His Majesty’s Treasury published a long-anticipated consultation paper for the United Kingdom's upcoming crypto regulation. The extensive 80-page document covers a broad range of topics, from the troubles of algorithmic stablecoins to nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and initial coin offerings (ICOs). 

The Treasury announced that there won’t be a separate regulatory regime for crypto as it would fall under the framework of the U.K.’s Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). The goal is to level the playing field between crypto and traditional finances. However, Britain’s chief financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), will tailor the existing FSMA’s rules for the digital assets market.

At least one nuisance stemming from that decision is the obligation for crypto market participants to repeat the registration procedure. Earlier, they have already had to undergo the procedure under the FCA licensing regime, but now they will need to be assessed “against a wider range of measures.”

The good news is that apart from traditional finance, crypto companies won’t have to regularly report their market data. But the exchanges would be required to keep that data and make it available at all times.

(By DAVID ATTLEE)