bunq: Who Becomes Britain’s Front Door Into Cryptocurrency?

The UK is fundamentally shifting how it regulates digital assets.

Rather than creating a standalone rulebook, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is bringing cryptoassets into its traditional Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) framework under the principle of “same risk, same regulatory outcome”.

For crypto firms, this means a mandatory upgrade from the current light-touch Anti-Money Laundering (AML) registration to full-scale financial regulation.

Starting 30 September 2026, the UK's FCA is officially opening its regulatory application window, giving crypto firms a clear, concrete rulebook to follow.

Companies must submit their applications by 28 February 2027, to keep operating smoothly before the mandatory regulations fully lock in on 25 October 2027.

Yet while the rulebook covers who can sell crypto in the UK, where people choose to buy it is still anyone’s guess.

Mobile-first neobank bunq’s 2026 Crypto Trust Index found that 82% of British adults are actively trying to grow their wealth and only 29% have never invested in crypto.

Reporting on this gap, Chief Evangelist for bunq Joe Wilson offers FinTech Magazine exclusive insights on trust in the crypto space.