FCA Friction Said to Spook Investors Over Copper’s Reported $500M Raise

2 years ago

The information that Copper is 1 of the U.K. crypto businesses stuck successful the Financial Conduct Authority’s impermanent registration process has been a occupation for prospective investors Accel Partners and Tiger Global, the radical said.

“Tiger, and presumably immoderate of the different investors, had wanted to marque the closing process tied to the FCA approval,” 1 of the radical said. “So immoderate operation of downsizings, oregon pulling retired of the circular happened with the capitalist consortium.”

A 2nd idiosyncratic said Accel had “walked distant from the deal,” and that Tiger has chopped its intended concern successful the circular to astir a 4th of what was initially a nine-figure commitment.

Accel Partners did not respond to requests for comment. Tiger Global declined to comment. A Copper spokesperson said the steadfast could not remark since the circular is ongoing.

Copper, which raised $75 cardinal of Series B funding successful the mediate of past year, shares a spot with 11 different firms connected the FCA’s impermanent registration regime, which was extended past week. Other firms that person been waiting successful enactment for FCA support see the likes of fintech large Revolut and crypto level Blockchain.com, which precocious announced a $14 cardinal valuation.

The backing difficulties could beryllium the past straw for U.K.-headquartered Copper, which is already looking towards Switzerland; past period the crypto custody steadfast incorporated Copper Technologies (Switzerland) AG successful the canton of Zug.

“It’s not showing the FCA successful a precise bully light,” said a London-based crypto source. “This registration process has frankly been a disaster, and arsenic a effect immoderate precise ample and palmy crypto businesses are leaving the U.K. and won’t travel back. So that’s a batch of taxation gross and thing of a stroke to London arsenic a fintech hub.”

The FCA did not respond to requests for comment.

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Ian Allison is an award-winning elder newsman astatine CoinDesk. He holds ETH.


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