UK-US regulators start 180-day test run on crypto market alignment

The “Transatlantic Task Force for Markets of the Future” has 180 days to deliver proposals on crypto oversight and capital-markets reform, testing whether two of the world’s top hubs can align on fast-moving financial technology.

According to an announcement on Sept. 22, the new task force was cemented during U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s visit to Downing Street with UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

The directive, emerging from a high-level industry roundtable, charges senior officials from both treasuries to chair the effort. Their mandate is to craft concrete recommendations for synchronizing capital-markets and digital-asset regulation, with a strict six-month deadline to report back through the existing UK-U.S. Financial Regulatory Working Group.

A mandate for market modernization

Per the statement, a primary objective is to identify options for collaboration on digital assets in the short to medium term, acknowledging that formal legislation in both nations is still a work in progress.

Simultaneously, the group will explore long-term opportunities for innovation within wholesale digital markets, allowing regulators to address pressing industry needs while laying the groundwork for a fundamentally new financial infrastructure.

Notably, recommendations by the task force “are to be developed in close collaboration with industry partners,” according to the announcement. This ensures that the perspectives of exchanges, asset managers, and technology firms directly inform the policy blueprint.

Industry response

Coinbase was quick to weigh in, framing the partnership as pivotal for the next stage of financial innovation. The exchange urged both governments to prioritize tokenizing traditional assets, developing a transatlantic stablecoin corridor, and pursuing mutual recognition of regulatory regimes.

“The UK-US partnership is more than a bilateral relationship; it is a powerful force for progress. By working together, these two nations can lead the world in tokenisation, driving innovation, growth, and financial inclusion. Coinbase is proud to invest in this partnership and help shape the future of the global economy,” the exchange said.

By aligning two of the world’s most influential capital markets, the task force could set the global rulebook for digital assets, moving beyond the current patchwork of national regulations. The success of this experiment will be measured by its ability to produce a framework that is both innovative and secure, providing the clarity that institutions need to fully commit to the digital-asset space.