UK signals end of ‘light-touch’ era with multi-agency raid on peer-to-peer crypto hubs
Increased enforcement coincides with detailed regulatory guidance issued to crypto firms ahead of the full framework taking effect in late 2027.
ByOlivier Acuna|Edited bySheldon Reback
23 min ago
2min readMake preferred onShare this article
Make preferred on

- Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority, working with tax authorities and the Metropolitan Police, ordered traders at three London locations to stop operating illegal peer-to-peer cryptocurrency businesses.
- The FCA said no peer-to-peer cryptocurrency businesses are registered in Britain, meaning operators outside its regime evade safeguards intended to detect and prevent money laundering.
- Britain’s cryptocurrency framework takes full effect on Oct. 25, 2027, and firms may apply for FCA approval from Sept. 30 through Feb. 28, 2027.
Newsletters
State of CryptoExamining the intersection of cryptocurrency and government.
Preview
By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to ourterms & conditionsandprivacy policy.
RegulationUK

- 1U.S. SEC begins prepping for around-the-clock trading that crypto treats as the norm28 min ago
- 2Crypto for Advisors: Beyond bitcoin and ether34 min ago
- 3Clarity Act failure may hamper U.S. crypto as industry seeks legal clarity elsewhere40 min ago
- 4Ratings giant S&P Global acquires OpenZeppelin in tokenized finance risk push2 hrs ago
- 5SEC rolls out long-awaited ‘innovation exemption’ for tokenized securities venues2 hrs ago
- 6Ethereum’s upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade clears rehearsal for a big jump in capacity2 hrs ago
- 7Zcash miner Fortitude names former Hut 8 chief Jaime Leverton CEO ahead of Nasdaq deal3 hrs ago
- 8How Circle’s institutional Arc blockchain got taken over by memecoins on day one3 hrs ago
- 9Optimism creeps back into crypto, with the 2022 test still to come4 hrs ago
- 10Live updates: Bitcoin continues near $76,000 as stocks surge following Fed rate hike4 hrs ago

The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
ByCoinDesk Research
Sep 15, 2026
Commissioned byRipple
View Full Report
More From Policy
