Guernsey Financial Services Commission Launches Digital Finance Initiative
11th September 2025
The Guernsey Financial Services Commission today announces the launch of its Digital Finance Initiative (DFI), a programme to support the positioning of the Bailiwick of Guernsey as a trusted, agile, and forward-thinking jurisdiction for digital financial innovation.
“The DFI will see the Commission work to ensure that the financial services legislation it administers is appropriately tuned to support innovations in digital finance” said Director General, William Mason. To facilitate this work, the Commission is setting up a Digital Forum as a platform for dialogue and collaboration. This Forum will use roundtables and workshops to gather insights from practitioners to inform the development of policy improvements on which the Commission will then formally consult.
The DFI will also see the Commission reviewing opportunities to enhance the guidance within the Handbook on Countering Financial Crime, with a focus on supporting firms using technology effectively to combat financial crime efficiently.
Additionally, we will be further developing our current regulatory concierge service – making clear that we welcome early conversations to discuss licensing novel digital finance propositions. We are currently consulting on reducing our Virtual Asset Service Provider licence application fees.
Launch of the Digital Forum
As part of the DFI, the Digital Forum will officially launch with a roundtable event focused on stablecoin infrastructure - exploring its potential role in financial markets, implications for regulation, and the opportunities for Guernsey to lead responsible innovation.
There are two roundtable sessions available - both taking place on Tuesday 16 September 2025. The first begins at 9:00AM [now FULL] and the second at 1:30PM. Both will last around 90 minutes and take place at Regency Court, Glategny Esplanade, St Peter Port, Guernsey. If you have some expertise and have ideas to contribute, please feel free to register by emailing: [email protected].
Our Digital Forum aims to host open, discursive sessions on emerging technologies and their use in Guernsey’s financial services sectors. A previous roundtable on tokenisation, held in July, drew strong industry participation and focused on fund tokenisation and tokenised securities. Learnings from these engagements will inform policy evolution – with formal consultations being drafted once we have received insights from participants.
Deputy Andrew Niles, Vice-President of the Committee for Economic Development, said:
“I welcome the GFSC’s initiative to make clear the Bailiwick is open to digital business.”
Rupert Pleasant, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance, the island’s promotional agency for financial services, said:
“As the global financial services industry continues to evolve at ever-increasing pace in the realm of digital finance, it is more vital than ever that Guernsey continues to stay abreast of developments in this fast-evolving landscape.
Guernsey is recognised globally as a forward-thinking, agile and above all trusted jurisdiction for financial services and this new initiative clearly signals that Guernsey is very much open for business and keen to continue innovating and thriving in the digital space.”
Susan Watson, a Board Member of Innovate Guernsey, which aims to develop a foundation for innovation across Guernsey, said:
“Innovate Guernsey is pleased to be a part of the Digital Finance Initiative’s Forum. Creating a space where regulators, government and industry can connect is essential if we are to identify barriers, share ideas and build the right conditions for innovation. We look forward to contributing to those discussions and helping to shape practical outcomes for Guernsey’s digital future.”
To explore the Digital Finance Initiative and join the conversation, visit: Digital Finance Initiative