UK stablecoin and staking regulation likely within six months: Report

• The UK government expects the country’s stablecoin and staking legislation within six months.
• Economic Secretary to His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), Bim Afolami, said this during an event hosted by Coinbase in London.

The UK government expects new regulations on stablecoins and staking services to roll out in the country within the next six months, Economic Secretary to His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), Bim Afolami, has noted.

According to a Bloomberg report, the government is focused on having the legislation in place this year as part of the overall push for regulatory clarity for the crypto sector.

“We’re very clear that we want to get these things done as soon as possible. And I think over the next six months, those things are doable,” Afolami said during an event hosted by Coinbase in London.

Afolami’s comments come as observers point to the government’s plans to have the crypto regulation regime in place before the elections. While he could not provide a specific timeline on when to expect the broader crypto regulations, Afolami agreed that “there’s just a huge amount going on.”

UK’s push for crypto regulation

The government’s timeline for stablecoin and staking regulations looks to align with steps taken in 2023 as the UK pushes to be a global hub for crypto and blockchain innovation. 

Last year, the UK parliament passed the Financial Services and Markets Bill. The Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also announced regulatory guidelines for stablecoins in October, with a consultation setting up implementation of the crypto rules starting in mid-2024.

As CoinJournal reported in October, the targeted stablecoin regulation focuses on the fiat-backed tokens’ use in payment chains as well as their issuance and custody.