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UK FCA Cracks Down on Crypto Firms, Hundreds of Exchanges Receive Warnings

UK FCA Cracks Down on Crypto Firms, Hundreds of Exchanges Receive Warnings

The FCA took legal action and issued multiple warnings to unregistered crypto platforms in October.

Written by Rahul Dhingra, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 23 October 2025 18:35 IST

UK FCA Cracks Down on Crypto Firms, Hundreds of Exchanges Receive Warnings

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Shane Rounce

The FCA’s warnings come amidst renewed efforts to regulate crypto promotions in the UK

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Highlights

FCA warns over 100 crypto exchanges for breaching promotion rules
HTX faces a lawsuit for unauthorised crypto advertising in the UK
Regulator enforces new rules to strengthen investor protection

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has intensified its regulatory scrutiny of the crypto sector, issuing hundreds of warnings to unregistered exchanges in October. The advisories were issued in the midst of a renewed effort to make sure that the country's financial regulations are being followed. The FCA has also targeted exchanges such as Elite Bit Markets, Nexure Gainbit, Plux Crypto, and HTX, and it will pursue legal action against firms that continue to serve UK residents without proper registration.

FCA Lawsuit Against HTX Highlights UK's Zero-Tolerance on Unregistered Crypto

Crypto companies must register with the FCA under anti-money laundering regulations and comply with the 2023 financial promotions framework to legally advertise or provide services in the UK. While the government has relaxed some rules, like lifting the ban on crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) and publishing a roadmap for tokenised investment funds, the renewed warnings show that the regulator is still focused on protecting investors and making sure things are clear.

“This action is part of our commitment to protect consumers and uphold the integrity of UK financial markets,” an FCA spokesperson told CoinDesk. “We have seen crypto firms react positively to our financial promotions rules and regulations; however, where we still see poor practices, we will not hesitate to take action where firms appear to be breaching our rules.” The spokesperson further added that executives at companies that break UK advertising laws could go to jail for up to two years and face other penalties.

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The FCA classifies financial instruments into three risk categories, with most cryptocurrencies falling under Restricted Mass Market Investments (RMMI), which carry a medium risk profile. Companies that advertise these kinds of assets must give clear warnings, divert users to informational pages, follow know-your–customer (KYC) rules, and stay away from incentives or rewards that might trick inexperienced people.

Despite the strict framework, a report by Financial Times suggests that about half of all crypto advertisements flagged between October 2023 and October 2024 remain online.

The FCA has also sued HTX, which was bought by Tron founder Justin Sun in 2022, for offering digital asset services to people in the UK without approval. In 2023, the regulator had previously issued warnings about HTX, and consumers were advised against using the platform.

The case also serves as an example to other exchanges operating in the UK to strictly follow the financial compliance requirements and highlights the FCA's zero-tolerance policy towards unlicensed promotion.

Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.

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Further reading: UK regulator, crypto adoption, Crypto Advertisements, Crypto Regulations

Rahul Dhingra

Email Rahul Dhingra

Rahul Dhingra is a crypto writer at Gadgets 360, where he covers the exciting world of Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Defi and Web3. Before joining Gadgets 360, he worked as a content specialist for a European-based Crypto Exchange. Rahul loves storytelling, not just through the written word but also through the visual medium. Beyond his professional life, Rahul is a sports fanatic. Whether it’s cricket or football, his passion for the game is contagious. More