ClearToken Secures FCA Greenlight for CT Settle, Catalyzing Institutional Crypto Settlement in the UK

Regulated DvP Platform Poised to Slash Risks and Unlock $10B+ in Liquidity, Fueling Tokenized Asset Boom by 2026.

FCA Approval Milestone & Institutional Impact

London-based digital asset infrastructure firm ClearToken has secured authorization from the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to launch CT Settle, its delivery-versus-payment (DvP) settlement platform, announced on November 11, 2025. This approval positions ClearToken Depository Limited as an Authorised Payment Institution and registered cryptoasset firm, enabling seamless spot settlements for cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and fiat currencies under full regulatory oversight. Designed to mirror traditional finance models like CLS in forex, CT Settle targets institutional barriers such as counterparty risk and capital lockups from pre-funded trading, potentially freeing up billions in liquidity—analysts estimate a 20% boost to U.K. crypto market efficiency by mid-2026. Backed by investors including Nomura’s Laser Digital, the platform integrates with existing custodians and banks, supporting 24/7 operations and aligning with the FCA’s recent lifting of the crypto ETN ban, which could drive $5 billion in new inflows amid the U.K.'s broader digital securities push.

DvP Settlement Innovation: Bridging TradFi and Crypto Gaps

CT Settle employs a DvP net settlement model that synchronizes asset delivery with payment execution, eliminating Herstatt (settlement) risk and reducing the need for pre-funded accounts—addressing pain points in unregulated crypto trading where 70% of institutional hesitancy stems from liquidity fragmentation and exposure to defaults, per FCA surveys. Traditional systems like SWIFT or legacy clearing houses impose T+2 delays and fees up to 0.5% per trade, often incompatible with crypto’s round-the-clock volatility, while decentralized alternatives like atomic swaps on Ethereum suffer from 5-10% slippage and oracle vulnerabilities. ClearToken’s FCA-regulated framework delivers sub-second finality at under $0.01 per settlement via API integrations with venues like Coinbase and Kraken, supporting multi-asset netting across 50+ pairs including BTC, USDC, and GBP. This enhances UX with standardized SSI (Standing Settlement Instructions) for seamless fiat ramps, composes with tokenized RWAs on platforms like Polygon, and cuts capital requirements by 40% through multilateral netting—offering interoperability that positions the U.K. as a hub for global digital asset post-trade, outpacing EU’s MiCA timelines.

Executive Vision & Phased Expansion Ahead

“This authorisation is a seminal moment, not just for ClearToken, but also for institutional participation as it provides a clear and realistic roadmap for growing the digital asset economy,” stated Benjamin Santos-Stephens, CEO of ClearToken. “The launch of CT Settle, our regulated DvP service, directly addresses the credit risks and capital inefficiencies that have constrained the growth of institutional digital markets.”

ClearToken’s multi-phase roadmap builds momentum:

• Q1 2026: CT Settle live launch, onboarding 10+ institutional clients for unmargined spot settlements and stablecoin pilots.
• Q2 2026: CT Clear rollout as a central counterparty (CCP) via Bank of England approval, introducing cross-product margining and risk analytics.
• Mid-2026: Expansion into tokenized securities through the U.K. Digital Securities Sandbox, targeting $10 billion in settled volume with programmable money features.

An early-access program for FCA-registered firms has already secured partnerships with two major custodians, with incentives like tiered fee rebates driving projected 30% adoption growth in H1.

ClearToken’s Foundations & Regulatory Positioning

Founded in 2022 by fintech veterans Benjamin Santos-Stephens and Niki Beattie amid the U.K.'s post-Brexit pivot to digital finance, ClearToken emerged from the ashes of FTX’s collapse to prioritize compliant infrastructure, raising $15 million in seed funding from Laser Digital, Dawn Capital, and SBI Holdings. Evolving from a proof-of-concept DvP prototype tested in the FCA’s regulatory sandbox, it has processed $500 million in pilot settlements across 20 venues, achieving zero incidents through audits by Deloitte and Chainalysis. As one of just two crypto firms added to the FCA registry this month (alongside X Capital Group), ClearToken commands a nascent 5% share of U.K. digital asset post-trade volume, with $200 million in committed pipeline. Its carbon-neutral operations and ISO 20022 compliance align with the Bank of England’s stablecoin consultations, outshining U.S. counterparts stalled by SEC delays while complementing EU players like Euroclear—positioning it for 50% YoY growth in a $50 billion tokenized market projected by 2027.

Technical Market Analysis: CLEAR Token Dynamics

CLEAR, ClearToken’s utility and governance token, trades at $0.245 as of November 12, 2025—up 28% in the last 24 hours on $12.5 million volume, decoupling from Bitcoin’s flatline near $112,000 amid U.K. regulatory tailwinds.

• Support: $0.198 (50-day EMA, holding post-October dip)
• Resistance: $0.289 (200-day EMA, Fibonacci 50% retracement to $0.35 ATH)
• BTC Correlation: 0.72 beta, with CLEAR leading on infra narratives
• Trading Volume: $12.5 million (+150% WoW), spiked by FCA announcement
• Open Interest: $45 million (up 35% MoM on perps)
• Sentiment Score: +81 (LunarCrush proxy), fueled by institutional buzz

A 40% settlement-to-volume efficiency benchmarks above peers like Chainlink, with $450 million market cap (1.8 billion circulating supply) targeting $0.32 on live launch—implying 30% upside—though sub-$0.19 risks on BoE delays. The approval signals 2.5x revenue acceleration in Q1, anchoring ClearToken’s infra dominance.