by Daniel Taylor
April 2023
FCA registration, wow moments in blockchain - and happy holidays to all.
Approaching the turn of the year is a natural breakpoint and time for reflection – and what a year it’s been for Zumo and crypto at large. We’re delighted to have finished the year strong: here, without further ado, are a few selected highlights from the last few months of the year.
Compliance comes first
On 10 December, Zumo, trading as Zumo Financial Services Limited, received approval to be added to the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s list of Registered Cryptoasset firms. This is a significant milestone in what has been a rigorous and robust process, and leaves Zumo as the first customer-facing non-custodial wallet to make it onto the register. Full details in our press release here.
Wowing the blockchain
We were thrilled to win ‘Wow moment in blockchain’ at the Fintech Finance awards in recognition of the hard work we’ve been putting in to bring the benefits of blockchain and crypto to everyone.
Presented at an awards ceremony hosted by FF News and Fintech Finance, the“ wow moment in the blockchain” award acknowledges companies that have decentralization at their core, and the impact that this has on individuals, businesses, and societies in general.
For a feel of what Zumo is all about, we highly recommend watching our video entry, which you can view on the Fintech Finance page here.
Continuing the awards theme, Zumo was also voted best mobile wallet at the People’s Choice Crypto Awards. Well done team!
Zeroing in on crypto sustainability
Our focus on tackling and engaging with the environmental impact of crypto continues, bolstered by the launch of the Zumo Zero Hero pilot project in November. ‘Zero Hero’ gives Zumo app users a greener alternative to hold Bitcoin by compensating all in-app Bitcoin purchases with verified renewable energy certificates, transparently and permanently recorded on the blockchain. Already, this work has been recognised with a shortlisting for ‘Cryptoasset Innovation of the Year’ at the 2022 FStech awards.
Building on the recent research work Zumo has done to inform the crypto climate debate, our Environmental and Sustainability Adviser Kirsteen Harrison also joined Ian Taylor, Executive Director of CryptoUK and Julia Streets, CEO of Streets Consulting, for a follow-up webinar exploring the decarbonising crypto debate, viewable below. This month, we were also pleased to contribute to the Crypto Climate Accord’s newly released guidance for accounting and reporting electricity use and carbon emissions from cryptocurrency, which provides a valuable framework and resource for the industry at large.
This is a very fast-moving area with a lot of activity, and we look forward to continuing to work with the industry to shape the coordinated response required to address this vital issue.
Looking ahead to 2022
Finally, December was also a chance for the whole Zumo team to gather in Edinburgh: to review what happened in 2021; to look ahead to strategic planning for 2022; and, of course, to catch up with colleagues across the business. The Christmas meal was particularly enjoyed, with an abundance of steak dinners and a great chance to catch up beyond the Zoom screen.
By all accounts, 2022 is shaping up to be another big year, and we’re excited to share with you what we have in store in the months and year ahead.
Allow us to close this update by wishing you and your loved ones happy holidays and all the best on behalf of the whole Zumo team. Wherever and however you’re celebrating, we hope you have a joyful, restful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you back here again in the new year.
