Bermuda is All In on Blockchain and Crypto!.. Here's Why | Anthony Howell
July 23, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readBermuda’s government passed its Digital Asset Business Act (DABA) in 2018, when most regulators were still trying to decide whether crypto was a fad or a threat. Anthony Howell, the island’s overseas representative in Washington, D.C., explains that this early move was not a gamble but a necessity. “We don’t have oil, we don’t have gold,” he says. “So we have to be on top and very in front of what the new wave technology looks like.” Bermuda’s main industries are international corporate business, insurance, and reinsurance. To stay competitive as a small jurisdiction, it had to bet on innovation early.
The DABA framework and tiered licensing
The core of Bermuda’s approach is DABA, which was drafted in 2017 and enacted in 2018, followed closely by the Digital Asset Insurance Act. The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) serves as the single regulator for all digital asset activity. Howell emphasizes that having one regulator instead of multiple (as in the U.S. or UAE) simplifies compliance for firms. The BMA issues three classes of licenses, determined by a company’s size, product maturity, and stage of development:
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:06) **Guest Introduction: Anthony Howell, Bermuda's Overseas Representative** - Howell's role as the Washington D.C. director and overseas representative for the government of Bermuda is established.
- 2 (03:13) **Bermuda's Early Leadership in Web3 Legislation** - The Digital Asset and Business Act (DABA) was proposed in 2017 and enacted in 2018, making Bermuda a first-mover.
- 3 (04:49) **Digital Identity Initiatives: The DISPA Proposal** - The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is working on a new Digital Identity Service Provider Act (DISPA) to create global standards for identity security.
- 4 (06:04) **Sharing the Model: Advising the U.S. and Other Jurisdictions** - Bermuda shares its experience with U.S. agencies (SEC, FINRA, Treasury) and other states (like Wyoming) to help build a healthy global ecosystem.
- 5 (08:16) **The Licensing Sandbox: Three Classes for Businesses** - Bermuda offers a tiered licensing system (Class T, M, F) to accommodate companies at different stages of development.
- 6 (10:14) **Education and Demographic Adoption** - Bermuda is actively educating both the younger and middle generations to prevent the island from being left behind.
- 7 (12:08) **The "On-Chain" Vision for Bermuda** - The Premier's goal of putting the island's economy on the blockchain is a major work in progress.
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⏰ Time Stamps ⏰
00:00 Intro
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