What happened?
Coinbase held its first institutional crypto forum outside the U.S. in London, bringing together former policymakers, bank executives, and crypto leaders to discuss the future of money. The event featured a headline fireside with Nick Clegg and George Osborne and panels on tokenization, regulation, and institutional crypto strategies. Conversations centered on the need for clearer policy and how technology and finance are increasingly intertwined.
Who does this affect?
Institutional investors, banks, crypto firms, and policy makers are directly affected as they decide whether and how to build long-term crypto strategies. Regulators and governments, especially in the UK, are in the spotlight because their choices will influence where capital, talent, and projects flow. Retail investors and the broader financial ecosystem are indirectly impacted by any changes in market infrastructure and regulatory clarity that come out of these discussions.
Why does this matter?
Clearer rules and stronger institutional adoption can reduce uncertainty and attract more capital into tokenized assets and crypto markets, changing liquidity and valuations. If the UK fails to provide competitive, forward-looking policy, capital may shift to regions like the Middle East and Asia that are moving faster, altering global market share. Overall, the forum signals growing alignment between traditional finance and crypto, which could drive bigger inflows, new products, and faster market development if regulators and institutions act decisively.