FCA Reports High Rejection Rate For Crypto Registrations In 2023-24

According to CoinDesk, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) revealed that 87% of crypto companies applying for licensing under the U.K.'s money laundering rules in the 2023-24 fiscal year failed to meet approval standards. Out of 35 applications, only four were approved, including Binance's payments partner BNXA, a PayPal U.K. unit, and Komainu, a crypto custody joint venture of Nomura. The remaining applications were either refused or rejected due to missing key components necessary for assessment. The FCA has been overseeing the crypto sector and registering firms under its anti-money laundering rules since 2020. The regulator stated, 'Over 87% of crypto registrations were rejected, withdrawn or refused. We help firms applying for authorisation by communicating our expectations and issuing guidance on good and poor practice. This is helping firms understand what is required – 44 crypto firms now have money laundering registration.' Despite this, the FCA is still awaiting legislation that will allow it to fully authorize companies to operate in the country. The new Labour government, elected in July, has paused crypto plans, potentially delaying this process further. Since January 2020, the FCA has received 359 applications from crypto companies, with only 44 successfully registered. Some companies that failed to receive full FCA approval have criticized the registration process, citing long wait times, lack of feedback, and perceived unfair treatment by the regulator. These delays have led some crypto firms to leave the U.K. and seek registration in other countries to serve U.K. customers from abroad.