Blockchain.com Secures Virtual Asset Service Provider License in Cayman Islands

Blockchain.com has secured a virtual asset service provider license in the Cayman Islands, expanding its regulated custody and exchange operations. The approval adds another jurisdiction to the company's growing compliance network across Europe, the United Kingdom, and Asia.

The Cayman approval permits Blockchain.com to offer regulated digital asset custody as well as crypto-to-fiat and crypto-to-crypto exchange services. This is a significant step up from registration, which reflects changes to the local framework that requires companies providing custody or trading-platform services to obtain full authorization.

Blockchain.com has operated as a registered virtual asset service provider in the Cayman Islands since May 2022. The company had previously said its conditional approval followed upgrades to internal systems and controls after a routine regulatory inspection.

The license also follows Blockchain.com's authorization under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets framework, which allows its Malta-based entity to provide custody, exchange, order execution, and crypto transfer services across the European Economic Area. 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.

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.