2026-01-09 09:57:24

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has released a new regulatory timetable. According to the latest plan, the FCA will officially open the application window for crypto asset licenses in September 2026.

What does this mean? In simple terms, before the new cryptocurrency regulatory framework takes effect in October 2027, all crypto entities wishing to operate legally in the UK must complete the FSMA (Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) authorization process. This is not optional but a mandatory requirement.

More importantly, existing anti-money laundering (AML) registration or payment licenses will not automatically upgrade. In other words, your previous compliance status will become invalid under the new regulations—you must reapply or modify your license. This means current institutions will need to go through the approval process from scratch.

What about institutions that miss the deadline? They won't be outright banned but will enter a transition period. During this period, only existing operations can continue, and new services are prohibited. This "freeze" regulatory approach is essentially a form of business restriction.

This new policy signals that the UK crypto ecosystem is entering a phase of formal regulation—either comply on-site or scale back operations.

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tx_or_didn't_happen

· 12h ago

Another annual regulatory show, the UK is going straight for the tough approach. Existing licenses are all invalid, starting from zero. Isn't this a de facto clearance? The window opens only in 2026, taking effect in 2027. How will everyone survive during this more than one-year gap... Established exchanges have to go through approval again, and forget about new projects. The UK ecosystem is about to cool down significantly. "The transition period can only maintain the status quo," in other words, no movement allowed. This tactic is quite effective. Compliance costs are so high that small exchanges are dropping out, only big whales can survive. Wow, the previous AML license is directly invalidated. Isn't this a trap? Europe is starting to get serious. Will the next be the United States...

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GasOptimizer

· 01-09 10:27

Here comes the strict requirements again. The UK is trying to completely freeze out small players. Now everyone with a license has to start over. Isn't this a disguised form of elimination? The window opens only in 2026, leaving plenty of time for big institutions. How are small crypto projects supposed to survive? Transition period for freezing operations? To put it nicely, it's protection; in reality, it's a slow cut. With such high compliance costs, retail investors and institutions really can't bear it. Wait, does this mean the UK market is about to undergo a reshuffle?

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PanicSeller69

· 01-09 10:25

Oh no, another round of crackdown. The UK is determined to clean up the crypto scene thoroughly. If you can't catch the 2026 train, get ready to be frozen. This method is effective. All old and new licenses are invalidated, and funds need to be redeployed... Big institutions are laughing while small ones are crying. It's a trap; the previous compliance efforts were all for nothing. A one-and-a-half-year window sounds long, but it's actually quite tight. Will anyone really make it? This is the price of normalization, and it hurts a bit. Compliance costs are soaring, and retail investors are getting hurt even more. Why does it feel like regulation is becoming more and more meticulous? Crypto is really turning into finance.

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SelfRugger

· 01-09 10:16

The UK this time is really ruthless. All those licenses previously issued are now invalid? Have to start over, hilarious.

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GasFeeSurvivor

· 01-09 10:14

Another wave of compliant crackdown, is the UK trying to force all small projects to die? Missing the deadline and freezing operations—that's just soft prohibition. So, we still have to rely on big institutions to survive. With the FCA's series of measures, how many projects will start to feel anxious by 2026? This is what is called the "formal military entering the market," which sounds like another way to clear out retail investors.

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FarmToRiches

· 01-09 10:13

The UK’s crackdown is really fierce. Once the application window opens in 2026, it’s going to be a scramble. Will the previous AML licenses become invalid? Damn, that’s like reshuffling the deck. Compliance costs are going to explode. Small exchanges will really have to consider retreating. FCA is forcing everyone to exit; there’s no choice. At the end of the day, money talks. Those with the funds will survive.

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0xSoulless

· 01-09 10:00

Doing this again? Going through the approval process from the beginning, license invalidation, new business frozen... Isn't this just a disguised clearance? The retail investors should wake up.

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