UK Treasury Proposes Stricter AML Rules for Crypto Firms ∞ Regulation

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Briefing

The UK Treasury Department has unveiled a draft of stringent anti-money laundering (AML) regulations targeting crypto firms, significantly altering the compliance landscape by lowering the threshold for reporting changes in control from 25% to 10% and mandating stricter due diligence on banking relationships. This regulatory update, detailed in a consultation paper open until September 30, 2025, aims to enhance transparency and align crypto firm oversight with broader UK financial system standards, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) poised to oversee all crypto asset service providers by early 2026.

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Context

Prior to this action, the UK’s cryptoasset sector operated under a framework that, while requiring money-laundering checks since 2020, presented legal ambiguities regarding ownership transparency and the depth of due diligence required for complex corporate structures. The existing regulatory perimeter often left certain crypto activities outside comprehensive oversight, creating potential loopholes exploited by illicit actors and contributing to the sector’s role in money laundering, as highlighted by the UK’s 2024 National Risk Assessment.

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Analysis

This regulatory action will significantly alter compliance frameworks for UK crypto firms, necessitating updates to internal systems for ownership tracking and enhanced due diligence protocols. The lowered 10% reporting threshold for changes in control means a wider array of influential stakeholders will fall under federal scrutiny, demanding more robust “fit and proper” assessments by the FCA for individuals wielding significant control. Furthermore, mandates for stricter background checks on banking relationships, an outright ban on shell bank ties, and potential expansion of trust registration requirements will compel firms to re-evaluate and fortify their operational risk mitigation controls and reporting workflows. These measures are designed to increase transparency, mitigate financial crime risks, and integrate crypto firms more fully into the established financial system’s compliance architecture.

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Parameters

Issuing Authority ∞ UK Treasury Department
Regulatory Action ∞ Draft Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Regulations for Crypto Firms
Jurisdiction ∞ United Kingdom
Key Change ∞ Lowered reporting threshold for changes in control from 25% to 10%
Consultation Period End ∞ September 30, 2025
Oversight Body ∞ Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Implementation Target ∞ FCA oversight of all crypto asset service providers by early 2026

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Outlook

The next phase involves the review of feedback from the consultation paper, which closed on September 30, 2025, followed by the formalization and implementation of these new AML rules. This action sets a clear precedent for other jurisdictions, signaling a growing European consensus on the necessity of stronger oversight for digital assets. While compliance costs may challenge smaller firms, potentially pushing some activity to less-regulated markets, the enhanced regulatory clarity and bolstered market integrity are anticipated to attract greater institutional investment, fostering long-term industry maturation and legitimacy.

The UK’s proposed AML regulations mark a decisive strategic pivot towards integrating digital asset firms into a robust, traditional financial compliance architecture, fundamentally recalibrating risk management and transparency expectations across the industry.

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