On November 11 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the UK granted approval to ClearToken, a crypto-clearing and settlement infrastructure firm backed by major institutions including XTX Markets, Nasdaq and Nomura’s Laser Digital unit. Fn London
This approval is seen as a pivotal moment for institutional involvement in digital assets, as ClearToken is expected to provide settlement services for tokenised assets and crypto instruments in a regulated framework. The FCA’s move follows increased staffing and regulatory reforms aimed at digital asset firms, after a months-long hiatus on new authorisations.
Industry observers suggest that this signals a shift — from retail-dominated crypto trading to infrastructure trusted by banks and asset managers. With this infrastructure in place, tokenisation of real-world assets could accelerate in 2026, and crypto custodial services may see a surge in demand. For investors and tech watchers, the message is clear: regulation is no longer the barrier, infrastructure is the next frontier.
