The FCA has imposed restrictions on AstroPay preventing it from providing payment services or accepting new customer funds without prior written approval. AstroPay reportedly owed several million dollars to customers by the end of 2022, according to initial reports by Bloomberg News cited by Yahoo Finance.

The FCA's latest measures require AstroPay to ensure proper ring-fencing of all relevant funds. AstroPay, part of a payments group overseen by Andrés Bzurovski Bay and Sergio Enrique Fogel Kaplan, specialises in facilitating payments for high-risk clients in sectors such as online gambling, adult entertainment, and foreign exchange trading. Operating in the UK under an e-money institution (EMI) licence, AstroPay benefits from lower capital requirements compared to full banking licences, providing challenger firms a competitive edge in payment services.

However, concerns over fraud and anti-money laundering issues within the sector have prompted increased scrutiny from regulators. According to statements cited by Yahoo, AstroPay and the FCA mutually agreed to suspend the company's EMI licence, citing that the licence was deemed unnecessary for its current business operations. A spokesperson for AstroPay noted voluntary restrictions were implemented to enhance operational capabilities, while the FCA declined to comment on the matter.

AstroPay's website currently informs users of the temporary unavailability of its services in the UK, including the issuance of electronic money and provision of payment services, due to these voluntary financial restrictions. Previous developments from AstroPay In April 2024, Contxto reported that AstroPay introduced the Mastercard AstroPay GOAT Card, a prepaid card supported by Pomelo’s technology. This addition to AstroPay’s payment solutions, which included payment links and peer-to-peer transfers, closed-circuit digital vouchers became available in both physical and virtual forms.

Users could register for the card quickly, load funds through various payment methods, and use it for daily purchases and online services. .