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New techUK report sets out roadmap to unlock UK global leadership in digital assets

16 October 20253 min read
techUK

[LONDON, UK] 16 October: Today, the UK’s leading technology trade association published a new report outlining a roadmap for how the UK can achieve global leadership in blockchain & digital assets by 2030.

As blockchain and digital assets become core infrastructure for modern finance, trade, and the creative economy, techUK’s ‘2030 Vision: A Roadmap for Building a Digital Assets Economy’ provides policymakers with a roadmap for proactive regulation.

To lead, the UK must move from reactive regulation to a clear, coordinated strategy that supports innovation, builds trust, and strengthens resilience.

By focusing on five key core opportunities – finance, tokenisation, payments, fraud prevention, and creative industries advancements – the UK can enable a thriving ecosystem that integrates digital assets seamlessly into society within the next five years.

techUK’s report outlines the roadmap to unroll the UK’s leadership in a digital assets economy in three phases and related policy recommendations:

Phase 1: Building Foundations

  • Publish a Comprehensive National Strategy: Bring together existing digital asset-related policies into a single, cohesive framework. Define asset types, set out regulatory boundaries, and give establishments, like the FCA and Bank of England, the tools and authority they need to support responsible growth.

  • Establish a Digital Assets Hub within the FCA: Create a specialised, high-priority division within the FCA dedicated to digital assets to streamline the registration and licensing process and proactively engage with the industry.

  • Encourage Tokenisation and DeFi in the current Sandbox: Expand the current Digital Securities Sandbox to focus on more real-world use cases, such as the tokenisation of private credit, real estate and art, and provide a clear path for successful projects.

  • Prepare for Quantum Risk: Develop a strategy to assess the role of quantum computing, which may include consideration of regulatory alignment with the US or EU.

Phase 2: Strategic Scaling

  • Introduce a UK-Native Stablecoin Framework: Following the US' GENIUS Act and the EU's MiCA, the UK must finalise its stablecoin regulation, including rules on reserves and the role the Bank of England plays in the process.

  • Develop a Coordinated National Strategy for Tokenisation: Establish a cross-departmental task force (HM Treasury, Department for Business and Trade, Bank of England, and the FCA) to create a national strategy for asset tokenisation. This would include exploring the use of DLT for assets and other financial instruments to boost liquidity and efficiency in UK markets.

  • Invest in Digital Asset Talent & Education: Launch a national program to upskill the UK's workforce, including education on DLT, blockchain, smart contracts, and digital finance. Partner with universities to create dedicated courses and research centres and offer grants and incentives to startups focused on digital asset innovation.

  • Quantum Compliance: Embed quantum readiness standards across public sector and support infrastructure to future-proof critical systems.

Phase 3: Global Approaches and Leadership

  • Shape Global Standards: Use the UK’s legal reputation and influence to lead on clear, interoperable standards for digital assets, programmable finance, and fraud prevention.

  • Forge Strategic Partnerships: Strengthen ties with innovation hubs such as Singapore, the UAE, and key EU markets (such as Germany and France) to create trusted cross-border corridors for asset transfers, regulatory cooperation, and joint technology development.

By acting decisively, with clear priorities, coordination, and investment, the UK can secure its role as a trusted global hub for digital assets - driving growth, setting standards, and embedding these technologies across every sector of the economy.

James Challinor, Head of Financial Services, techUK said:
“As blockchain and other digital assets become part of the UK’s infrastructure, the UK has a real opportunity to leverage its expertise and apply it to all areas of the economy.

“By following the roadmap in this report, the UK government will ensure that by 2030 we will not just be keeping pace with this transition, but we will be leading it, bringing new opportunities to all areas of the economy.”

Notes to Editors

The full report can be downloaded here.