Topic hub
Payment services, e-money, safeguarding and the new cryptoasset regime: what changes, when, and what firms should do.
Topic briefing
Payment services and e-money issuers operate under the PSRs and EMRs, which set authorisation and conduct requirements. Cryptoasset firms can now apply to the FCA through Connect ahead of the new regime, which is expected to come into force on 25 October 2027.
The Payment Services Regulations 2017 and Electronic Money Regulations 2011 set out the FCA's payments and e-money regime, covering the payment services listed in Schedule 1 to the PSRs and the issuing of e-money. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2026 were made by Parliament and will bring cryptoassets within the FCA's remit. The new cryptoasset regime is expected to come into force on 25 October 2027.
Sources: Electronic money and payment institutions · Payment Services Regulations 2017 and Electronic Money Regulations 2011 · A new regime for cryptoasset regulation · Cryptoassets: our work
Featured article
The FCA cryptoasset gateway opened on 30 September 2026 and closes on 28 February 2027, with the regime starting on 25 October 2027. What to prepare.
Payments & CryptoCryptoasset Perimeter Guidance: Authorisation Requirements from October 2027
Payments & CryptoCrypto prudential risk assessments need a board-owned evidence trail
Payments & CryptoPayment Services Compliance Checklist for 2026Speak to our ex-regulator team.
Showing 1–12 of 13 articles
The FCA’s final cryptoasset perimeter guidance clarifies which activities will need FSMA authorisation from 25 October 2027, outlines the transitional application window and sets out practical steps for firms across the crypto, payments and traditional finance sectors.
GC26/5 closed on 30 July 2026. Firms can now use the proposed CRYPTOPRU 7 guidance to test readiness while monitoring the FCA's final position.
The FCA cryptoasset gateway opened on 30 September 2026 and closes on 28 February 2027, with the regime starting on 25 October 2027. What to prepare.
A 2026 compliance checklist for payment institutions and e-money institutions facing new regulatory challenges, technologies and business models.
How the financial promotions regime extended to cryptoassets on 8 October 2023, and what UK and overseas firms must do to promote digital assets.
What the PSR's authorised push payment fraud requirements mean for payment providers, after UK APP fraud losses exceeded £459 million in 2023.
What the HM Treasury consultation on folding the Payment Systems Regulator into the FCA means for payment services firms and how to prepare.
In the concluding part of our series, we shift focus to tomorrow’s regulatory environment—including pending legislation, potential expanded authorisation requirements, and international alignment trends.
Having explored the regulatory foundations in our first article, we now turn to the nuts and bolts of achieving FCA compliance.
The United Kingdom has a rapidly evolving crypto market with growing consumer interest. Yet, despite increased adoption, many crypto businesses and investors remain uncertain about the rules governing this space.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a consultation paper (CP22/2) on financial promotion rules for high-risk investments, including crypto assets.
Virtual asset service providers have been defined as a new financial sector facing significant money laundering and terrorist financing risks.
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