Blockchain.com Wins FCA Approval for Brokerage and Custody Services
What Does FCA Registration Allow Blockchain.com to Do?
Blockchain.com has secured registration from the UK Financial Conduct Authority, clearing a regulatory hurdle that allows the firm to offer brokerage, custodial, and institutional-grade crypto services in the UK. The approval places the company on the FCA’s register of crypto asset businesses permitted to operate under the country’s anti-money-laundering framework.
In a statement released Tuesday, Blockchain.com said the registration enables it to serve both retail and institutional clients under UK oversight. The company was founded in the UK in 2011 and has operated globally for more than a decade, but FCA registration had remained a key requirement for deeper activity in its home market.
The UK approval follows the firm’s receipt of a last year, which grants passporting rights across the European Economic Area. Together, the two approvals give Blockchain.com regulated access to both the UK and EU markets, even as the regulatory frameworks governing those jurisdictions continue to diverge.
Investor Takeaway
Why FCA Registration Still Falls Short of Full Authorization
While registration allows Blockchain.com to operate as a crypto asset business, it does not amount to full authorization under the UK’s forthcoming permanent crypto regime. The government is still developing that framework, with implementation expected in 2027.
For now, registered firms are permitted to conduct certain activities while meeting strict financial crime controls, but they remain outside a comprehensive prudential regime covering capital, governance, and consumer protections. That distinction matters for companies planning long-term expansion in the UK, particularly those serving institutional clients.
Blockchain.com acknowledged that the registration is not the final step. The firm said it is continuing work toward securing full authorization once the UK’s permanent framework comes into force. Until then, crypto companies must operate within a transitional environment where access is allowed, but future requirements remain subject to policy development.
How This Fits Into the UK’s Crypto Regulatory Strategy
The FCA has taken a cautious approach to crypto registration, approving only a limited number of firms since the regime was introduced. Many applicants have withdrawn or failed to meet the regulator’s standards, citing hardies around governance, controls, and risk management.
Against that backdrop, Blockchain.com’s registration places it among a smaller group of firms that have cleared the FCA’s checks. For the UK, the process reflects an attempt to allow crypto activity while tightening oversight, rather than leaving the sector entirely outside the regulatory perimeter.
The government has repeatedly said it wants the UK to remain competitive as a financial center while avoiding a repeat of past failures viewn in offshore crypto markets. That balance has produced a sluggisher approval process, but one that aims to favor firms with established operations and compliance capabilities.
Investor Takeaway
What Blockchain.com Is Saying About the Approval
Blockchain.com founder and CEO Peter Smith framed the registration as part of a broader engagement with UK regulators and policymakers.
“We are committed to working hand-in-hand with the FCA and UK policymakers as they shape the permanent regulatory framework, ensuring the UK remains a global leader in financial innovation,” Smith said.
The statement reflects an effort to align the company with the direction of UK policy rather than treating registration as a one-off compliance exercise. That tone is consistent with how larger in major markets, where ongoing dialogue often matters as much as initial approval.
What This Means for Blockchain.com’s Global Footprint
Blockchain.com said it currently operates across more than 70 jurisdictions worldwide. The FCA registration adds another regulated base alongside its EU permissions under MiCA, giving the firm coverage across two of the most closely .
For institutional clients, that combination matters. Many funds, banks, and corporate users require counterparties to hold local approvals, even when services are delivered on a cross-border basis. UK registration may therefore support broader use of Blockchain.com’s custody and brokerage services by firms with UK exposure.
At the identical time, the staggered rollout of crypto regulation across regions continues to complicate expansion strategies. With the UK’s full regime still years away, firms like Blockchain.com must operate within interim rules while preparing for tighter supervision later in the decade.
The FCA approval does not settle those questions, but it places Blockchain.com inside the regulatory system at a time when access, rather than scale alone, is becoming the primary constraint for .
