Briefing

FCA opens authorisation applications for the UK’s forthcoming crypto regime

Written by WiT Markets EditorialReview Editorially reviewedLast reviewed

Brokers and regulationDate only. No clock time was recorded.WiT Markets Editorial2 min read

On 30 September 2026 the Financial Conduct Authority opened the gateway for crypto firms to apply for authorisation under the forthcoming UK regime. The FCA says firms that intend to continue operating in the UK should apply by 28 February 2027, ahead of a regime scheduled to come into force on 25 October 2027. Opening the gateway does not authorise an applicant.

An open gate in front of a closed door, for an application that is not yet an authorisation
Editorial illustration. It is not a photograph of an event, and it does not show a price.

Key facts

  • Applications opened on 30 September 2026.
  • The FCA says firms intending to continue should apply by 28 February 2027.
  • The new regime is scheduled for 25 October 2027. An open gateway is not an authorisation.

The FCA’s press release says that, from 30 September 2026, crypto firms can apply for authorisation. It says authorisation is not automatic. Firms have to demonstrate that they meet the FCA’s requirements, and the FCA says those that cannot show the necessary standards will not be authorised. A firm that has applied is still an applicant.

The FCA says firms that intend to continue operating in the UK should apply by 28 February 2027, and that the new regime is due to come into force on 25 October 2027. Its notes say the FCA expects to determine applications submitted during the application period before the regime starts. They also say an existing firm that applies during that period can continue providing cryptoasset services, including taking on new business, if a decision has not been made before the regime comes into force. That continuation is conditional on the application. It is not a statement that every current firm may carry on.

The notes say the FCA published final crypto rules and guidance in June 2026. This briefing has not reopened that rules document, so it does not restate the rule text. The standards the press release names are consumer protection, safeguarding of customer assets, market integrity and financial resilience. Which of a firm’s activities need permission is a question about that firm’s services, not a conclusion this page can draw from the gateway announcement alone.

Why it matters for investors and traders

Exchanges, trading platforms and other cryptoasset service providers that want to keep serving UK clients have a dated application window. Clients cannot treat a firm’s announcement that it has applied as proof that the firm is authorised.

Markets discussed: Digital assets. These are the subjects of the briefing, not a list of markets that moved.

Uncertainties

  • The June 2026 rules are mentioned by the FCA and are not restated here.
  • Whether a particular service needs permission depends on the firm and the activity.
  • A firm that misses the application path the FCA describes may not be able to continue. This page does not list those firms.

What to watch next

  • Check the FCA register for the legal entity, and do not treat an application as a permission.
  • Read the 28 February 2027 and 25 October 2027 dates against the firm’s own notice.
  • Separate the forthcoming regime from the rules that apply to the firm today.

How to read this development

Authorization gatewayUnited KingdomFinancial Conduct Authority

The official document is dated 30 September 2026. This briefing was published on 22 October 2026. A later status would be added as a new entry. The original status stays in the record.

Who is affected

Crypto firms that want to operate in the UK under the forthcoming regime, and clients who may confuse an application with a permission. No applicant is named.

What changes

The gateway is open. The regime itself is scheduled for a later date. Applying does not make a firm authorised.

When it applies

Applications opened on 30 September 2026. The FCA says firms intending to continue should apply by 28 February 2027. The regime is scheduled to come into force on 25 October 2027.

Status history

  • 30 September 2026. Authorization gateway. Applications opened. Authorisation is not automatic, and the regime had not commenced.

Markets, research and tools

Markets: Crypto markets

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Sources and review

Written by: WiT Markets Editorial. Writes and structures WiT Markets pages. Separates a sourced fact from a cell that is Not confirmed.

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FCA crypto authorisation gateway, 30 September 2026 | WiT Markets