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Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
Antidote: Building the Home for Bitcoin Entrepreneurs in London and the UK

London’s Bitcoin ecosystem continues to grow, and this week was a great example of that momentum.

Our strategic partner Antidote, London’s first startup hub dedicated entirely to Bitcoin entrepreneurs, hosted the latest Women of Bitcoin Meetup, bringing together the Bitcoin community and a live Mining panel as part of its Virtual Summit. The panel was chaired by our CEO, Susie Violet Ward, who moderated a discussion with industry experts.

Launched in 2025 with £2.5 million in funding from Fulgur Ventures, Initial Capital and private angel investors, Antidote was created to support the next generation of Bitcoin startups building in the UK.

The hub provides early-stage founders with:
• Free office space for six months
• Mentorship from experienced industry professionals
• Access to investors, legal experts and key networks

This week also marked the announcement of Antidote’s first accelerator cohort, featuring startups building across AI, privacy and payments on Bitcoin.

Alongside supporting startups, Antidote has quickly become one of London’s most active centres for Bitcoin events, bringing together entrepreneurs, developers and policymakers.

At Bitcoin Policy UK we’re proud to partner with initiatives that strengthen the UK’s Bitcoin ecosystem and support the builders shaping its future.

Read the full article here:

https://bitcoinpolicy.uk/blog-1/f/antidote-building-the-home-for-bitcoin-entrepreneurs-in-london

@Susie Violet
@fnew
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Jon · 2d
I checked their website. It doesn't look like they accept bitcoin for payments. Do they?
Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
Bitcoin Policy UK 2026 Manifesto Is Sent to All MPs Following The FCA Cryptoassets Consultation Paper

On 1 March 2026, Bitcoin Policy UK formally delivered its 2026 Bitcoin Policy Manifesto to all 650 Members of Parliament, following the FCA’s CP25/40 consultation.

2025 marked significant progress, including Bitcoin’s recognition as property under the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Act 2025. That legal clarity was a landmark step.

However, regulatory frameworks still risk collapsing bitcoin into a broad “cryptoassets” category, applying uniform assumptions that fail to reflect structural differences between bitcoin-focused firms and token-based ventures.

In a recent discussion with Cointelegraph, CEO Susie Violet Ward noted:

“Prolonged rulemaking, overlapping regimes and compliance costs that are high relative to market size are discouraging firms from building in the UK.”

The 2026 Manifesto outlines four priority reforms:

• Remove restrictive rules
• Reverse the ban on retail access to spot Bitcoin ETFs
• Introduce capital gains tax exemptions for de minimis transactions
• Simplify tax and support investment in the UK Bitcoin ecosystem

This is ultimately about economic modelling and competitiveness. Capital in this sector is globally portable. Regulatory clarity matters.

2026 will be a defining year for UK digital asset policy.

Read the full press release here:

https://bitcoinpolicy.uk/blog-1/f/bpuk-2026-manifesto-is-sent-to-all-mps-following-fca-consultation

@Susie Violet
@fnew
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Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
"Capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is well treated."

Our CEO @Susie Violet Violet Ward will be speaking at CheatCode's ‘The Great Realignment’ on Friday 27 March 2026.

Join the discussion: 20% off tickets with code BTCPOLICY!

Who's coming?

cheatcode.co.uk
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🇮🇹Davide btc ⚡ · 2w
violet ward speaks of capital, yet bitcoin speaks of control. verify, then trust, the cryptography.
Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
The UK talks about becoming a global digital asset hub while bitcoin businesses continue scaling elsewhere. Gemini’s departure reflects structural reality, not execution friction.

The problem is structural misunderstanding rather than regulatory speed.

By categorising everything as “crypto” under a same risk same regulation framework, UK policy fails to distinguish bitcoin companies from token based ventures. These models differ materially.
Many bitcoin businesses:

* Operate long-term treasury strategies
* Hold reserves in bitcoin
* Rely less on cyclical fundraising
* Maintain globally portable capital

This changes their cost of capital, risk profile, and sensitivity to jurisdiction.
When compliance burdens are high relative to opportunity, and regulatory transition remains uncertain, mobile capital reallocates.

As global institutions increasingly treat bitcoin as infrastructure rather than speculation, mispricing this distinction risks weakening the UK’s competitive position. 
The question is no longer whether bitcoin businesses will adapt.

It is whether policymakers will engage with the structural shift underway.

From 26 - 29 March 2026, CheatCode Conference returns under the theme “The Great Realignment,” examining how bitcoin is reshaping capital markets, energy systems, and business models.
Susie Violet Ward will be speaking on these themes and the widening gap between bitcoin business models and legacy regulatory assumptions. Readers can receive an exclusive 20% discount on tickets using code BTCPOLICY on the CheatCode website.

Read the full article here:

https://bitcoinpolicy.uk/blog-1/f/why-the-uk-keeps-misunderstanding-bitcoin-businesses

@Susie Violet @fnew @Peter McCormack
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Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
We’ve submitted our response to the FCA’s crypto consultation (CP25/40).

Crypto is not one thing. A meme coin is not an NFT, or a stablecoin or Bitcoin. Treating them all the same leads to bad regulation, higher consumer harm, and lost UK competitiveness.

Regulate intermediaries with custody and control,  not open-source infrastructure.

Bitcoin is issuer-less, globally liquid, and fundamentally different. UK regulation must reflect that reality.

Learn more here:

https://bitcoinpolicy.uk/blog-1/f/why-the-fca%E2%80%99s-crypto-framework-risks-failing-consumers-and-the-uk

@Susie Violet
@fnew
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Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
“Same risk, same regulation only works if you understand the risk.”

A thoughtful discussion at the London Business School on whether the UK’s approach to digital assets is helping or hindering its ability to compete for capital and talent.
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Ellie Yoki · 6w
Sad news
Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
Bitcoin Policy UK is entering a consolidation phase.

This means scaling back to a minimal, maintenance-only operation, keeping our research, website, and communications active, to ensure continuity of our work supporting evidence-based Bitcoin policy in the UK.

Our mission hasn’t changed. This is about sustainability, responsibility, and preserving what’s been built so far.

Thank you to everyone who has supported BPUK along the way.

Read our CEO statement here: https://tinyurl.com/4h5vfz86
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🇰 🇷 🇾 🇵 🇹 🇮 🇽 · 6w
😔✌️
Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
Have you subscribed to our podcast yet?

“On the Record” is available wherever you get your content.

Follow us on @Fountain here:

https://fountain.fm/show/BjN75IqanE2DpwJUxG76

In our latest episode, we present an audio version of Bitcoin Policy UK's response to the Bank of England and HM Treasury on the Digital Pound, originally published on 31 May 2023.

This paper sets out why a retail CBDC represents a fundamental shift in the relationship between citizens and the state, raising serious concerns around privacy, financial surveillance, programmability, and democratic oversight.
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BankSith · 6w
🧡
Bitcoin Policy UK profile picture
Our CEO @Susie Violet will be speaking on the regulation panel at the London Blockchain Summit 2026! 

Panel: "Can the UK Still Win? Regulation, Capital, and the Reality of Competing as a Blockchain Hub"

We will discuss UK competitiveness vs. global peers, regulatory frictions pushing firms offshore, capital deployment blockers for institutions, and the key policy levers needed to make the UK an innovation hub. 

Come along if you're in London.

Tickets:

https://clubs.london.edu/Blockchain/rsvp_boot
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