Along with its update on the regulation of fiat-backed stablecoins and the failure of systemic digital settlement asset firms (see related post here), on 30 October 2023, HM Treasury issued a policy statement on its approach to the future regulation of a wider range of cryptoassets. The Treasury’s statement largely confirms that it intends to implement the proposals consulted on in February 2023 – moving to a licensing regime for crypto activities and bringing a…
In a long-awaited update on its plans for the UK’s crypto regulatory framework, on 30 October 2023, HM Treasury issued three interlinked policy documents on the future regulation of crypto, covering fiat-backed stablecoins, the wider cryptoasset regulatory regime, and the failure of systemic digital settlement asset firms. The UK regulators followed shortly after, issuing a set of discussion papers and documents on 6 November 2023 on the forthcoming stablecoin regime, setting out their initial views…
If 2020 was the year that crypto spurred investment action, then 2022 will be remembered for triggering the “equal but opposite” regulatory reaction. And for good reason. With several high-profile insolvencies and an across-the-board fall in cryptoasset prices, regulators have been reminded of the risks that can accompany financial innovation. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), alongside HM Treasury and various other government and enforcement actors, have been monitoring developments in crypto markets and considering the…
On 7 January 2021 HM Treasury (HMT) published a consultation and call for evidence on the regulatory approach to cryptoassets and stablecoins. The consultation represents the first stage in HMT’s consultative process on the broader regulatory approach to cryptoassets and stablecoins. The consultation closed on 21 March 2021. Baker McKenzie’s crypto regulatory experts have published a briefing that explores the policy background underlying the consultation, sets out the key points of HMT’s proposals, and provides a comparison to…
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced a ban on the sale of crypto-derivatives and exchange traded notes (ETNs) that reference certain types of crypto-assets (crypto-ETNs) to retail consumers. Firms who carry out marketing, distribution or selling activities in or from the UK of the relevant products to retail clients, will need to comply with these rules by 6 January 2021. The FCA’s policy statement and final rules can be found here. Which assets…
On 27 July 2020, the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG), which comprises UK financial services industry trade bodies, published new sectoral guidance for cryptoasset exchange providers and custodian wallet providers regarding compliance with money laundering obligations. The Guidance provides an outline of the money laundering risks posed by cryptoassets and how cryptoasset firms can mitigate such risks. Money-Laundering Risks of Cryptoassets A 2020 study by the UK’s National Crime Agency reported that UK based…
A UK Government-backed, industry-led initiative has published an expert legal statement recognising cryptoassets as property and smart contracts as enforceable agreements under English law. The statement is published by the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce (UKJT), a taskforce of the UK’s Lawtech Delivery Panel. The report concludes that: Cryptoassets are, in principle, to be treated as property under English law. They are not disqualified from being property by their distinctive features (intangibility, cryptographic authentication, use of a…
IOSCO (the International Organization of Securities Commissions) has recently published a consultation focusing on how platforms which trade crypto-assets are regulated. The global standards setting body considers that promoting innovation must be balanced with appropriate regulatory oversight. For these purposes, IOSCO defines crypto-assets broadly as “a type of private asset that depends primarily on cryptography and DLT or similar technology as part of its perceived or inherent value, and can represent an asset such as…
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has published draft guidance for market players in the developing cryptoassets sector (see CP19/3). This follows a report published last autumn by the UK’s Cryptoasset Taskforce (consisting of the FCA, PRA and Treasury) that explores the UK’s approach to cryptoassets and distributed ledger technology. The FCA has been a relatively late mover in producing practical guidance on crypto compared to other regulators internationally, but was it worth the wait? The…
On 9 January 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published advice on ICOs and cryptoassets to the European Commission and other EU institutions. This development is very much part of the international trend in favour of regulating cryptoassets. The advice identifies gaps and issues with current EU regulation (or, rather, the absence of it). For those cryptoassets which are caught by financial regulation, ESMA describes the current regime as inadequate, as it was…