Aave Labs’ UK subsidiaries (Push Labs Ltd. and Push Virtual Assets Ltd.) secured Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approval to register as cryptoasset exchange providers, adding to their existing Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license for zero-fee stablecoin services.
Why this FCA nod is bigger than a checkbox
Here’s the quiet coup. For you to understand, most crypto firms struggle to get even one FCA registration. Aave Labs just stacked two: cryptoasset exchange provider status on top of its existing EMI authorization. That means Push can legally handle both fiat (pounds, euros) and crypto under one roof, with anti-money laundering (AML) controls the FCA actually trusts.
Stani Kulechov, Aave‘s founder, called it “the regulatory foundation to deliver next-generation, zero-fee onchain consumer financial products in the UK.” Translation? Push can now offer the kind of seamless stablecoin on-and-off ramps that make centralized finance (CeFi) look slow.
Source: X
Breaking down Push’s UK regulatory arsenal
Let’s get a bit more specific here. Push Labs Ltd. (FRN 1031720) and Push Virtual Assets Ltd. (FRN 1031721) are now registered under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 for cryptoasset exchange activities. Separately, the group holds FCA authorization under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (FRN 900984) for issuing e-money. Together, these permissions/registrations form a dual-layered compliance shield.
In plain English: Push can take your pounds, turn them into stablecoins, let you use them across Aave’s lending protocols, and cash you back out (all while the FCA watches approvingly). No more scrambling for third-party ramps that charge 2 percent % fees.
“We are pleased to now be registered as cryptoasset service providers in the UK. Our FCA EMI authorisation and cryptoasset registrations provide the regulatory foundation to deliver next-generation, zero-fee onchain consumer financial products in the UK. With regulatory permissions now established across both the UK and EEA, we are well positioned to scale product development and deliver secure, trusted user experiences across these markets in line with applicable regulatory requirements.” – Stani Kulechov, Founder and CEO of Aave Labs.
The European chessboard: UK + EEA covered
This is bigger than you think. Last November, Push Virtual Assets Ireland Limited secured Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorization from the Central Bank of Ireland under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), giving the group passporting rights across the entire European Economic Area (EEA).
So while Britain went its own way post-Brexit, Aave Labs (quietly) built bridges to both jurisdictions. Now, Push can offer zero-fee stablecoin infrastructure from Dublin to London to Berlin. That’s what you call regulatory alpha.