On April 29, UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves unveiled plans for a “comprehensive regulatory regime” aimed at making the country a global leader in digital assets.

Under the proposed rules, crypto exchanges, dealers, and agents will be regulated similarly to traditional financial firms, with requirements for transparency, consumer protection, and operational resilience, the UK Treasury said in a statement released following Reeves’ remarks.

Per the statement, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Order 2025 introduces six new regulated activities, including crypto trading, custody, and staking.

Rather than opting for a light-touch regime similar to the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA), the UK is applying the full weight of securities regulation to crypto, according to UK-based law firm Wiggin. That includes capital requirements, governance standards, market abuse rules, and disclosure obligations.

“The UK’s draft crypto regulations represent a meaningful step toward embracing a rules-based digital asset economy,” Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy at Circle, told Cointelegraph.

“By signaling a willingness to provide regulatory clarity, the UK is positioning itself as a safe harbor for responsible innovation.”

Disparte added that the proposed framework can provide the predictability needed to “scale responsible digital financial infrastructure in the UK.”

Source: MiCA Crypto Alliance

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UK’s new crypto rules are “net positive”

Vugar Usi Zade, the chief operating officer (COO) at Bitget exchange, also expressed optimism regarding the new regulations, claiming that it “is a net positive” for the industry.

“I think a lot of companies recently exited or hesitated to enter the UK because they were not clear about what activities, products, and operations need FCA authorization. Firms finally get clear definitions of “qualifying crypto assets” and know exactly which activities—trading, custody, staking or lending—need FCA authorization.”

For exchanges, including Bitget, the UK’s draft rules mean they need full approval from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to offer crypto trading, custody, staking, or lending services to UK users.

The rules also give companies two years to adjust their systems, like capital and reporting. “Mapping each service line to the new perimeter adds compliance overhead, but that clarity lets us plan product roll‑outs and invest in local infrastructure,” Zade said.

The new draft regulations reclassify stablecoins as securities, not as e-money. This means UK-issued fiat-backed tokens must meet prospectus-style disclosures and redemption protocols. Non-UK stablecoins can still circulate, but only via authorized venues.

Zade claimed that excluding stablecoins from the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (EMRs), which keeps them out of the e‑money sandbox, could slow their use for payment.

However, Disparte, whose firm is the issuer of USDC (USDC), the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, said predictability is key to fostering responsible growth in the UK.

“What matters most is predictability: a framework that enables firms to build, test, and grow responsibly—without fear of arbitrary enforcement or shifting goalposts. If realized, this could mark a pivotal moment in the UK’s digital asset journey.”Ripple’s Cassie Craddock praising new UK draft rules. Source: Cassie Craddock

Related: UK regulator moves to restrict borrowing for crypto investments

UK to require FCA approval for foreign crypto firms

Among the biggest changes as part of the new draft rules is the territorial reach. Non-UK platforms serving UK retail clients will need the FCA authorization. The “overseas persons” exemption is limited to certain B2B relationships, effectively ring-fencing the UK retail market.

Crypto staking enters the perimeter as well. Liquid and delegated staking services must now register, while solo stakers and purely interface-based providers are exempt. New custody rules extend to any setup that gives a party unilateral transfer rights, including certain lending and MPC (multiparty computation) arrangements.

“Some DeFi nuances still need fleshing out, but the direction is toward efficient, tailored compliance rather than blanket restriction,” Bitget’s Zade said.

He added that the broad “staking” definition might sweep in non‑custodial DeFi models lacking a central provider. “Proposed credit‑card purchase restrictions—though aimed at high‑risk use — could dampen retail participation in token launches,” he said.

Furthermore, Zade said bank‑grade segregation rules for client assets could burden lean DeFi projects. “Final rule tweaks will need to mitigate these side effects.”

The FCA plans to publish final rules on crypto sometime in 2026, setting the groundwork for the UK regulatory regime to go live. The roadmap to greater regulatory clarity in the UK could follow the European Union, which started to implement its MiCA framework in December.

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Hong Kong-based fintech firm RedotPay has reportedly launched its cryptocurrency-enabled payment cards in South Korea, positioning itself as a potential disruptor in a market dominated by traditional credit card firms and mobile payment services.

The company’s crypto debit cards—both physical and virtual—are now accepted at all Korean merchants that support Visa, according to a May 9 report by The Korea Economic Daily.

