Preparing For FCA Authorisation As The UK Cryptoasset Regime Nears Completion

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• Dates for authorisation gateway confirmed: The UK's new financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets under the Cryptoasset Regulations (see below) is expected to come into force on 25 October 2027. The FCA has confirmed that its authorisation gateway for cryptoasset firms is scheduled to open on 30 September 2026 and close on 28 February 2027. This timeframe applies to all firms seeking to carry on the new cryptoasset regulated activities, whether they will need to apply for authorisation (i.e. not currently authorised) or for a variation of permission (i.e. currently authorised).
• Firms encouraged to start preparing now: At the same time, the window for compliance preparation is narrowing; firms intending to operate within the new regulatory perimeter will need to start shaping their governance, systems, controls and operational structures to ensure they are ready for the authorisation journey once the gateway opens.