Aave Labs secures dual UK licenses for regulated crypto payments infrastructure through local subsidiary

Aave Labs' U.K. subsidiaries have received approval from the Financial Conduct Authority to register as cryptoasset exchange providers, allowing one of the largest decentralized finance operators to do business legally in the United Kingdom.

The two subsidiaries — Push Labs Ltd. and Push Virtual Assets Ltd., together operating as Push — are now registered under U.K. anti-money laundering rules and hold an existing FCA authorization under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 to issue electronic money, giving Aave Labs a dual-permissioned framework to build regulated payments infrastructure in the U.K., the firm announced.

Combined with an existing FCA authorization under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 to issue electronic money, the approvals give Aave Labs the regulatory footing to offer full-stack fiat-to-crypto infrastructure in the U.K.

The immediate commercial goal is a zero-fee on- and off-ramp that lets users move money directly from their bank account into Aave without leaving the app.

"Our FCA EMI authorization and cryptoasset registrations provide the regulatory foundation to deliver next-generation, zero-fee onchain consumer financial products in the U.K.," Aave Labs founder and CEO Stani Kulechov said in a statement.

Aave Labs expansion

The U.K. approvals extend a regulatory footprint Aave Labs has been building across Europe.

In November 2025, its Irish subsidiary Push Virtual Assets Ireland Ltd. obtained as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider license under MiCA from the Central Bank of Ireland. The regulatory nod unlocked passporting rights across the European Economic Area.

Aave Labs is the primary contributor to Aave, the largest onchain credit market by total value locked, per The Block's data dashboard.

The Aave DAO approved a $25 million funding grant for Aave Labs in April, with the firm also rolling out Aave V4 and its GHO stablecoin as part of a broader push into regulated consumer finance.

Aave’s regulatory moves in the U.K. also comes as the FCA advances its full crypto licensing regime.

The regulator opened a consultation on stablecoin issuance, trading platforms, and custody rules in April, with a formal licensing gateway set to open in September 2026 and the broader framework expected to take effect in October 2027, The Block reported.