Technology

UK appoints digital markets champion to accelerate blockchain tokenisation in finance

Thursday, 9 October 2025 4:08AM UTC

The UK government has designated a Digital Markets Champion to spearhead tokenising wholesale financial markets, exemplifying its commitment to leading digital finance innovation and transforming market infrastructure through blockchain technology.

The UK government is advancing its digital financial market ambitions by appointing a Digital Markets Champion to lead efforts in tokenising wholesale financial markets, aiming to enhance the trading, issuance, and settlement of traditional assets like stocks and bonds through blockchain technology. Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby announced that this new role will spearhead coordination and engagement with private sector initiatives, driving a unified approach to the digitisation of wholesale finance.

This appointment forms a central part of the government's broader Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy, which seeks to optimise and transform financial market infrastructure while positioning the UK as a leader in digital finance innovation. Industry experts are expected to occupy this role, ensuring alignment with both regulatory priorities and technological development. The strategy covers critical components such as eliminating paper share certificates through the Dematerialisation Market Action Taskforce, leveraging distributed ledger technology (DLT), and providing a robust regulatory framework to support new digital asset solutions.

According to official government publications, the strategy also embraces emerging technologies including artificial intelligence and quantum computing, promoting a cross-sectoral and scalable approach to blockchain adoption in financial markets. This aligns with international efforts to reduce market fragmentation and improve efficiency, reflecting the UK’s intention to maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.

The initiative has been welcomed by trade bodies eager for clearer policy direction and stronger coordination in the UK’s burgeoning digital asset sector. Some have called for a wider remit that includes a dedicated blockchain envoy and formal mechanisms for sustained industry-government dialogue, highlighting demand for high-level collaboration to foster innovation while ensuring regulatory clarity.

By appointing a Digital Markets Champion, the government signals its commitment to modernising financial market infrastructure through tokenisation, positioning the UK as a global pioneer in harnessing blockchain technology for wider market efficiency, transparency, and resilience.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-08/uk-to-appoint-digital-markets-champion-for-tokenization-effort - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.financialcontent.com/article/marketminute-2025-10-8-uk-forges-ahead-in-digital-finance-new-digital-markets-champion-to-spearhead-tokenization - The UK government is set to appoint a 'Digital Markets Champion' to lead the digitisation of wholesale financial markets through blockchain technology. This role aims to coordinate private sector efforts in tokenising assets like stocks and bonds, enhancing market efficiency and transparency. The initiative is part of the government's Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy, which also includes the establishment of the Dematerialisation Market Action Taskforce to oversee the transition from paper-based shareholding. The strategy focuses on market optimisation, transformation, and leadership in digital finance.
https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/publications/uk-mansion-house-2025-what-this-means-for-digital-assets-and-tokenisation - The UK government's Mansion House 2025 speech outlines a commitment to advancing digital assets and tokenisation. Key initiatives include removing paper share certificates, leveraging Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), and providing a regulatory framework to support new digital solutions. The government plans to appoint an industry expert as Digital Markets Champion to lead and coordinate private sector efforts in this area, aligning with international work to reduce fragmentation and enhance market efficiency.
https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/publications/the-payments-newsletter-including-digital-assets-blockchain-july-2025 - The UK government's Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy focuses on three key areas: market optimisation, market transformation, and market leadership. The strategy includes removing paper share certificates, leveraging DLT and other technologies, and providing a regulatory framework for new digital solutions. The government intends to appoint an industry expert as Digital Markets Champion to lead and coordinate private sector efforts in this area, aligning with international work to reduce fragmentation and enhance market efficiency.
https://www.xt.com/en/blog/post/uk-to-appoint-digital-lead-to-oversee-financial-market-tokenization - The UK plans to appoint a 'Digital Markets Champion' to coordinate private sector initiatives around tokenising wholesale financial instruments. This role will focus on aligning technical development with regulatory priorities across the financial system, supporting the country's transition to blockchain-based financial infrastructure. The initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to modernise financial markets and enhance efficiency through digitalisation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wholesale-financial-markets-digital-strategy/wholesale-financial-markets-digital-strategy - The UK's Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy outlines plans to lead in realising the benefits of technologies such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), AI, and quantum computing. The strategy includes enabling the sector to test, scale, and roll out solutions that tokenise financial assets, providing a regulatory and legislative framework for new digital solutions, and ensuring a cross-sectoral approach to DLT adoption in wholesale financial markets.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/uk-trade-bodies-want-crypto-made-strategic-priority - Several UK trade associations have urged the government to appoint a special envoy dedicated to crypto and to develop a dedicated action plan for digital assets and blockchain technology. The group recommends that the UK appoint a blockchain special envoy, similar to the US, to coordinate policy, foster innovation, and position the country competitively in global markets. They also call for a high-level industry-government-regulator engagement forum to ensure informed decision-making and cross-sector collaboration.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is fresh, with no prior publications found. The Bloomberg article was published on October 8, 2025, and no substantially similar content appears to have been published earlier. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. No recycled content or republishing across low-quality sites was found.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: No direct quotes were identified in the provided text. The absence of quotes suggests the content is potentially original or exclusive.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from Bloomberg, a reputable organisation known for its comprehensive and accurate reporting. This enhances the credibility of the information presented.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with recent developments in the UK's financial sector. The initiative to appoint a Digital Markets Champion for tokenisation efforts is consistent with the UK's ongoing efforts to modernise financial infrastructure. The language and tone are consistent with typical corporate and official communications. No excessive or off-topic details were found, and the report lacks specific factual anchors, which is common in press releases.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and originates from a reputable source. The claims are plausible and align with recent developments in the UK's financial sector. The absence of direct quotes and specific factual anchors is typical for press releases and does not detract from the overall credibility.

UK
Blockchain
Financial Markets