FCA Registration Clears Path for U.K. Pound Stablecoin Launch

U.K.-based stablecoin issuer Agant secured registration with the Financial Conduct Authority as a cryptoasset business under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Transfer of Funds Regulations.

The approval enables the firm to proceed with the launch of its pound-denominated stablecoin, GBPA.

The registration places Agant among a limited group of firms authorized to operate under the U.K.’s current anti-money laundering framework.

GBPA Designed for Institutional Use

GBPA is structured as a fully backed digital representation of the British pound, maintaining a 1:1 reserve model. Unlike retail-focused stablecoins, the product is aimed primarily at institutional payments, settlement flows, and tokenized asset markets.

Agant has integrated open banking infrastructure to support direct fiat-to-digital conversions, allowing institutions to move between traditional banking rails and blockchain networks with minimal friction. The system is designed to support near-instant conversion between sterling and its tokenized equivalent.

The stablecoin is built for interoperability and will operate across multiple blockchain networks, including Ethereum and Solana.

Alignment With U.K. Regulatory Roadmap

Agant’s registration comes as the FCA advances its broader 2026 digital finance agenda. The regulator has indicated that stablecoin payments and tokenized financial infrastructure are priority areas ahead of a permanent regulatory framework expected by summer 2026.

By completing registration under existing AML rules, Agant positions GBPA within the compliant segment of the U.K. digital asset ecosystem.

Competitive Landscape

With this approval, Agant joins approximately 50 firms authorized under the U.K.’s cryptoasset registration regime. Among recent approvals is Blockchain.com, which also secured registration in February 2026.

The expansion of regulated participants suggests that the U.K. stablecoin market is gradually formalizing ahead of full regulatory implementation. For Agant, FCA registration provides the legal foundation to introduce GBPA into institutional payment and tokenization workflows as the domestic framework matures.

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