Regulation of cryptocurrencies: US, UK and the EU

The ECB and the Bank of England are in the process of introducing a regulatory framework for new cryptocurrencies and they seem to favour a different approach compared to the United States. As part of this project our team aims to determine the parameters of these regulatory systems and the right supervisory mechanisms for this sui generis type of commodities.

A comparative analysis with the US landscape will provide interesting insights, considering the interconnectedness of modern financial markets and the lack of previous experience in developing and implementing similar regulatory tools.

Apart from the comparative analysis, the project builds upon empirical research through the conduct of semi-structured interviews with policymakers, bankers, practitioners, academics. These interviews will allow a more in-depth analysis of the practical aspects of the operation of the cryptocurrencies, the challenges, the loopholes and the need for balancing certainty with flexibility.

Our research will help influence and inform the future regulatory initiatives at both UK and EU levels and provide practical proposals for establishing an efficient set of rules and standards for decoding the terra incognita of cryptocurrencies.

Meet the Principal Investigator(s) for the project

Dr Stelios Andreadakis - Dr Stelios Andreadakis is a Reader in Corporate and Financial Law and Director of Postgraduate Admissions. He is also the Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Law, Economics and Finance. Prior to joining Brunel, he was a Lecturer and LLM Director at the University of Leicester and a Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University. He holds a PhD and an LLM in International Commercial Law from the University of Leicester and an undergraduate Law degree from the Law School of the University of Athens, Greece.  Dr Andreadakis’ research interests are in the areas of Corporate Law and EU Law. He is particularly interested in corporate governance, exploring aspects of regulation of companies, corporate theories, the operation of financial markets and the role of scandals in the introduction of new legislation. His current work focuses on the role of whistle-blowers in modern corporate governance and he is conducting empirical research in the US, Japan and Europe. A monograph will be published by Edward Elgar with the findings of the research project and his recommendations as to the role of corporate culture in the strengthening of whistleblower protection worldwide. Dr Andreadakis has published a very influential monograph, co-authored with Prof Sonia Morano-Foadi,  on the process of European integration, the role of the judiciary and policy-makers as well as the future of human rights protection in the EU. In recognition of his work on this area, Dr Andreadakis was invited to make a contribution as an expert to a public Hearing organised by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament in April 2016 in Brussels. Qualifications PhD, University of Leicester LLM, University of Leicester LLB, University of Athens PG Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Oxford Brookes University) Qualified lawyer (Athens Bar Association) 

Related Research Group(s)

Law, Economics and Finance - The Centre for Law, Economics and Finance aims to advance the wider societal impact of our research by engaging with policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholder.

Project last modified 20/11/2023