various cryptoasset activities to the same regulatory framework that governs traditional banks and financial services firms. This includes the imposition of stricter rules on cryptocurrency exchanges, custodians responsible for safeguarding clients’ crypto assets, and crypto lending companies. The proposed regulations also aim to create more robust measures for addressing market abuse and ensuring transparency in cryptoasset issuance and disclosures.
  • UK’s Aspiration as a Crypto Hub: The government’s initiative is driven by a vision to position the UK as a global hub for cryptoasset technology. While specific details of the crypto regulations are yet to be finalized, the UK’s progress in advancing regulatory measures for the crypto industry puts it ahead of some other leading nations. In contrast, the EU has introduced the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, and the US is in the early stages of considering federal laws for the cryptocurrency sector.

The UK government has confirmed its intention to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, planning to introduce formal legislation for crypto activities by 2024. The announcement follows the government’s response to a consultation paper earlier this year, which detailed recommendations for regulating the crypto sector. The proposed regulations would bring certain cryptoasset activities under the same rules that govern traditional financial services and banks. The key components of the proposed regulations include stricter rules for cryptocurrency exchanges, custodians responsible for holding crypto on behalf of clients, and crypto lending companies. The government also aims to implement tougher measures for market abuse, cryptoasset issuance, and disclosures. While the specific content of the UK’s crypto regulations is yet to be detailed, the government is actively working to make the country a global hub for cryptoasset technology. This move puts the UK ahead of some other leading nations in progressing toward formal legislation for the crypto industry, as the EU has outlined its regulatory framework with the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, while the US is still in the early stages of considering federal laws for the crypto sector.

For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/30/uk-confirms-plans-to-regulate-crypto-industry-with-formal-legislation.html