Crypto Companies in Limbo as UK FCA’s Deadline Looms

Monday, 28/03/2022 | 21:13 GMT by Felipe Erazo
  • Firms like Revolut, Copper and Blockchain.com are in that limbo.
  • The watchdog argues that companies are not meeting standards.
FCA

Just 33 cryptocurrency firms have been registered so far under the UK FCA’s covered register, with the deadline looming for the watchdog to grant the firms approval before 31 March. So far, 80% of the applications for the registration have been rejected by the authority or withdrawn.

There are many companies, as of press time, that are operating under a temporary register ahead of the deadline.

“We’ve seen a high number of the cryptoasset businesses applying for registration not meeting standards there to help ensure firms are not used to transfer and or disguise criminal funds. Firms that do not meet the expected benchmark can withdraw their application. Firms that decide not to withdraw have the right to appeal our decision to refuse, including through the courts,” a spokesperson from the FCA told City AM.

Companies like Revolut, Copper and Blockchain .com are in limbo because they are operating within a temporary register while awaiting final approval from the regulator.

“This is an incredible piece of market innovation and as the world moves into Web3… I don’t think trying to hold people away from it is either realistic or a good idea. The FCA’s role is to apply the law not write the law, and it needs a steer from policymakers – that’s what we need to hear,” Charles Kerrigan, a Fintech partner at law firm CMS, commented on the matter.

Cases against Unregistered Crypto Firms

Early this month, the UK FCA announced that it is taking assertive action against the rampant financial scams in the consumer investment market. In addition, it has alarmed investors against scams involving crypto assets, boiler rooms and recovery rooms.

The financial market supervisor said that it has received 16,400 inquiries between April and September last year about possible scams, a figure that is around 30 percent higher than the previous year.

Just 33 cryptocurrency firms have been registered so far under the UK FCA’s covered register, with the deadline looming for the watchdog to grant the firms approval before 31 March. So far, 80% of the applications for the registration have been rejected by the authority or withdrawn.

There are many companies, as of press time, that are operating under a temporary register ahead of the deadline.

“We’ve seen a high number of the cryptoasset businesses applying for registration not meeting standards there to help ensure firms are not used to transfer and or disguise criminal funds. Firms that do not meet the expected benchmark can withdraw their application. Firms that decide not to withdraw have the right to appeal our decision to refuse, including through the courts,” a spokesperson from the FCA told City AM.

Companies like Revolut, Copper and Blockchain .com are in limbo because they are operating within a temporary register while awaiting final approval from the regulator.

“This is an incredible piece of market innovation and as the world moves into Web3… I don’t think trying to hold people away from it is either realistic or a good idea. The FCA’s role is to apply the law not write the law, and it needs a steer from policymakers – that’s what we need to hear,” Charles Kerrigan, a Fintech partner at law firm CMS, commented on the matter.

Cases against Unregistered Crypto Firms

Early this month, the UK FCA announced that it is taking assertive action against the rampant financial scams in the consumer investment market. In addition, it has alarmed investors against scams involving crypto assets, boiler rooms and recovery rooms.

The financial market supervisor said that it has received 16,400 inquiries between April and September last year about possible scams, a figure that is around 30 percent higher than the previous year.

About the Author: Felipe Erazo
Felipe Erazo
  • 1036 Articles
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About the Author: Felipe Erazo
Felipe earned a degree in journalism at the University of Chile with the highest honour in the overall ranking, and he also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Communication. In addition, he has been working as a freelance writer and Forex/crypto analyst, with experience gained from several forex broker firms and crypto-related media outlets around the world. He has been involved in the world of online forex trading since 2010 and in the crypto sphere since 2015.
  • 1036 Articles
  • 46 Followers

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