UK FCA Begins Accepting Virtual Asset Business License Applications from September 30

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced it will begin accepting applications from September 30 for business licenses covering stablecoin issuance, virtual asset trading platforms, staking services, and other related activities. The FCA outlined final guidelines on September 16 stating that eligible activities include approved stablecoin issuers, trading platform operators, trading and brokerage services, virtual asset custody, and staking intermediation.

The application period runs until February 28, 2027, with the new regulatory framework scheduled to take effect on October 25, 2027. Existing registrations and licenses will not automatically transition under the new system.