This article was first published on our LinkedIn page – follow us there for regular updates and insights into the world of regulated recruitment: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broadgate-ltd

The UK’s digital asset regime is firming up, as the FCA moves deeper into the work of bringing cryptoassets and stablecoins within its regulatory perimeter.

Consumer-facing rules are in force, consultations are ongoing, and as FCA Executive Director David Geale reminded audiences in his speech last month, “we are just beginning, and things will continue to evolve.”

So where does that leave the market today? Broadgate’s regulatory specialists break down the current shape of UK crypto regulation and the areas that matter most

What’s already in place

Crypto firms operating in the UK remain subject to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing supervision. Alongside this, the crypto financial promotions regime introduced in 2023 continues to govern how products are marketed to consumers.

That regime introduced mandatory risk warnings, defined approval routes, and clearer accountability for firms communicating with retail audiences. These requirements are enforceable and are already influencing market behaviour.

For many firms, this marked a meaningful shift in how UK regulators engage with the sector.

How the wider framework is taking shape

Attention has shifted to the mechanics of how crypto regulation will operate in practice. The FCA is now working through the questions that sit beneath the headline rules:

  • How custody models will be assessed.

  • How issuance structures are evaluated.

  • What prudential expectations could look like for different business models.

  • How disclosure standards translate into real consumer understanding.

The direction of travel shows up in the detail, particularly around governance, operational resilience and control.

The inclusion of stablecoins within the Regulatory Sandbox fits into that picture. It points to a regulator focused on testing assumptions early, especially where payment flows, settlement risk and scale introduce complexity.

What this means for your hiring strategy

As the regulatory framework for crypto takes shape, the conversation moves beyond policy and into execution.

This has direct implications for leadership, governance, risk management and regulatory capability, which is exactly where Broadgate specialises.

We work closely with firms operating in regulated environments as they adapt to changing supervisory expectations, build credible compliance functions, and strengthen decision-making at the senior level.

As crypto regulation deepens, those same pressures are beginning to surface across digital asset businesses.

Regulatory change reshapes organisations long before rules formally come into force. It influences hiring priorities, board composition, internal controls and the way firms engage with regulators (to name a few).

In that sense, the UK’s evolving crypto regime is as much a people and capability challenge as it is a legal one.

That's why this moment matters, and why it is worth examining how the framework is being constructed now, rather than waiting for final rules to land.

There are clear echoes of Consumer Duty’s introduction back in 2023, when firms that prepared their regulatory workforce early were best positioned as requirements came into force.

If you’re planning on strengthening your team ahead of these changes, Broadgate’s consultants are well-positioned to support your hiring needs. Contact us directly for a confidential conversation with one of our experts: https://www.broadgatesearch.com/looking-to-hire.