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Revolut has won a crypto license in Gibraltar for a new subsidiary, Revolut Global Digital Assets Limited, allowing it to offer crypto trading, custody and staking outside its existing UK and European operations.
The Gibraltar Financial Services Commission granted the approval, announced Monday, October 19, but Revolut has not said which markets the new entity will serve.
Under the new regulatory authorization, RGDAL can provide several cryptocurrency-related services, including executing virtual asset orders, safeguarding customers’ digital holdings and facilitating staking activities.
Revolut described the new subsidiary as part of its strategy to serve key expansion markets, although the company has not identified the specific countries where the authorized services will become available.
The Gibraltar Crypto License also comes alongside the company’s decision to fully restore registrations for Gibraltar residents on its payments application.
According to the government, the resumption followed discussions involving Revolut, Gibraltar’s Minister for Trade and Industry Nigel Feetham, and the GFSC. However, the authorities did not explain why local registrations had previously been suspended.
Feetham welcomed the regulatory development, describing the approval as “an important development for Gibraltar’s virtual asset sector.”
The minister’s remarks reflect Gibraltar’s ongoing efforts to attract international digital asset businesses through its established regulatory framework.
Revolut already provides cryptocurrency services through Revolut Ltd in the United Kingdom and Revolut Digital Assets Europe within the European Economic Area.
Its European subsidiary operates under a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license issued in Cyprus, providing regulatory coverage across approximately 30 European countries with a combined population of about 450 million.
Unlike its existing European authorization, the Gibraltar Crypto License will support a separate subsidiary designed to facilitate operations in additional markets.
Revolut’s authorization arrives as Gibraltar prepares to grant three distributed ledger technology (DLT) permissions during the week beginning October 19.
The government said the anticipated approvals demonstrate continued interest from major international companies seeking access to Gibraltar’s regulated digital asset industry.
The latest Gibraltar Crypto License adds to a history of regulatory approvals granted to cryptocurrency businesses operating within the territory.
Crypto exchange Bullish, developed by Block.one, received a Gibraltar DLT license in November 2021. Another cryptocurrency exchange, CEX.IO, obtained authorization two years earlier.
However, Gibraltar’s regulatory approach has also included enforcement against businesses that fail to meet compliance requirements.
In January 2024, the GFSC canceled the registration of Quickbit’s Gibraltar subsidiary after an inspection identified breaches involving customer due diligence obligations.
The enforcement action illustrates the regulator’s willingness to act against licensed operators where compliance shortcomings are identified.
Meanwhile, Gibraltar has been seeking opportunities to diversify its business environment as higher UK gambling taxes place pressure on the territory’s remote gaming industry.
Trade and Industry Minister Feetham has consequently promoted Gibraltar’s licensing frameworks more actively, with the territory also approving its first prediction market operator in March 2026.
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo welcomed Revolut’s decision to expand its cryptocurrency operations through Gibraltar, pointing to the jurisdiction’s established reputation in digital asset regulation.
Although Revolut has secured regulatory authorization, the company has yet to disclose which international markets will be served through RGDAL or provide a detailed timeline for launching its services.
The Gibraltar Crypto License nevertheless fits into a broader expansion strategy that has seen Revolut recruit experienced cryptocurrency executives and pursue additional regulatory permissions.
In May 2026, the company appointed Michael Schroeder, previously Coinbase’s head of risk for Europe, as its global head of crypto expansion.
Schroeder’s responsibilities include overseeing regulatory licensing and supporting launches in new markets.
Revolut has also continued preparations for operations in the United Arab Emirates, where Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) granted the company in-principle approval in July.
That preliminary authorization represents a step toward securing a final license, although Revolut has not yet announced the completion of that process.
In September, the fintech company recruited Nilesh Khatwani from Crypto.com to lead institutional cryptocurrency sales as preparations for its Dubai launch continued.
These appointments suggest that Revolut is developing the personnel and regulatory infrastructure needed to support its growing international cryptocurrency business.
Revolut has linked its decision to establish a Gibraltar-regulated subsidiary to the territory’s regulatory environment and its own compliance objectives.
Emil Urmanshin, Revolut’s general manager of crypto and new bets, described Gibraltar as “an ideal jurisdiction to support our global operational framework.”
The statement underscores the company’s intention to build its cryptocurrency expansion around regulated entities operating in different jurisdictions.
For Gibraltar, Revolut’s approval adds another international financial technology business to its licensed digital asset sector as authorities seek to maintain the territory’s position as a regulatory destination for blockchain companies.
For Revolut, the Gibraltar Crypto License creates an additional regulatory base from which the company can develop cryptocurrency trading, custody and staking services beyond its existing European operations.
However, the commercial impact of the authorization will depend on the markets Revolut eventually enters, the services it introduces and any additional regulatory requirements applicable in those jurisdictions.
The company has indicated that further details about RGDAL’s geographical coverage and service offerings will be announced at a later date.
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