Study Reveals Widespread Lack of Cryptocurrency Trading Policies Among Companies

No Cryptocurrency Trading Policies Among Enterprises

In an era where digital assets are becoming increasingly scrutinized by regulators globally, a recent study conducted by StarCompliance reveals that a staggering 63% of companies across the world permit employee cryptocurrency trading without any prior approval. This finding underscores significant compliance gaps that could expose organizations to various risks, including insider trading and improper handling of material non-public information (MNPI).

The Fifth Annual Crypto Compliance Market Study provides a crucial snapshot of how businesses monitor employee crypto transactions and the extent of their preparedness to tackle associated risks. Notably, 79% of organizations do not plan to implement a cryptocurrency trading policy in 2026, leaving them vulnerable to potential conflicts of interest.

Steve Brown, the Head of Business Development at StarCompliance, states, "As the regulation of digital assets evolves to more defined standards globally, companies can build comprehensive compliance programs with increased confidence. Our data suggest that firms that stabilized their cryptocurrency trading policies early are in a favorable position as regulations take shape. Conversely, those without clear controls face escalating pressure to catch up with established regulatory frameworks."

Key Findings

1. Inadequate Governance: The governance surrounding cryptocurrency trading remains dangerously underdeveloped. Over 63% of respondents admit that their organizations lack a formal policy governing employee crypto trading, highlighting a significant industry-wide policy gap.

2. Transparency Concerns: More than half (50%) of the participants cited a lack of transparency as the primary challenge in monitoring crypto trading and identifying conflicts of interest, such as misuse of MNPI.

3. Regulatory Readiness: A staggering 75% of organizations consider themselves either "somewhat unprepared" or "very unprepared" for addressing risks associated with cryptocurrency, tokenization, and forecast markets.

4. Passive Compliance Approaches: Despite having clear regulatory expectations, a predominant number of organizations display a passive approach to compliance. Only 21% are taking decisive actions towards integrating tokenized assets and adapting to digital market regulations. In contrast, 46% report a wait-and-see stance, while 25% have plans but are currently inactive.

StarCompliance offers cutting-edge compliance solutions for cryptocurrency trading and tokenized assets which include automated pre-approvals, real-time risk detection, and continuous monitoring. This enables employees who wish to trade or sell cryptocurrency to do so seamlessly while providing organizations with the necessary transparency to safeguard their operations.

About StarCompliance

StarCompliance is a leading provider of compliance technology solutions for both employees and enterprises. With over 25 years of trusted experience, the StarCompliance Enterprise Platform serves millions of users in 120 countries, delivering a user-friendly interface that connects people, workflows, and data, offering the technology and actionable insights needed to proactively mitigate risks and monitor conflicts of interest on a global scale. Discover robust compliance solutions to cultivate a connected compliance culture at StarCompliance.com.