What's changing in crypto banking
Briefings on crypto banking, stablecoin and payments regulation — with what each change means for businesses that need bank and merchant accounts.
- · United Kingdom
UK FCA opens its crypto authorisation gateway
From 30 September 2026 crypto firms can apply to the FCA under the new FSMA regime. The main window closes 28 February 2027; the regime is expected to start 25 October 2027.
Read briefing - · British Virgin Islands
BVI issues updated guidance on economic substance filings
The BVI International Tax Authority has released new procedural guidance for submitting economic substance declarations through the VIRRGIN portal — filing mechanics, not legal changes.
Read briefing - · European Union
Greece joins the MiCA register with four providers, including Piraeus Bank
ESMA's MiCA register now lists four Greek crypto-asset service providers and 359 unique providers in total.
Read briefing - · European Union
How to classify higher-risk customers under the new EU AML framework
Under the new EU anti-money-laundering framework, a risk rating must be explained, evidenced and defended — and higher risk should trigger escalation and enhanced due diligence, not automatic refusal.
Read briefing - · Singapore
Singapore: higher-risk classification is not an automatic rejection
For Singapore corporate service providers, a higher-risk customer rating is a structured risk-management conclusion — it triggers enhanced due diligence, not necessarily a declined file.
Read briefing - · United States
Federal Reserve proposes first GENIUS Act stablecoin rules for banks
Two proposals cover reserves, capital, risk management and the application process for banks that want to issue payment stablecoins. A 60-day comment period follows Federal Register publication.
Read briefing - · Turkey
Turkey placed under enhanced FATF monitoring
FATF's latest mutual evaluation notes improvements in Turkey's international cooperation, but critical deficiencies have led to special measures within the enhanced follow-up process.
Read briefing - · Cyprus
Cyprus residence planning in 2026: permit, tax residence and non-dom are separate questions
Immigration residence, tax residence and non-domiciled treatment are separate legal concepts in Cyprus. A residence permit does not automatically make an individual a Cyprus tax resident.
Read briefing - · European Union
EBA recommends bringing crypto lending under MiCA
The European Banking Authority wants intermediated crypto lending and borrowing — including access to DeFi lending protocols — added to MiCA's list of regulated services.
Read briefing - · European Union
EU central banks call for a wider stablecoin interest ban in the MiCA review
The ECB and national central banks want the ban on stablecoin remuneration extended to lending, borrowing and staking, and reserve rules based on liquidity rather than fixed bank-deposit quotas.
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