Blockchain.com strengthens custody business with Cayman approval

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Blockchain.com adds Cayman license

Highlights

Cayman approved regulated custody services.
The license also covers crypto exchange activity.
Blockchain.com already holds MiCA authorization.
Its UK entity is registered with the FCA.

According to Cointelegraph, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority granted the license on July 22 after issuing conditional approval in December 2025. It permits Blockchain.com to offer regulated digital asset custody as well as crypto-to-fiat and crypto-to-crypto exchange services.

Cayman approval expands regulated services

Blockchain.com has operated as a registered virtual asset service provider in the Cayman Islands since May 2022. The new license represents a step up from registration and reflects changes to the local framework, which requires companies providing custody or trading-platform services to obtain full authorization.

Under Cayman rules that took effect in April 2025, licensed custodians must meet ongoing requirements covering governance, risk controls, reporting, and anti-money laundering compliance. Existing registered providers were required to transition into the new licensing regime if they wanted to continue offering custody or trading services.

The company had previously said its conditional approval followed upgrades to internal systems and controls after a routine regulatory inspection. Blockchain.com has also been expanding its Cayman presence, including plans for a local office and its first employee based on the islands.

Broader regulatory footprint

The Cayman license follows Blockchain.com's authorization under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. Its Malta-based entity can provide custody, exchange, order execution, and crypto transfer services across the European Economic Area under a single regulatory structure.

In the United Kingdom, the company operates through an entity registered with the Financial Conduct Authority as a cryptoasset exchange provider and custodian wallet provider. FCA registration is primarily tied to compliance with anti-money-laundering and counterterrorist-financing rules rather than a broad endorsement of all products.

Regulation becomes a competitive divide

The approval matters because custody is increasingly central to institutional participation in digital assets. Banks, asset managers, and corporate clients often require regulated providers with defined governance and asset-protection standards before holding or transferring cryptocurrency.

Blockchain.com can now serve clients through regulated entities in several major markets, but each approval carries different rights and obligations. The Cayman license strengthens its custody offering, while MiCA supports broader European access, and FCA registration addresses UK financial-crime requirements. That distinction will remain important as crypto companies compete on compliance as well as products.

As we previously reported, Blockchain.com expands its tokenized asset lineup with 173 new listings.

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