UK FCA Launches Stablecoin Sandbox for 2026

The UK Financial Conduct Authority has selected four firms including Revolut to test stablecoin issuance in a live regulatory sandbox beginning in early 2026.

Key Takeaways

• FCA selects four firms from 20 applicants for its stablecoin regulatory sandbox.
• Testing will begin in Q1 2026 under controlled real world conditions.
• The sandbox will focus primarily on stablecoin issuance, payments, settlement, and trading.
• Findings will directly shape the UK’s final stablecoin regulatory framework later in 2026.

What Happened?

The UK Financial Conduct Authority has admitted Monee Financial Technologies, ReStabilise, Revolut, and VVTX into its stablecoin regulatory sandbox after reviewing 20 applications. The program will allow these firms to test stablecoin issuance and related services under regulatory supervision starting in the first quarter of 2026.

The regulator said the results will guide final policy decisions and help shape the UK’s permanent stablecoin rules expected later that year.

FCA Selects Four Firms for Live Stablecoin Testing

According to an official announcement, the FCA structured the cohort to represent a range of stablecoin models supporting payments, wholesale settlement, and crypto trading. The selected firms are:

• Monee Financial Technologies
• ReStabilise
• Revolut
• VVTX

Each participant will operate in real world conditions but under defined safeguards and reporting obligations. The Regulatory Sandbox framework allows firms to trial products without facing the full set of regulatory requirements during early testing. The FCA will closely monitor performance, liquidity, governance, and operational resilience.

By testing these models in practice rather than theory, the regulator aims to better understand technical limits and operational risks before finalizing long term rules.

Focus on Issuance and Risk Management

The sandbox will primarily examine how stablecoin issuance functions under regulatory oversight. The FCA will assess reserve transparency, governance standards, settlement efficiency, and risk controls across the tested platforms.

Each firm will receive guidance from FCA specialists throughout the process. This feedback loop is intended to strengthen compliance while helping policymakers refine the broader digital asset framework.

Matthew Long, director of payments and digital assets at the FCA, said:

In a separate statement, the FCA added, “This approach allows innovation to progress while ensuring risks are understood and managed,” signaling a shift toward evidence based regulation rather than theory led rulemaking.

Shaping the UK’s Final Stablecoin Regime

The sandbox is part of the FCA’s wider innovation strategy and complements initiatives such as the Digital Securities Sandbox. Together, these programs aim to align financial technology development with strong regulatory standards.

The UK government has identified stablecoins as a key element in modernizing payment infrastructure. By running structured trials through 2026, the FCA intends to gather practical insights before introducing final stablecoin regulations.

Crucially, the regulator confirmed that insights from the sandbox will directly inform the UK’s final stablecoin regulatory framework expected later in 2026. This means the participating firms are not only testing products but also influencing the structure of future oversight and market conduct rules.

The launch also places the UK among a relatively small group of jurisdictions actively piloting regulated stablecoin infrastructure ahead of full legal rollout. With fintech giant Revolut included in the cohort, the initiative bridges traditional financial services and crypto native payment models.

CoinLaw’s Takeaway

In my experience covering digital asset policy, real world testing matters far more than draft proposals. I found that regulators who test technology before finalizing rules tend to create stronger and more practical frameworks. The FCA’s sandbox approach shows it wants evidence, not assumptions, guiding its stablecoin regime. If these trials go smoothly, the UK could position itself as one of the most credible jurisdictions for regulated stablecoin innovation.

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