7 Million UK Adults Now Own Crypto: Financial Conduct Authority

UK regulator the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has released new research revealing that 12% of UK adults now own crypto, up from 10% in previous findings.

According to the nationally representative study of 2,199 UK adults, the figure extrapolates to 7 million UK crypto holders, up from 5 million in 2022.

The average value of crypto held by people has increased over the same period, from £1,595 to £1,842. Among crypto holders, the number of adults holding more crypto has increased, too—with 19% now holding between £5,001 and £10,000 in crypto, versus 6% in the “previous wave.”

In a statement shared with Decrypt, a spokesperson for crypto trade association CryptoUK said that the findings were a “watershed moment for the industry,” adding that “crypto is now mainstream in the UK.”

Just one in 10 study participants said that they had not conducted any research before buying crypto. But 20% of those surveyed cited “friends and family” as being their main reason for purchasing crypto.

In a note accompanying the research, FCA Director of Payments & Digital Assets Matthew Long said the study’s findings highlighted the “need for clear regulation that helps people better understand the risks.” The study also found that 26% of non-crypto users would be “more likely” to buy crypto if it were regulated.

The FCA pointed to the growth of crypto staking over the past year, adding that it “will consider the risks highlighted by the behaviours in this research,” and how they can be reduced through its proposed regulations.

The findings “highlight the need for clear regulation that supports a safe, competitive, and sustainable crypto sector in the UK,” Long said, adding that the FCA wants to “develop a sector that embraces innovation and is underpinned by market integrity and consumer trust.”

Alongside its research, the FCA has shared its approach to regulating crypto, following consultations with industry organizations, crypto firms and banks. The FCA’s crypto roadmap sets out a series of discussion papers, consultation papers and policy statements to be published over the next two years, covering topics including market abuse, stablecoins and crypto staking and lending.

Final policy statements are expected to be published in 2026, following which the regime will go live.

Crypto firms have broadly welcomed the news. In a statement shared with Decrypt, eToro UK Managing Director Dan Moczulski said that, “A comprehensive regulatory regime for crypto will provide the clarity and confidence needed to encourage further innovation and growth within the sector.” He added that eToro hopes to “actively contribute” to the FCA’s upcoming consultations, “to help shape a sustainable and forward-thinking crypto ecosystem.”

A spokesperson for CryptoUK said that, “We look forward to the government’s plans to unveil its regulatory framework next year,” and that its members “need certainty and confidence so they can invest further in the UK.” They added that international investors are “also watching the government’s moves.”

Edited by Stacy Elliott.