The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has escalated its enforcement stance on cryptoassets, launching its first coordinated crackdown on illegal peer to peer crypto trading operations in the UK. Announced on 22 April 2026, the action signals a more assertive regulatory approach to decentralised trading models that fall outside traditional supervisory frameworks. The operation, conducted alongside HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW

The FCA has launched a consultation on guidance for firms that may fall within the UK’s future cryptoasset regulatory regime, marking another significant step towards full crypto regulation from October 2027. The consultation follows confirmation by Parliament of the cryptoasset activities that will be brought within scope. The FCA is now seeking views on how it interprets regulated activities including issuing qualifying stablecoins, operating trading platforms, dealing and

The US Treasury has moved quickly to put the GENIUS Act into operation, with FinCEN and OFAC jointly proposing a rule that would bring permitted payment stablecoin issuers into a formal anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance framework. The proposal is designed to support the growth of payment stablecoins while making clear that firms operating in this market will be expected to manage illicit finance risk to the same standard as other regulated financial institutions.

The US Department of Justice has secured an 81 month prison sentence against Russian national Aleksei Volkov for his role in a cybercrime operation that enabled ransomware groups to extort tens of millions of dollars from corporate victims. The case is significant because it targets not only the operators of ransomware campaigns, but also the specialist actors who help make those attacks possible in the first place. According to the Department of Justice, Volkov acted as an i

The sentencing of Daren Li to the statutory maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment marks a significant escalation in the United States’ crackdown on global cryptocurrency investment fraud and associated money laundering networks. The case underscores the scale, sophistication and transnational reach of scam centre operations operating from Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, and highlights the growing convergence between romance fraud, cyber-enabled deception and crypto asset l

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has signalled a clear escalation in its approach to cryptoassets, confirming that digital assets are now firmly embedded within the UK’s sanctions enforcement perimeter. In a blog published on 28 January 2026, OFSI outlined how sanctions enablers are increasingly attempting to exploit cryptoassets to move and conceal illicit funds, and how UK authorities are responding through coordinated, intelligence-led action. Centra

A Chinese national has been sentenced to 46 months in prison in the United States for his role in laundering more than $36.9 million linked to a large scale digital asset investment scam that targeted American victims. Jingliang Su was also ordered to pay $26.8 million in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business. The fraud was orchestrated through scam centres based in Cambodia and affected at least 174 victims across t

The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a wide ranging consultation on proposals that will shape the next phase of the UK’s cryptoasset regulatory framework, signalling a decisive move towards bringing crypto markets closer to traditional financial services standards. Published on 16 December 2025, the consultation forms part of the FCA’s crypto roadmap and aligns with new government legislation laid on 15 December, reinforcing the UK’s ambition to create an open, compet

The Justice Department has announced the seizure of tickmilleas.com , a fraudulent web domain linked to the Tai Chang scam compound in Kyaukhat, Burma. The site posed as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform and was used to lure victims into depositing their funds, which were then diverted through sophisticated fraud and money laundering schemes. The action forms part of the accelerating crackdown on cryptocurrency investment fraud, a threat that continues to genera

The Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to accept RegTech platform Eunice into its Regulatory Sandbox marks an important step in strengthening the transparency and integrity of the United Kingdom’s crypto markets. As criminal exploitation of digital assets continues to evolve, the creation of standardised, industry-led disclosure templates represents a significant opportunity to raise market standards and improve investor protection. Eunice’s work with leading crypto firms

The sentencing of Travis Ford, founder and chief executive of Wolf Capital Crypto Trading LLC, underscores the persistent risks posed by high-yield cryptocurrency investment schemes and the growing determination of U S authorities to clamp down on digital-asset fraud. Ford was handed a five-year prison term on 13 November 2025 after admitting to orchestrating a Ponzi-style operation that raised 9.4 million dollars from around 2,800 investors, many of whom were lured by claims

It has been little more than a month since United States President Donald Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the former chief executive of Binance. Zhao, better known as CZ, had pleaded guilty in 2023 to enabling money laundering through the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. He served four months in prison, paid a substantial fine, and agreed to step down as CEO. The case was described by the US Department of Justice as a landmark in crypto enforcement. Yet, during an int