Crypto Disputes Report 2026
Data-driven analysis and trends in England and Wales
"It’s been another busy year for crypto business, but litigation in this area appears to have reached a plateau…for now. Frauds and hacks continue to dominate claims involving digital assets, but that’s not the whole story. Our third annual data-driven report gives an in-depth analysis of existing claims, key judgments and what to watch for over the coming years."
Vanessa Whitman
Partner
This year in crypto disputes
2025 was a busy year for digital assets firms operating in the UK. They needed to monitor regular publications regarding the UK’s new regulatory regime for cryptoassets, which will come into force on 25 October 2027.
It may therefore have come as a relief that, on the litigation front, there have been fewer significant developments than in previous years. Nevertheless, for those operating in the UK or facing the UK market, there have been some developments which will be of interest and significance.
TL;DR
- A mass consumer law firm has begun issuing crypto fraud claims. If replicated at scale, this could dramatically increase claim numbers.
- The Financial Conduct Authority has brought its first-ever enforcement claim against an exchange for allegedly illegally promoting services to UK consumers.
- We look at the Financial Ombudsman Service’s crypto-adjacent decisions, which offer a preview of the standards that exchanges and other consumer-facing crypto businesses will be held to once the new regulatory regime takes effect.
We hope you find our report interesting and informative.
"The last 12 months have seen very significant developments in the UK crypto field, with a new statute and a raft of regulatory responses. It’s clear that crypto is a major driver of commercial and legal change, and this Report sets out some of those key changes."
Sarah Green
Consultant
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