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【CoinShares Researcher: Germany Is Making Strong Progress in Crypto Adoption, While the UK Has Fallen Behind】

CoinShares crypto researcher Luke Nolan said on the Chain Reaction program that crypto adoption in Germany is making “very good progress” through family offices, wealth-management firms, and younger investors, whereas the UK “remains far behind,” largely due to regulatory delays. Nolan noted that the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lifted its ban on crypto exchange-traded products less than 1 ago, and its digital-asset market remains in a “nascent” stage. In related data, Germany currently has 89 licensed crypto-asset service providers, accounting for ESMA)MiCA of firms registered with the European Securities and Markets Authority (25.5%); this year,June, Germany also ranked first in the EU with 57 authorized crypto firms. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday that it is awaiting regulatory approval and plans to launch crypto custody services for institutional clients in Europe, expecting to obtain a license October; Landesbank Baden-Württemberg also began offering crypto custody services through a partnership with Bitpanda in 2024 year April. By comparison,FCA issued final guidance on Wednesday clarifying when crypto activities require authorization, and plans to open license applications in September 30, with the new regime taking effect in October 25, 2027. In addition,FCA sent cease-and-desist letters on Thursday to London locations suspected of facilitating illicit peer-to-peer crypto transactions; the UK Parliament approved regulations in February to bring digital assets within the FCA regulatory perimeter, and finalized a package of rules in June.