The approval gives the brokerage a foothold before the UK’s broader crypto rules arrive, as it prepares to expand digital asset trading alongside its Robinhood Chain rollout.
Robinhood’s UK subsidiary has obtained registration from the Financial Conduct Authority (U.K. financial regulator) for cryptoasset activities, positioning the company to launch digital asset trading in the country on or around July 1, 2026. The timing aligns with the FCA’s publication of final rules for a broader cryptoasset regime on June 30, 2026, while the full framework covering trading, custody, and issuance is projected for implementation by October 25, 2027. The registration comes under the Money Laundering Regulations, or MLRs, which focus on anti-money laundering and know-your-customer requirements, allowing Robinhood to enter the market before tighter oversight takes effect. Robinhood had already built a UK base through its 2020 acquisition of Ziglu, an early FCA-registered crypto platform, and Robinhood U.K. Ltd has held FCA authorization for traditional brokerage services since at least 2019-2020 under firm reference number 823590. The UK push also coincides with the rollout of Robinhood Chain, a layer-2 blockchain protocol built on Arbitrum for tokenized real-world assets and decentralized finance (financial services on blockchain) applications. The expansion could strengthen Robinhood’s position against Coinbase, Kraken, and other exchanges in the UK, though the planned 2027 rules, especially on custody, may raise operating costs and reshape the economics of crypto trading.