Blockchain.com said it has received a definitive Virtual Asset Service Provider custody services licence from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, completing a licensing process that began with conditional approval in late 2025. The company said the full approval was issued on July 22 after it met all of the regulator’s requirements.
The licence was granted through Blockchain.com’s Cayman Islands subsidiary and replaces the conditional authorization the company received in December 2025. According to the company, the new status expands the range of regulated services it can provide from the jurisdiction to both institutional and retail customers.
From conditional approval to full licence
Blockchain.com had operated in the Cayman Islands under a VASP registration since May 2022. The latest approval moves the company from that earlier registration and the subsequent conditional custody approval to a definitive licence under the territory’s virtual asset framework.
The company described the July 22 decision as the final stage of its Cayman licensing process. It said the regulator granted the full licence only after all licensing conditions had been satisfied.
What the Cayman licence covers
The definitive licence authorizes regulated custody services, a key part of Blockchain.com’s institutional offering focused on digital asset storage for organizations. The company said the approval also supports institutional staking infrastructure, allowing organizations to take part in blockchain network validation while earning staking rewards.
In addition to custody, the licence permits exchanges between virtual assets and fiat currencies as well as exchanges between one or more convertible virtual assets. Blockchain.com said retail staking is also included within the regulated framework, giving eligible users access to staking services in what it described as a compliant environment.
With the licence in place, the company said it can provide a broader regulated suite of institutional and retail products from the Cayman Islands.
Part of a wider regulatory push
Blockchain.com linked the Cayman approval to a broader run of regulatory milestones over the past year. The company cited a MiCA licence in Europe and registration with the UK Financial Conduct Authority as further steps in building its presence across multiple jurisdictions.
Co-chief executive Lane Kasselman said the Cayman VASP custody services licence builds on that momentum and strengthens the company’s ability to serve customers in the region. The comments frame the latest approval as part of a strategy to expand regulated operations rather than as a standalone development.
Local expansion in the Cayman Islands
Separate from the licensing process, Blockchain.com has also been expanding its operational footprint in the Cayman Islands. In June, it partnered with TechCayman, an organization that helps international technology companies establish operations in the territory.
Under that arrangement, TechCayman is set to support Blockchain.com’s first local employee and provide sponsorship, operational assistance and access to its local business network. The company said the hiring effort is intended to create a permanent operating presence in the Cayman Islands, not just maintain regulatory registration.
Founded in 2011, Blockchain.com says it has processed more than $1.1 trillion in transactions and has more than 43 million verified users worldwide. The confirmed next step is the rollout of services under the definitive Cayman licence as the company builds out its local operations.
Source: crypto.news