UK’s FCA Establishes a Dedicated Crypto Enforcement Team

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a brand-new, cross-departmental cryptoasset enforcement team, marking a significant escalation in regulatory oversight for the digital asset space. Here’s what’s happening:

For the first time in 2025, the FCA has assigned three full-time employees plus 12 secondees specifically to monitor, investigate, and enforce compliance within the crypto sector.

This comes in the wake of a high-profile £3.5 million fine issued to CB Payments Limited for repeatedly violating anti-money laundering rules, and arrests tied to an illegal crypto exchange, underscoring heightened scrutiny of non-compliant firms.

While the FCA has endeavored to streamline application processes—introducing pre-application support and increased guidance—the average time for approving crypto firms remains lengthy at 317 days, with refusals or withdrawals averaging over 500 days.

Alongside these enforcement changes, the FCA is rolling out a new regulatory framework, including firm capital requirements and insider trading rules, augmenting existing anti-money laundering standards.

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