Rishi Sunak, crypto believer, becomes UK PM

Rishi Sunak is a crypto advocate who has taken several initiatives to promote digital assets in the country.

When Sunak assumed the position of United Kingdom Prime Minister, he had become the wealthiest, youngest, and the first British Asian PM in the country's history. Sunak's rivals withdrew themselves from the race for Conservative Party leadership. This left him as the only candidate for the post. It is the third change in UK's premiership in the last two months.

Nonetheless, the blockchain industry and cryptocurrency investors are hailing the new PM because they see the Rishi Sunak crypto stance being positive. Interestingly, he has replaced Liz Truss, who was pro-crypto. She had to resign after 44 days of her premiership. Unprecedented economic turmoil in the UK and the criticism from the masses forced her to step down.

What's the Rishi Sunak crypto stance?

Truss was his predecessor and rival in the previous Conservative party elections. She was also a FinTech and digital asset supporter who backed the movement for welcoming cryptocurrencies. She also shared anti-regulatory views.

Unlike Truss, Sunak supports a regulated market. Also, he is ambitious to transform Great Britain into a global hub for cryptocurrencies and FinTech. The newly appointed PM previously served as Finance Minister under then PM Boris Johnson. He assumed the office in 2019 and is known for his role in crisis management during COVID-19. He also took various formidable initiatives during this period to promote cryptocurrencies.

Initiatives for promoting blockchain and cryptocurrency

A significant step has been the advancement of fiat currency-pegged digital tokens, known as stablecoins. The Rishi Sunak crypto stance advocated using stablecoins as a legit means of payment in the country.

Moreover, he also developed an FMI Sandbox (regulatory sandbox for financial market infrastructures). It aimed to bring forth innovation in the FinTech industry and was expected to be operational by next year.

He also expressed interest in launching the Bank of England's central bank digital currency (CBDC). He stated that a CBDC could act as a new means of payment. The swift introduction of a CBDC in England seems quite unlikely. But a crypto believer's government might boost the chances.

Rishi Sunak's resolve to make the UK a global crypto hub

Apart from that, what defines Rishi Sunak as a crypto enthusiast is his resolve to transform the UK into a global cryptoasset technology hub. While sharing his views on regulatory reforms and the introduction of stablecoins, he stated it was his ambition to turn the country into a "global hub for cryptoasset technology".

It was a clear statement that could define the future of blockchain technology and digital assets. As per this stance, we might see regulatory changes in Britain’s policies promoting cryptocurrencies. Also, investors might expect the introduction of digital tokens as a recognised means of transaction.

However, the youngest PM of the UK in the modern era has stepped in during a period when the UK is facing economic headwinds. Amid this scenario, the tall claims might fall flat.