Coinbase and UK Finance: what the membership row actually tells us

A Bloomberg report this week placed Coinbase outside the membership of UK Finance, the trade body that represents more than 300 financial services firms and sits at the center of British financial policy. The problem: as of the latest update to UK Finance’s own member directory, Coinbase is still listed. What Coinbase’s UK footprint actually looks like The company secured a cryptoasset registration from the Financial Conduct Authority in early 2025, clearing one of the most demanding compliance bars in the world for digital-asset firms. The FCA’s registration process has a well-documented rejection rate, turning away the majority of applicants who couldn’t meet its anti-money laundering and governance standards. Then, in July 2026, Coinbase received an FCA investment services authorisation. That second approval opens the door for the exchange to facilitate equities and derivatives trading alongside its core crypto operations, effectively positioning it as a broad financial platform rather than a single-asset venue. On the political side, the appointment of George Osborne, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, to Coinbase’s global advisory council is the kind of move that converts...