Key Takeaways
- • Gibraltar's Financial Services Commission (GFSC) issued a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Provider licence to Revolut Global Digital Assets Limited (RGDAL), a new Revolut subsidiary, allowing it to run crypto trading, custody and staking for markets outside the UK and EEA.
- • Revolut announced the licence on Monday, October 19, and said it opens additional international markets, though the first markets and launch dates have not been set.
- • Gibraltar becomes Revolut's third crypto regulatory base, joining Revolut Ltd (UK) and Revolut Digital Assets Europe Ltd (EEA, licensed under MiCA in Cyprus).
- • Revolut reports more than 80 million retail customers, with roughly 16 million using its crypto services.
Summary
Gibraltar's Financial Services Commission has licensed Revolut Global Digital Assets Limited (RGDAL), a subsidiary Revolut created to carry its crypto business into new jurisdictions. Revolut announced the licence on October 19, 2026. According to the Gibraltar government, RGDAL may now place orders for virtual assets on customers' behalf, hold those assets in custody and pay staking rewards. A company spokesperson said the licence opens additional international markets, but the first markets and launch dates remain to be determined.
The licence makes Gibraltar Revolut's third crypto regulatory base. Revolut Ltd serves UK customers, while Revolut Digital Assets Europe Ltd covers 30 EEA countries, about 450 million people, under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) through a licence issued in Cyprus. Revolut puts its retail base at more than 80 million customers, and says roughly 16 million use its crypto services. Emil Urmanshin, Revolut's general manager for crypto, called Gibraltar "an ideal jurisdiction to support our global operational framework."
The licence follows a busy period of regulatory activity. Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority granted Revolut in-principle approval for crypto services in July, and in September US regulators granted conditional preliminary approval for a national trust bank charter covering digital asset custody and crypto payments. In May, the company hired Michael Schroeder, previously head of risk for Coinbase in Europe, as its global head of crypto expansion.
Gibraltar's Trade and Industry Minister Nigel Feetham called the licence "an important development for Gibraltar's virtual asset sector." The government said Revolut has fully resumed signing up Gibraltar residents to its payments app following talks between the company, Feetham and the GFSC; the statement gave no reason for the earlier suspension. Gibraltar has reportedly promoted its digital asset licensing regime more actively as higher UK gambling taxes weigh on its remote gaming industry, and the government said it expects to grant three more DLT permissions this week.
The licence makes Gibraltar Revolut's third crypto regulatory base. Revolut Ltd serves UK customers, while Revolut Digital Assets Europe Ltd covers 30 EEA countries, about 450 million people, under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) through a licence issued in Cyprus. Revolut puts its retail base at more than 80 million customers, and says roughly 16 million use its crypto services. Emil Urmanshin, Revolut's general manager for crypto, called Gibraltar "an ideal jurisdiction to support our global operational framework."
The licence follows a busy period of regulatory activity. Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority granted Revolut in-principle approval for crypto services in July, and in September US regulators granted conditional preliminary approval for a national trust bank charter covering digital asset custody and crypto payments. In May, the company hired Michael Schroeder, previously head of risk for Coinbase in Europe, as its global head of crypto expansion.
Gibraltar's Trade and Industry Minister Nigel Feetham called the licence "an important development for Gibraltar's virtual asset sector." The government said Revolut has fully resumed signing up Gibraltar residents to its payments app following talks between the company, Feetham and the GFSC; the statement gave no reason for the earlier suspension. Gibraltar has reportedly promoted its digital asset licensing regime more actively as higher UK gambling taxes weigh on its remote gaming industry, and the government said it expects to grant three more DLT permissions this week.
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