UK crypto groups push to add blockchain in ‘Tech Bridge’ with U.S.

A group of tech and crypto firms is pushing for blockchain to be included in the “tech bridge” deal with the U.S.

U.K. trade groups are pushing the government to include blockchain technology in the trade deal with the U.S. On Friday, Sept. 12, Bloomberg reported that several groups from finance, tech, and crypto advocated that digital assets should be the core of the proposed tech collaboration between the U.S. and the U.K.

The group, including the U.K. Cryptoasset Business Council, UK Finance, and TheCityUK, sent a letter to U.K. Business Secretary Peter Kyle, as well as Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby.

“Excluding digital assets from the UK-US Tech Bridge would be a missed opportunity,” said the letter. “It risks leaving Britain on the sidelines while others — particularly in the Middle East and Asia — move ahead in setting the standards that will shape the future of finance.”

UK sees U.S. as natural partner in tech

The term “tech bridge” refers to the U.K.’s push for cooperation on advanced technology with the U.S. Notably, on Sept. 7, Peter Mandelson, the U.K.’s ambassador to Washington, called for the two countries to cooperate on key technologies. This includes AI, quantum computing, and other high-tech areas.

“The UK and the United States are natural partners as the only allied countries with trillion-dollar tech sectors, and we already partner on a range of important technologies such as AI, Quantum, and cyber security,” a government spokesperson stated.

Technologies like AI and quantum computing require large investments, often too costly for individual countries except those as big as the U.S. For this reason, the U.K. likely sees a partnership with the U.S. as the best way to play a part in the development of these technologies.