UK seeks six crypto investigators to beef up National Crime Agency

Reacting to the rising attempts from bad actors to dupe crypto investors, the United Kingdomโ€™s National Crime Agency (NCA) plans to form a specialized cryptocurrency and virtual assets team to counter the issue.

The NCA posted a job opening on Nov. 4, looking to hire six individuals to create a new team focused on crypto crimes โ€” which will either fall under the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU) or the Digital Asset Team. The responsibilities include:

โ€œThe role will support existing and new investigations where specialist cryptocurrency experience is required along with taking a proactive lead in identifying targets for further development.โ€

The role requires candidates to have the ability to provide strategic and tactical advice to crypto investigations, conduct blockchain forensic investigations and analyze various materials.

While the intent behind forming a dedicated team of crypto investigators becomes evident amid rising cyber threats, NCA did not immediately respond to Cointelegraphโ€™s request for comment.

In 2023, the NCA issued numerous crypto-centric recruitment notices โ€” all hiring for crypto investigators on various levels. The move complements the UKโ€™s goal to become a crypto hub as it reignites discussions around building a regulated environment that nurtures the crypto ecosystem instead of penalizing the users.

Related: London emerges as worldโ€™s most crypto-ready city for business โ€” research

In August 2023, crypto exchange Coinbase confirmed it was working โ€œseriouslyโ€ in the U.K. and Europe amid the introduction of the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation.

A related Coinbase post recognized the U.K. as one of its fastest-growing user markets. โ€œIn short, things are happening in Europe that are edging the region ahead and when it comes to embracing the digital economy, the region is preparing for a seismic change in how it uses and thinks about money,โ€ it added.

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