By Exec Edge Editorial Staff
Blockchain.com has secured registration with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to operate as a cryptoasset business. The February 2026 approval comes as competitor Gemini announces its departure from the UK market.
“While Gemini announced they are ceasing operations in the UK last week, we are doubling down on our home turf and remain deep-rooted in the country,” said Peter Smith, CEO, Founder, and Executive Chairman at Blockchain.com, in an internal message to employees. “I know the road to our FCA license has been long and at times, a real test of patience, but we never once thought about walking away from the UK.”
From York to London
Blockchain.com was co-founded in 2011 by Peter Smith and Nicolas Cary, working out of a small apartment in York, England. Smith, Cary, and Ben Reeves launched the first Bitcoin block explorer website and later introduced one of the first Bitcoin wallet services. Blockchain.com now has its headquarters in London.
“Blockchain.com is a company with deep British roots. We started this journey in York and grew it in London,” Smith notes. “We’ve been part of the UK’s tech landscape for over a decade, and we’ve always believed in the importance of getting this right.”
The FCA registration enables Blockchain.com to deliver brokerage, custodial, and institutional-grade crypto services across the UK. Since 2011, Blockchain.com has processed over $1.2 trillion in crypto transactions and served more than 90 million wallets globally.
Regulatory Approvals Across Europe
The UK approval follows Blockchain.com securing its MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) license in late 2025, which allows the platform to provide crypto services across all 30 European Economic Area countries.
“As one of the longest-running crypto companies in the world, this registration reflects a long-term commitment to building responsibly within one of the world’s most respected regulatory environments,” said Nic Cary, Co-founder and Vice Chairman at Blockchain.com. “We’re proud of the talent we’ve built here and look forward to continuing to work in close partnership with UK regulators as the sector evolves.”
UK Operations and Governance
The FCA registration enables the company to offer digital asset custody and wallet services to UK customers, support enterprise-grade compliance and treasury tools for institutions, expand access to brokerage services in alignment with FCA standards, and strengthen its partnership potential with regulated financial entities in the UK.
Blockchain.com has hired leaders from leading financial and tech firms, including Citadel, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, and Uber. In August 2025, the company expanded its Board of Directors to include Timothy P. Flynn, former CEO of KPMG, and Landon Edmond, a legal executive.
“From day one, we knew crypto was going to rewrite the rules of finance, and London has always been the heart of that story for us,” Smith wrote to employees. “It’s been an incredible journey watching this team evolve from our early days in York with a small number of employees to where we are today.”
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