The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the final tranche of its cryptoasset rulebook, completing the regulatory roadmap that will govern trading platforms, custodians, intermediaries, stablecoin issuers and staking arrangers operating in the United Kingdom. The framework crystallises the perimeter established when legislation brought cryptoassets within the FCA's remit in February 2026, and sets a hard commencement date of 25 October 2027 for the mandatory author

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published a Consultation Paper setting out a draft methodology for the calculation of fines under its supervisory mandate for the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The stated objective is to ensure that penalties imposed on issuers of significant crypto-assets are consistent, proportionate and transparent. Under MiCA, the EBA assumes direct supervisory responsibility where an asset-referenced token (ART), or an e-money token

The US Justice Department has announced the seizure of a cloud computing account used by subsidiaries of the Huione Group, a Cambodia-based conglomerate alleged to have provided laundering services for the proceeds of cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber scams, and other criminal activity. The account hosted the backend infrastructure supporting these subsidiaries, enabling illicit cryptocurrency proceeds to be transferred, moved, and concealed before conversion into the le

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), acting jointly with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking implementing the customer identification program (CIP) provisions of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (GEN

An Ohio man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for running a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme that raised more than $10 million from investors, many of them based around Columbus, Ohio. The case is the latest example of US authorities pursuing crypto-related fraud using traditional wire fraud enforcement powers. Rathnakishore Giri, 31, of New Albany, Ohio, was sentenced to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release after admitting to orch

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England have set out a shared long-term vision for the use of tokenisation and distributed ledger technology (DLT) in UK wholesale markets, giving firms greater certainty as they consider adopting these technologies. Tokenisation involves creating a digital representation of a real-world asset – such as a share, bond or unit of currency – on a digital ledger. The regulators believe it has the potential to streamline the is

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