The UK’s future‑payments agenda has taken on a clearer digital‑assets edge after the Government appointed former FCA chief Chris Woolard to its new Future of Payments Review Panel — echoing themes he raised in an interview with Capital Pioneer at Sibos last October.
Announced during UK Fintech Week, the panel is tasked with helping the UK “embrace future payments technology”, including models built on digital assets and tokenised value transfer. Woolard’s return to payments policy brings regulatory experience at a moment when ministers want the UK to stay competitive as payments infrastructure evolves.
Speaking to Capital Pioneer at Sibos, Woolard said the shift towards tokenised forms of money and assets would force regulators to rethink settlement, consumer protection and market integrity. He also highlighted the growing role of tokenisation in wholesale‑market design — issues now central to the panel’s remit.
The Government’s announcement confirms that upcoming reforms will be designed to support innovation, including stablecoin‑based and other tokenised payment models. For fintechs and digital‑asset firms, the signal is that tokenisation is moving into the mainstream of the UK’s policy agenda, with one of its most experienced regulators helping shape the next phase.
Read the full interview here: Chris Woolard on finance’s tokenised future
