The regulation of crypto and digital assets, especially in the financial services sector, is developing fast, with new laws and regulations passed or in the process, and this is a key focus for financial regulators. Technologies such as distributed ledgers, and their implications for privacy, have not escaped the attentions of both the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).

The ICO has recently issued its guidance on Distributed Ledger Technologies(1) which aims to clarify how data protection law applies in blockchain contexts. This article discusses the guidance and highlights some of the key compliance steps to be taken to meet GDPR obligations when using blockchain and similar technologies.