According to Cointelegraph, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducted on-site inspections at eight locations suspected of hosting illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading networks, in coordination with HM Revenue & Customs and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit. Cease-and-desist notices were issued on-site as investigators gathered evidence for ongoing criminal probes.

The FCA emphasized that unregistered P2P traders operate illegally and can pose significant financial crime risks. In the UK, peer-to-peer trading falls under anti-money laundering rules, and the regulator stated that no P2P traders or platforms are currently registered with the FCA.

Steve Smart, the FCA’s executive director of enforcement and market oversight, described the operation as part of a broader crackdown on unregistered crypto activity, underscoring the financial crime risks associated with these networks.

Key takeaways

• The on-site actions targeted eight premises linked to illegal P2P crypto trading, with cease-and-desist orders issued and evidence collected for ongoing investigations.
• UK law requires AML registration for P2P crypto activity; current FCA records show no registered P2P traders or platforms.
• These raids represent the FCA’s first explicit enforcement operation focused on P2P trading, following prior actions against illegal crypto ATM networks and unlicensed exchanges.
• The incidents unfold amid broader regulatory preparations under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA), with guidance on the forthcoming crypto regime published ahead of a 2027 implementation window and authorization access beginning in September 2026.
• Industry analysis indicates that enforcement against unregistered OTC desks could reshape illicit financial flows and tighten controls around cross-border crypto activity, with broader implications for compliance programs and licensing timelines.

Regulatory crackdown and the FSMA timeline

The eight-location operation sits within a wider UK regulatory trajectory designed to formalize oversight of crypto markets under FSMA. Earlier this year, the FCA opened a consultation on guidance for its upcoming crypto regime, which is slated to take effect in 2027. The framework will cover core areas such as stablecoins, trading venues, custody solutions, and staking services. Firms wishing to operate in the regulated space are expected to begin applying for authorization in September 2026, with full compliance required once the regime is fully implemented.

The forthcoming regime aims to close gaps that previously allowed unregistered activity to persist, particularly in over-the-counter and wholesale segments of the market. As the regulatory perimeter expands, entities that previously operated outside licensing expectations face heightened risk of enforcement, with penalties and corrective actions likely to mirror traditional financial conduct regimes.

Enforcement trajectory and cross-border context

The UK raids are part of a broader international enforcement wave targeting crypto-enabled financial crime. Earlier this month, law enforcement authorities in the UK, the United States, and Canada conducted a coordinated operation—Operation Atlantic—aimed at curbing crypto scam networks. Authorities reported the seizure of millions of dollars in funds and the freezing of assets tied to fraudulent schemes. The operation identified more than 20,000 victims across three countries and secured over $12 million in suspected criminal proceeds, in addition to tracing more than $45 million in stolen crypto linked to fraud networks.

Analysts note that unregistered over-the-counter (OTC) desks have long represented a chokepoint in illicit flows, enabling actors to move funds between crypto and fiat outside the traditional exchange rails. As the FSMA-aligned regime strengthens AML/KYC expectations, such gaps are increasingly unlikely to remain permissive, potentially driving a shift toward more centralized, regulated channels for over-the-counter activity.

Compliance implications for market participants

For crypto firms operating in or targeting the UK market, the enforcement actions underscore the urgency of aligning with evolving regulatory standards. The FCA’s forthcoming rulebook signals a transition toward formal licensing and ongoing supervisory oversight of critical activities, including P2P trading, custody, and staking services. In practice, this means enhanced due diligence, clearer registration obligations, and more rigorous regimes for monitoring suspicious activity, counterparty risk, and cross-border flows.

Industry observers have highlighted the potential implications for OTC desks and other non-exchange channels. Unregistered desks have been implicated in facilitating illicit flows and evading regulatory scrutiny. As the UK moves toward a unified AML framework under FSMA, OTC desks may be required to register, file suspicious activity reports, and adhere to standardized transaction monitoring and KYC practices, aligning with both domestic and international enforcement expectations.

From a policy perspective, these developments intersect with broader market structure considerations. While the EU, under MiCA, emphasizes licensing and operational standards for crypto asset service providers across member states, the UK’s approach follows its own timetable and regulatory architecture. The convergence toward robust oversight—coupled with cross-border enforcement cooperation—has clear implications for licensing strategy, incident response planning, and regulatory reporting for institutions operating in or beyond the UK.

Closing perspective

As the UK advances the FSMA-based regime, enforcement against unregistered OTC desks and P2P networks is likely to intensify. For market participants and risk, compliance, and legal teams, the evolving regulatory landscape underscores the need for solid AML/KYC controls, timely licensing readiness, and proactive engagement with supervising authorities to ensure lawful operation within the new framework.

Kevin Warsh, Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the Federal Reserve, told a Senate confirmation hearing on April 21 that he has made no commitments to the White House on interest rates and would act independently, even as Republican Senator Thom Tillis moved to block a committee vote on his nomination.

