UK FCA Opens DeFi Guidance Consultation, Closing Nov. 18

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on October 21, 2026 opened a consultation on draft guidance for decentralised finance (DeFi), reference GC26/7. Feedback is open until November 18, 2026, and the regulator expects to publish final guidance in January 2027.

Details

According to the FCA's consultation page, the draft applies to firms that provide financial services through DeFi. It covers two areas: operational resilience requirements (SYSC 15A) and financial crime risks (SYSC 6 and the Money Laundering Regulations). The FCA includes observations on the current DeFi risk landscape and examples of risk management measures.

The primary audience is FCA-regulated firms using DeFi, but industry groups, advisers, consumers and academics can also respond, via an online form or by email. Respondents can ask for confidentiality. Cointelegraph reports that a separate consultation on exclusions from the UK cryptoasset regime opened alongside it.

What this means for the market

By the regulator's own description, the guidance clarifies existing rules rather than creating new policy. For UK firms that work with DeFi protocols, it signals how the FCA will assess their controls over money laundering and operational failures.

The final text will come only after feedback is reviewed, so the definitive requirements are not yet known. For the daily market summary, see /en/.