Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
CEX.IO is registered with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in United Kingdom. That means we have a direct regulatory path to resolve your freeze. Swiss legal team with Financial Conduct Authority expertise. 90%+ success rate.
CEX.IO is FCA-registered; HQ in London
FCA's cryptoasset register is mandatory — only registered firms can market crypto to UK consumers; FCA has warned 300+ firms for operating without registration
This matters because it determines which regulatory body has authority over your case — and whether you have a direct complaint path or need cross-jurisdictional legal action.
Good news: Since CEX.IO is registered with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), we have a direct regulatory complaint path. If CEX.IO doesn't resolve your case within a reasonable time, we escalate to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) — and the platform knows this.
under MLR 2017, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if the exchange is FCA-registered — FOS can award up to £430,000 compensation
Under Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017, amended), CEX.IO must conduct customer due diligence and can freeze accounts during AML investigations. However, they must also:
If CEX.IO doesn't meet these obligations, we escalate to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and file a formal legal submission. For a broader comparison of how United Kingdom's rules stack up against other jurisdictions, see our AML laws by country reference.
capital gains tax (10% or 20%) on gains above £3,000 (2024-25 allowance); income tax if trading
If your CEX.IO account is frozen, you may still need to declare your crypto holdings on your United Kingdom tax return — even if you can't access them. Under United Kingdom law, the tax obligation may apply regardless of whether the funds are accessible. We recommend consulting a British tax advisor.
If the freeze causes you to miss a tax deadline, we can provide documentation for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and tax authority explaining the situation.
A British client's bank blocked a fiat withdrawal from CEX.IO to their United Kingdom bank account. The bank cited Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017, amended) and requested source-of-funds documentation. We coordinated between CEX.IO, the bank, and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to resolve the compliance hold. We resolved the case by filing a complaint with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and simultaneously submitting documentation to CEX.IO.
Details anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Swiss professional secrecy applies.
We analyze your CEX.IO account, transaction history, and United Kingdom regulatory context to identify the exact trigger. Was it a Chainalysis risk flag? A sanctions screening match? A source-of-funds demand? Each requires a different strategy.
We prepare documentation compliant with Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017 — not just CEX.IO's standard templates. This includes source-of-funds proof, transaction tracing, and any required Financial Conduct Authority-specific forms.
We submit through CEX.IO's compliance channels — not standard support. Our submission is in English and references Financial Conduct Authority guidelines. We also file a parallel complaint with Financial Conduct Authority if needed.
We verify everything works and advise on preventing recurrence on CEX.IO. If CEX.IO doesn't respond within no statutory maximum, but FCA expects firms to resolve AML investigations within 30 days, we escalate to Financial Conduct Authority and pursue cross-jurisdictional action in UK (London) if needed.
Tell us what happened. A senior crypto compliance lawyer — not a chatbot, not a junior — will read your case and respond within 6 hours. Swiss professional secrecy applies from your first message.