Key Takeaways:
- UK petition for a blockchain strategy gains over 5,700 signatures in its first week.
- Petition calls for tokenization regulation, interest-bearing stablecoins, and a crypto czar.
- Supporters warn UK risks falling behind as the US advances stablecoin policy.
- At 10,000 signatures a government response is triggered; 100,000 could lead to a parliamentary debate.
A public petition calling on the UK government to publish a national strategy for blockchain and stablecoins has gained more than 5,700 signatures since it opened last week, amid growing concern that the UK risks falling behind global rivals in digital asset innovation.
The petition, titled “Set out a pro-innovation strategy for blockchain and stablecoins,” urges policymakers to adopt a regulatory framework that supports tokenization, promotes interest-bearing stablecoins, and explores the government’s own potential uses for blockchain technology. It also calls for the appointment of a dedicated “blockchain and crypto czar.”
With more than 5,000 signatures in the past 24 hours alone, the petition is projected to exceed 16,000 before the March 2026 deadline, well above the 10,000 threshold required to trigger a formal government response.
“For centuries London was the center of global trade and finance,” the petition states. “We consider that the future is digital where equities, bonds and real-world assets exist as tokens – tradable 24/7, instantly, globally.”
“Stablecoins are the basis of a tokenized economy,” the petition continues, noting that the United States has ruled out central bank digital currencies and is leaning into stablecoins. “The UK is at a crossroads, and without a strategy, it will fall behind. This is a question of national interest to safeguard the City’s competitiveness and the global standing of sterling.”
The petition frames London’s legacy as a global financial hub as a foundation for embracing a digital shift, where assets like stocks and bonds are tokenized and traded seamlessly at any time.
It also sees stablecoins as a key pillar of this new economy and warns that, with the US moving away from central bank digital currencies in favor of stablecoins, the UK risks falling behind.
At its core, the petition presents the issue as a matter of national interest, tied to protecting the City’s relevance and the pound’s place on the global stage.
From Signatures to Policy: How Far Can This Petition Really Go?
With more than 5,000 signatures gathered in just one day, a government response seems all but certain since 10,000 signatures triggers a formal written reply. However, reaching 100,000 signatures would push the petition into the spotlight for a possible debate in Parliament under the Petitions Committee’s oversight.
If the petition reaches that 100,000 mark, it may be selected by the Petitions Committee for debate. Even then, such debates do not automatically change the law or force the government to enact the petition’s demands. Rather, they serve to raise awareness among MPs, exert political pressure, bring expert voices to the table, and possibly prompt follow‑up action such as policy reviews or consultations.
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