stable coins

Story: Robinhood Joins UK Crypto Registry as Revolut Battle Looms

By Bruce Buterin

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Jordan Sinclair, Revolut, and a Crowded Market. The person running that UK operation is Jordan Sinclair, a former Freetrade executive brought in…

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FCA's Stablecoin Rules and the September Deadline. The timing of Robinhood's registration isn't random.

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Robinhood got its Financial Conduct Authority registration on July 31. That's the green light to offer crypto services in the UK — a market the company has been chasing,…

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It's been a rough road. Back in 2020, Robinhood pulled the plug on a planned UK launch before it ever started, leaving roughly 250,000 people on a waitlist with nothing to show…

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Revolut is the obvious rival. It's deeply embedded in the UK consumer market, well-known, trusted by millions.

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And it's not just Revolut. Robinhood now sits on a registry of roughly fifty firms approved for crypto services in the UK. eToro is on that list. Interactive Brokers too.

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The timing of Robinhood's registration isn't random. Starting this September, firms need to submit license applications under the UK's incoming regulatory framework — a framework…

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See also: FCA Slashes Transaction Reporting Fields From 65 to 52, Saving 400 Firms £108 Million a Year

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One notable shift: the FCA cut its proposed stablecoin capital buffer requirement from 2% down to 1%. That change came after industry pushback.

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For Robinhood, getting registered before the September application window opens is smart positioning.

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The FCA's willingness to adjust its stablecoin rules based on industry feedback is worth noting in a broader sense.

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Robinhood's low-fee model is its sharpest weapon. In the US, it basically forced the entire retail brokerage industry to drop commissions to zero — that's not a small thing.

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Sinclair's appointment suggests Robinhood knows it can't just parachute American marketing into London and expect it to work. You need someone who understands the local market.

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Related: FCA and Bank of England Name 30-Plus Experts to UK Reporting Taskforce

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The company's broader strategy seems to be: get licensed, get visible, compete on price, and hope the regulatory clarity that's coming in 2027 ends up favoring leaner, newer…

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