英格兰银行和 FCA 推出 2024 年秋季队列数字证券沙盒

英格兰银行 (BoE) 和金融行为监管局 (FCA) 正在寻求有关英国数字证券沙盒 (DSS) 拟议运营框架的反馈，并计划在夏季开放申请。 DSS 旨在促进数字资产在金融市场中的采用，允许符合条件的英国公司在旨在促进创新和保护消费者的监管环境中利用新兴技术进行数字证券的交易和结算。

Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority Unveil Digital Securities Sandbox for Autumn 2024 Cohort

英格兰银行和金融行为监管局推出 2024 年秋季队列数字证券沙盒

In a joint initiative to foster innovation and facilitate the adoption of digital assets within financial markets, the Bank of England (BoE) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are preparing to launch the Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS) in autumn 2024. This sandbox will provide eligible UK firms with a controlled environment to test and develop innovative applications of emerging technologies, such as blockchain and distributed ledger networks, in the trading and settlement of digital securities.

为了促进创新并促进数字资产在金融市场中的采用，英格兰银行 (BoE) 和金融行为监管局 (FCA) 正准备于 2024 年秋季推出数字证券沙盒 (DSS)。将为符合条件的英国公司提供受控环境，以测试和开发区块链和分布式账本网络等新兴技术在数字证券交易和结算中的创新应用。

The DSS is designed to accelerate the exploration and understanding of these technologies and their potential impact on financial markets. It will allow selected participants to operate within a tailored regulatory framework, enabling them to test new products, services, and business models while mitigating risks to consumers and the broader financial system.

DSS 旨在加速探索和了解这些技术及其对金融市场的潜在影响。它将允许选定的参与者在量身定制的监管框架内运作，使他们能够测试新产品、服务和商业模式，同时减轻消费者和更广泛的金融体系的风险。

"The Digital Securities Sandbox is a transformative tool that will reshape how we regulate," said Sheldon Mills, Executive Director at the FCA. "It will allow firms to test regulatory changes in real-world situations before they are made permanent, fostering innovation in digital assets while ensuring robust consumer protection."

FCA 执行董事 Sheldon Mills 表示：“数字证券沙盒是一种变革性工具，将重塑我们的监管方式。” “它将允许企业在监管变化永久化之前在现实情况下进行测试，从而促进数字资产的创新，同时确保强有力的消费者保护。”

Mills further emphasized the DSS's strategic significance in strengthening the UK's position as a global financial center, by driving the adoption of new technologies for trading and settling traditional assets.

米尔斯进一步强调了 DSS 通过推动采用新技术进行交易和结算传统资产，在加强英国作为全球金融中心地位方面的战略意义。

The DSS differs from the FCA's existing Digital Sandbox, which focuses on supporting firms in the early stages of digital product development. The DSS specifically targets the more advanced stages of development and testing, enabling participants to explore the practical implementation of digital securities within live market operations.

DSS 与 FCA 现有的数字沙盒不同，后者专注于在数字产品开发的早期阶段为企业提供支持。 DSS 特别针对更高级的开发和测试阶段，使参与者能够探索数字证券在实时市场运营中的实际实施。

The timeline for the DSS's implementation began with the UK Treasury's initial proposal in July 2023. In November, the government responded to the public consultation and announced plans for legislation to implement the initiative. New regulations were introduced in December, providing supervisory guidelines for the sandbox under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, which came into effect on January 8.

DSS 的实施时间表始于英国财政部于 2023 年 7 月提出的初步提议。11 月，政府回应了公众咨询，并宣布了实施该举措的立法计划。 12 月出台了新法规，根据 1 月 8 日生效的《2023 年金融服务和市场法案》为沙盒提供了监管指南。

Following the release of a joint consultation paper on Wednesday, interested parties have until May 29 to provide feedback. The BoE and FCA will then issue a response and begin accepting applications for the DSS during the summer of 2024. The first cohort of participants is expected to join the initiative as early as autumn.

继周三发布联合咨询文件后，感兴趣的各方必须在 5 月 29 日之前提供反馈。英国央行和 FCA 随后将发布回应，并于 2024 年夏季开始接受 DSS 申请。预计第一批参与者最早将于秋季加入该计划。

"The Digital Securities Sandbox is a vital tool for regulators to understand how to adapt safely to technological advancements and changes in critical financial market processes, such as securities settlement," said Sasha Mills, Executive Director for Financial Market Infrastructure at the BoE. "We welcome input from potential participants and look forward to collaborating with the FCA, government, and industry throughout the DSS."

英国央行金融市场基础设施执行董事 Sasha Mills 表示：“数字证券沙盒是监管机构了解如何安全地适应关键金融市场流程（例如证券结算）的技术进步和变化的重要工具。” “我们欢迎潜在参与者提出意见，并期待在整个 DSS 过程中与 FCA、政府和行业进行合作。”

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to offer securities depository and settlement services and operate a trading venue under a single legal entity. The DSS aims to encompass a diverse range of firms to maximize learning opportunities and foster innovation within the UK financial system.

成功的申请者将有机会提供证券存管和结算服务，并在单一法人实体下经营交易场所。 DSS 旨在涵盖多元化的公司，以最大限度地增加学习机会并促进英国金融体系内的创新。

This initiative could pave the way for faster, more cost-effective trading, settlement, and utilization of securities among financial market participants. The DSS is expected to run for five years, subject to entry limits, and could culminate in permanent regulations governing the trading and settlement of digital assets.

这一举措可以为金融市场参与者之间更快、更具成本效益的证券交易、结算和利用铺平道路。 DSS 预计将运行五年，但会受到准入限制，最终可能会形成管理数字资产交易和结算的永久性法规。

The UK has been a pioneer in the exploration of digital assets. In April 2023, the UK government published a "Roadmap to the UK's Digital Future," which outlined the country's ambition to become a global hub for digital asset technology and investment. The DSS is a key element of this strategy, providing a tangible platform for the development and testing of innovative applications in this emerging field.

英国一直是数字资产探索的先驱。 2023年4月，英国政府发布了《英国数字未来路线图》，概述了该国成为全球数字资产技术和投资中心的雄心。 DSS 是该战略的关键要素，为这一新兴领域的创新应用程序的开发和测试提供了一个有形的平台。