The Investment Association (IA) has launched a cryptoassets regime encouraging fund and investment managers to learn to navigate the changing financial landscape.
The ‘UK Crypto Assets Regime: How the investment management industry can navigate new waters’ report was produced in collaboration with Travers Smith.
It is aimed at managers involved in digital markets or crypto asset activities, as well as their service providers such as depositaries. The guidance is designed to help firms understand the scope and impact of the new regulated activities regime and how they can take advantage of innovation.
This report comes as the UK recently revealed a roadmap for its crypto assets regulatory regime, expected to come into force on 25 October 2027, which will bring a wide range of cryptoasset‑related activities into full FCA regulation for the first time and affects investment firms handling digital assets.
The paper builds an understanding of the range of crypto asset-related business activities which will become subject to the new regulation, and outlines whether firms need to consider varying their existing regulatory permissions.
Commenting on the guidance, Natalie Lewis, head of fintech, market infrastructure and payments at Travers Smith, said: “The industry has been calling for clarity over the UK’s approach to the regulation of cryptoassets for a number of years. With the legislation now in place and detailed final FCA rules expected relatively soon, now is the time for fund and investment managers to begin analysing the impact of the new framework on their current and planned business models. October 2027 will come around quickly and understanding a firm’s potential touchpoints with the new cryptoasset rules will be crucial, particularly as more investment activity moves on-chain.”
John Allan, director of the innovation and operations unit at IA and director of Engine, said: “Investment managers are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of digital markets, as DLT enables transformative new ways of transacting in tokenised funds, digital representations of mainstream assets and increasing exposure to native cryptoassets. Beyond ensuring compliance, firms have a critical opportunity to use this shift both as a strategic initiative and a catalyst for profound innovation.”
 report to support investment managers in expanding into cryptocurrency.){kind=link}