UK to regulate digital currency ads as financial promotions

This is a guest contribution by Ed Drake, a writer with CoinGeek.com. The U.K. is starting to look at regulating the way digital currencies advertise due to the false promises many projects have put forth. This article first appeared on CoinGeek.com.

Regulators in the United Kingdom are preparing to treat digital currency ads like other financial promotions, bringing them within the remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

City Minister John Glen announced the proposals amid increasing concerns over investor protection, with the U.K. government keen to subject digital currency ads to the same regulations as other financial adverts.

Glen said that companies selling regulated investments with digital currency elements could still be required to register with the FCA, warning investors only to deal with those companies that have secured legal authorization from the regulator.