London Stock Exchange Launches Game-Changing Blockchain Platform for Private Fund Managers
London's historic exchange just dropped a blockchain bomb—and private funds are first in line.
The 300-year-old institution is deploying distributed ledger technology to streamline fund operations, cutting through the traditional financial bureaucracy that's plagued asset managers for decades.
Why This Matters
This isn't just another blockchain pilot. The LSE is putting its reputation behind DLT implementation—aiming to solve real pain points in private fund administration, from settlement times to transparency issues. They're betting that fund managers will trade their spreadsheets for something that actually works in the 21st century.
The Bottom Line
While City suits might still prefer their champagne lunches over cryptographic hashes, the LSE's move signals that traditional finance can't ignore blockchain's efficiency gains forever. After all, even the most traditional institutions eventually embrace technology—when it saves them money.
Trade groups demand blockchain inclusion in UK-US tech talks
Twelve UK industry groups have formally called on the government to make sure blockchain is part of the upcoming tech partnership with the US. This came in a letter sent to Business Secretary Peter Kyle last Thursday. Bloomberg got hold of it ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit next week.
The letter called distributed ledger technology “a core strand” of what the UK and US are building. The groups warned that if crypto is left out, it could push the UK out of future financial standards being written by others, especially in Asia and the Middle East. “Excluding digital assets from the UK-US Tech Bridge WOULD be a missed opportunity,” the letter said.
The same letter was sent to Lucy Rigby, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, who handles the UK’s crypto policy. And the concern wasn’t vague, as they named exactly what’s at stake: tokenization and stablecoins.
The Financial Times reported a possible deal between the UK and US that would link their work on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. TRUMP is expected to land in London with a team that includes Sam Altman from OpenAI and Jensen Huang from Nvidia.
When asked about the push, a UK government spokesperson said, “The UK and the United States are natural partners as the only allied countries with trillion-dollar tech sectors, and we already partner on a range of important technologies such as AI, Quantum, and cyber security.” No additional comment was offered on the letter.
UK delays crypto regulation as US moves ahead
The UK says it wants to lead in crypto, but it still hasn’t passed any real industry-wide rules. Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister, said back in 2022 that the UK would become a “global hub for cryptoasset technology.” But the European Union, the United States, and parts of Asia and the Middle East are all ahead on regulation.
In their letter, the trade groups made it clear: tokenization (where assets like bonds or stocks are turned into digital tokens and stablecoins) is where the UK and US should align.
Trump already signed US legislation in July to regulate fiat-backed stablecoins, pushing them closer to the banking system. Meanwhile, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority is still working on it. They’re consulting on new crypto rules and plan to start accepting license applications next year. These rules will cover stablecoins, tokenization, and crypto trading platforms.
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves met with Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, in March to align on crypto oversight. After those talks, the government said it would work with the US to coordinate its regulatory plans.
The trade groups warned in the letter that without coordination, the UK could face “fragmented regulatory environments, reduced access to DEEP transatlantic markets, and increasing competitive pressures.”
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