The UK’s financial watchdog has put British pound‑pegged stablecoin payments on its 2026 growth agenda, as London scrambles to keep its edge in digital finance.
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has made pound-denominated stablecoin payments a top priority for 2026, fast-tracking a dedicated regulatory sandbox for prospective issuers ahead of new digital-asset rules.
The watchdog said the move is part of a package of “ambitious new growth measures” for next year, aimed at supporting UK‑issued stablecoins as a way to make payments faster and more convenient.
In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this week, the regulator outlined almost 50 reforms aimed at strengthening the UK’s position as a global financial hub. Among them, the FCA flagged advancing UK-issued pound stablecoins in 2026 as a central milestone in its broader growth strategy.
