The UK and the US will sign a "breakthrough" technology agreement next week, including AI and quantum computing, with the cryptocurrency sector lobbying for "blockchain" to be included as well

The UK and the US are preparing to sign a "breakthrough" technology cooperation agreement next week, focusing on cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. This move is expected to be accompanied by a series of significant investment commitments from American tech giants, while UK financial and tech industry groups are actively lobbying to include blockchain technology in this important transatlantic cooperation framework.

According to CCTV News, US President Trump will make a state visit to the UK from September 17 to 19. According to a statement from the UK government, the agreement will be signed during Trump's state visit to the UK. The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology stated that the agreement will boost businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. This visit is expected to facilitate substantial investments from major US tech companies in the UK data center sector.

According to media reports on the 14th, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who are accompanying Trump on his visit, plan to commit to supporting billions of dollars in UK data center investments during their time in the UK. Additionally, according to another informed source, the US cloud computing provider CoreWeave, which went public this year, is also preparing to announce an investment in the UK.

Meanwhile, an alliance of more than a dozen industry associations is urging the UK government to make blockchain technology a core part of what is being called the "UK-US Tech Bridge." They warn that excluding digital assets could cause the UK to miss the opportunity to shape future financial standards and put it at a disadvantage in global competition.

"Breakthrough" Agreement Focuses on Cutting-Edge Technology

According to a statement from the UK government, the upcoming agreement aims to deepen cooperation between the two countries in key technology areas. Newly appointed UK Secretary of State for Science, Liz Kendall, stated:

"Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing will change our lives, including bringing new ways to treat diseases and improving public services."

In fact, the UK and the US have already engaged in close cooperation in a range of technology fields, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, telecommunications, and quantum computing. The signing of this agreement is seen as an important upgrade on the existing cooperation, aiming to establish a more systematic cooperation mechanism. A spokesperson for the UK government stated:

"The UK and the US are natural partners and are the only two allies with trillion-dollar tech industries."

Trump's three-day state visit will be accompanied by a delegation of US business executives, highlighting that business and tech investment are among the core topics of this trip.

According to informed sources, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA and Sam Altman of OpenAI are expected to announce investment support for the UK data center sector. Additionally, asset management giant BlackRock also plans to invest up to £500 million (approximately $678 million) in the UK data center market, and its CEO Larry Fink will accompany Trump on the visit If these investment commitments are fulfilled, they will inject strong momentum into the construction of digital infrastructure in the UK and send positive signals to investors.

Industry Groups Call for Inclusion of Blockchain

As the official agreement details have not yet been fully disclosed, financial, technology, and crypto asset industry groups in the UK are jointly pressuring the government to include distributed ledger technology (DLT) in the agreement.

According to media reports citing a letter, several groups, including the UK Cryptoasset Business Council, UK Finance, and TheCityUK, wrote to UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle last Thursday. The letter emphasized that excluding digital assets from the "UK-US Tech Bridge" is "a missed opportunity" and "could lead to the UK being marginalized while other regions are leading in setting standards that will shape the future of finance."

UK's Crypto Hub Ambitions vs. Regulatory Realities

This lobbying effort highlights the gap between the UK's ambitions in the crypto asset space and the current reality. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised in 2022 to make the UK a "global crypto asset technology hub," but the UK has yet to introduce a comprehensive set of industry regulations and has fallen behind the EU, the US, and parts of Asia and the Middle East in the adoption of crypto assets.

Industry groups specifically pointed out stablecoins and asset tokenization in their letter, describing them as areas of "strategic relevance and importance" to both economies. Notably, the US has made regulatory progress, with President Trump signing a landmark bill in July this year concerning stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies.

Currently, the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on a regulatory framework for crypto assets, aiming to start accepting relevant license applications next year. The lobbying groups warned in their letter: "Without coordinated action, UK companies may face a fragmented regulatory environment, reduced opportunities to enter deep transatlantic markets, and increasing competitive pressure." Previously, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated in March this year, after discussions with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, that the UK government would collaborate with US officials on regulatory plans for the crypto industry