Kevin Warsh, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, appeared before the Senate Banking Committee on April 21 and stated clearly that neither the president nor any other political actor had asked him to commit to a specific interest rate policy. “The president never once asked me to commit to any particular interest rate decision, and nor would I agree to it if he had,” Warsh said. “I will be an independent actor if confirmed as chair of the Federal Reserve.”

Federal Reserve Nominee Draws a Clear Line on Rate Independence

Warsh’s testimony was closely watched given that Trump has repeatedly and publicly demanded that the Fed cut interest rates, and has threatened to remove current Chair Jerome Powell for refusing to comply. CNBC reported that Warsh told senators he does not believe Fed independence is meaningfully threatened when elected officials state their views on rates, a position that drew criticism from Democratic senators who argued it underestimates the pressure the White House has applied. Senator Elizabeth Warren called Warsh a “sock puppet” and accused him of shifting his economic positions to align with Trump’s preferences.

Tillis Blocks the Nomination Over Powell Probe

Despite broad Republican support for Warsh, Senator Tillis has announced he will not allow the nomination to advance out of the Banking Committee until the DOJ drops its criminal investigation of Powell, which stems from alleged cost overruns on a renovation of the Fed’s Washington headquarters. NPR reported that Tillis told Warsh at the hearing, “Let’s get rid of this investigation, so I can support your confirmation,” framing his block as a procedural grievance rather than an objection to Warsh personally. The investigation is being led by the US attorney for Washington DC, who has already had a subpoena against Powell blocked in court and has vowed to appeal.

What the Confirmation Battle Means for Crypto Markets

The Federal Reserve chair appointment carries direct implications for digital asset markets, which have shown strong sensitivity to US rate policy throughout the current cycle. Crypto traders have already been pricing in fewer Fed rate cuts in 2026, a shift that analysts say constrains the liquidity conditions that historically fuel crypto bull cycles. Any perception that an incoming chair might face political pressure on rate decisions introduces further uncertainty into an already complex macro environment for digital assets. Powell’s term as Fed chair expires on May 15, and the Tillis block means Warsh’s path to confirmation remains unresolved ahead of that deadline.

Warsh has agreed to divest approximately $100 million in personal assets within 90 days of being sworn in, should the Senate ultimately confirm his nomination.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order banning state employees from betting on prediction markets, following a similar move by Illinois earlier this week.

“Getting rich by betting on inside information is corruption, plain and simple,” Hochul said on Wednesday, adding: “Our actions will ensure that public servants work for the people they represent, not their own personal enrichment.”

Hochul also slammed the Trump administration and congressional Republicans for allowing an “ethical Wild West” to take hold around prediction markets without implementing any “meaningful ethical standards” to protect against insider trading.

Adoption in prediction markets is rapidly accelerating, with monthly trading volumes rising over the last seven consecutive months to an all-time high of $23.6 billion in March, with markets covering everything from sports and elections to financial results and cultural outcomes.

However, the rise has been accompanied by increasing concerns about insider trading and market manipulation.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also signed an EO banning state employees from betting on prediction markets on Tuesday, stating:

“Illinois is doubling down on its commitment to a transparent and ethical government by bolstering its current state laws to prevent insider trading amid the rapid growth of online prediction markets and event-based gambling contracts.”

Insider trading accusations in prediction markets

Hochul’s EO made reference to several suspected insider trading instances involving US military action. 

One of them was a Polymarket trader who placed a low-odds bet that Nicolás Maduro would be ousted as Venezuelan president just hours before he was captured by US forces, profiting around $400,000.

Another related to suspicious trades placed on the invasion of Iran and the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, in late February. 

Hochul’s EO stated that any violation may result in dismissal and law enforcement action, and also noted that New York state employees and officers cannot assist others in profiting on confidential information through prediction markets.

Prediction markets, meanwhile, have been fighting potential insider traders their own way. 

In February, Kalshi said it banned a former contender for governor of California after he had bet $200 on his own candidacy last year.

Kalshi did not name the politician. However, details in the enforcement summary align with public posts by Kyle Langford, a former Republican turned Democrat who is now running for election to the US House representing California’s 26th Congressional District.

Related: Charles Schwab, Citadel Securities are eying prediction markets

Kalshi faces regulators in Nevada and New York 

The latest EO adds to a wave of action from US states to attempt to police prediction markets. 

The New York State Gaming Commission sent prediction market platform Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter in October for illegally operating an unlicensed mobile sports wagering platform in the state.

Kalshi is also engaged in a court battle with the Nevada Gaming Control Board after a lower court temporarily blocked Kalshi from operating in the state, with the regulator arguing that Kalshi’s contracts facilitate unlicensed gambling. 

Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal has predicted that the case could reach the US Supreme Court, potentially creating precedent over the regulatory treatment of prediction markets and event-based derivatives.

Magazine: How to fix suspected insider trading on Polymarket and Kalshi