The move marks RedotPay’s latest step in global expansion, following its earlier partnership with Visa and BIN sponsor StraitsX in February 2025 to enhance cross-border crypto payment capabilities.

RedotPay, founded in 2023, has rapidly scaled since the soft launch of its crypto card program in late 2024. It now serves more than 4 million users worldwide.

In South Korea, users can receive a virtual card for $10 or a physical card for $100, with minimal verification requirements, including name, address, and ID.

Reports on social media indicate that the card is currently available to Korean users. “You can use it right away with your smartphone without a physical card by simply verifying your identity upon issuance,” one user wrote on X.

Source: Blippi

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RedotPay cards support major cryptocurrencies

The RedotPay cards support major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) and stablecoins such as USDC (USDC) and USDt (USDT). Users can load their cards with crypto assets from several blockchains, including Solana, Polygon, BSC, Tron, and Arbitrum.

One standout feature is RedotPay’s real-time stablecoin payment and refund system. When a purchase is made, stablecoins are deducted instantly from the user’s wallet.

If a transaction is canceled, refunds in USDC or USDT are processed within minutes.

RedotPay is also compatible with Apple Pay in Seoul, giving it an edge in a market where Apple Pay is currently limited to Hyundai Card customers. The compatibility could prove crucial as RedotPay challenges Korea’s established payment infrastructure.

Crypto adoption has been accelerating in South Korea, where over 16 million people reportedly hold crypto. This has also made crypto a key topic in the 2025 South Korean presidential race.

On May 6, South Korea’s Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung became the latest presidential candidate to promise the approval of spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other crypto-friendly measures, should he be elected.

South Korea’s ruling party, the People Power Party, also reportedly made crypto policy promises in late April, which included allowing spot crypto ETFs, dismantling Korea’s controversial one-exchange-one-bank rule, and establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins.

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Robert Kiyosaki, businessman and best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, is once again sounding the alarm on the dangers of centralized monetary policy — urging his followers to abandon what he calls “fake money” and adopt alternatives like Bitcoin, gold, and silver.

In a May 10 post on X, Kiyosaki backed a hardline stance against central banking systems, particularly the Federal Reserve, while quoting former US Congressman Ron Paul.

Ron Paul, a longtime critic of the Fed and author of End the Fed, described interest rate setting by central banks as “price fixing,” equating it to socialist and Marxist economic control.

Paul warned that such mechanisms erode personal wealth and undermine economic freedom — a sentiment that aligns closely with Kiyosaki’s long-held concerns.

“Fake money leads to dishonest money, dishonest statistics, dishonest accounting, dishonest balance sheets, dishonest compensation, dishonest relations, dishonest leaders, and corruption in everyday life,” Kiyosaki wrote.

He called on Americans to “fight back” by opting out of fiat systems and instead embracing decentralized stores of value like Bitcoin (BTC) and precious metals.

Source: Robert Kiyosaki

Related: ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ author calls for $1 million BTC by 2035

Kiyosaki remains a major fiat critic

Kiyosaki’s disdain for fiat currency is not new. He has repeatedly criticized the US dollar, labeling it a “dying” currency inflated by government spending and central bank manipulation.

His financial philosophy, rooted in Austrian economics and personal sovereignty, champions assets that cannot be debased or politically controlled.

Kiyosaki has long argued that bearer assets like gold, silver, and more recently Bitcoin, are critical hedges against inflation and key to long-term generational wealth accumulation through economic cycles.

“Don’t work or save fake money,” he advised. “Get on your own decentralized gold, silver, and Bitcoin standard.”

In an April 18 post, Kiyosaki forecasted that Bitcoin could hit $1 million by 2035 as the US dollar continues to lose value to inflationary monetary policies.

“I strongly believe, by 2035, that one Bitcoin will be over $ 1 million, gold will be $30,000, and silver $3,000 a coin,” he said.

Kiyosaki is not the only one expressing confidence in Bitcoin’s future.

In February 2025, ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood said that Bitcoin could hit $1.5 million by 2030 if demand for the digital asset continues to grow.

More recently, on Dec. 10, Eric Trump delivered the keynote speech at the Bitcoin MENA event in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and predicted that Bitcoin would hit $1 million due to its scarcity.

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