Wallet app logout or phone loss: what a recovery phrase can and cannot restore
Wallet app logout or phone loss: what a recovery phrase can and cannot restore A recovery phrase can recreate the keys for a compatible self-custody wallet. It does not automatically restore an app login, a custodial account, every wallet type, or the exact screen you saw before. If a wallet appears empty after a reinstall...
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The ‘free crypto’ seed-phrase gas-fee honeypot scam
The ‘free crypto’ seed-phrase gas-fee honeypot scam A wallet showing a large token balance is not proof that you have been given free crypto. In this scam, someone publishes a recovery phrase that appears to open a funded wallet, then waits for a target to send ETH or another network fee asset so the tokens...
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Seed phrase, private key, public key or address? A safe UK beginner map
Seed phrase, private key, public key or address? A safe UK beginner map A seed phrase is the human-readable backup for an HD wallet. It can be used to recreate the wallet’s key tree, so keep it secret. A private key authorises spending from one Bitcoin key. A public key is the matching public value...
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Can I get my crypto back? The UK evidence-and-reporting checklist after a scam
Can I get my crypto back? The UK evidence-and-reporting checklist after a scam You may be able to report a crypto scam and give useful evidence to your bank, an exchange or the authorities. You should not assume that a report will reverse a blockchain transaction or return the funds. Act quickly, preserve the record...
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UK crypto ATMs: why “there’s a machine nearby” does not mean it is legal
UK crypto ATMs: the short answer A crypto ATM being installed in a shop, petrol station or convenience store does not mean it is lawful to use. The FCA says crypto ATMs offering cryptoasset exchange services in the UK must be registered with the FCA and comply with the UK Money Laundering Regulations. It also...
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The FCA recovered your crypto: recognising a second recovery scam
The FCA recovered your crypto: recognising a second recovery scam If you have already lost money or crypto to a scam, an unexpected message promising to recover it may be a second scam. The sender may claim to be from the FCA, a solicitor, a tracing team, a government body or a firm that has...
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Ethereum Glamsterdam: why a Sepolia testnet fork is not an ETH launch
Ethereum Glamsterdam: why a Sepolia testnet fork is not an ETH launch Answer first: Ethereum’s planned Sepolia fork on 6 October 2026 is a test of the Glamsterdam protocol upgrade on a public test network. It is not an ETH launch, an Ethereum mainnet fork date, a new token release or a change to mainnet...
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The UK crypto authorisation gateway opens: registration is not the same as full authorisation
Last checked: 23 September 2026 The short answer A firm listed as registered under the UK’s anti-money laundering rules is not automatically fully authorised for the wider cryptoasset regime. The FCA says firms within the future regime will need FCA authorisation under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The scheduled application window for firms...
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Fake solicitor and WhatsApp crypto-recovery messages: how to verify the warning
Freshness note: Checked 23 September 2026. The SRA, FCA and Report Fraud pages can change, so use the linked official pages rather than relying on copied details in a message. Fake solicitor and WhatsApp crypto-recovery messages: the short answer Treat an unexpected offer to recover lost cryptocurrency as a possible recovery-room scam until you have...
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FCA’s September 2026 crackdown: what UK peer-to-peer crypto trading registration means
FCA’s September 2026 crackdown: what UK peer-to-peer crypto trading registration means The FCA’s September 2026 action targeted suspected peer-to-peer crypto trading businesses in London. The important boundary is between a personal transaction and activity carried on by way of business. A private person buying or selling crypto on a personal basis does not need FCA...
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What Is a Layer 2 Network? Ethereum Explained
A Layer 2 (L2) network is a system built in relation to a Layer 1 blockchain. In Ethereum’s documentation, the term covers particular scaling solutions that handle transactions separately from Ethereum Mainnet while deriving security directly from Ethereum’s Layer 1 consensus. Rollups are one type of Layer 2 Ethereum documentation describes rollups as an L2...
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What are florins, half-crowns and sixpences worth in decimal money?
What are florins, half-crowns and sixpences worth in decimal money? Old British money used pounds, shillings and pence. Before Decimal Day in 1971, one pound contained 20 shillings and 240 old pence. One shilling contained 12 old pence. The decimal face equivalent of a coin is a calculation. It is not a statement about what...
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