FIN.

Category - Investments

FCA creates wholesale banks webpage

The FCA has created a new page on its website to bring together the results of its various workstreams involving wholesale banks. The page contains the output from its reviews on: conflicts of interest in share buybacks...

FCA announces more firm failures

The FCA has announced that two more firms have failed: Argentex LLP, authorised to provide e-money and payment services and also wealth management, went into special administration under the Payment and EMI Insolvency...

FCA and ICO set out thoughts on Open Finance and Smart Data

The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum has published the joint views of the FCA and the ICO on the technologies that are shaping Open Finance and the regulatory questions stemming from its development. APIs are likely to remain key to Open Finance and Smart Data as they facilitate real time, secure and trusted data exchange. So common standards and strong interoperability across sectors and providers will be essential. Another key driver could be AI which has the potential to carry out many key chores including automating data cleaning and preparation, enhance fraud detection, assess creditworthiness, deliver advice and recommendations and help consumers to open accounts and switch products.� However, with that comes risks, not least addressing questions around automated decision-making, transparency and explainability.
There is also the potential for DLT and smart contracts to play a role, which could, for example, automate administrative tasks, improve data integrity and security and track the flow of data for easier auditing. But, again, there are risks, such as it being potentially difficult to revoke access to or correct data, and it may be unclear who is responsible if things go wrong.
More generally, the key regulatory issues are:

balancing evolution of technology with fostering trust in new products and services and delivering good outcomes for consumers;
organisations ensuring they consider which lawful basis for processing data is most appropriate to enable the required data sharing;
what effective data minimisation would look like;
achieving transparency and consumer understanding when AI is used;
the role of regulators; and
embedding trust.

Mansion House speech supports Leeds Reforms

The Chancellor’s Mansion House speech, delivered in the evening of 15 July, highlighted many of the Leeds reforms, and set out the Chancellor’s key priorities. She highlighted: for capital raising, recent changes to the...

FCA confirms cuts in costs of capital raising

The FCA has confirmed its proposals to make it cheaper for companies to raise money. The confirmed changes include:

in most cases, companies will not have to publish a prospectus when raising further capital (the threshold is raised to 75% of existing share capital, from the current 20%);
IPOs that include the wider public can come to market 3 days after the prospectus is published (currently 6 days);
a single disclosure standard for corporate bond prospectuses; and
new platforms for public offers run by authorised firms to make it easier for companies to make offers of shares or bonds above �5m without a lengthy prospectus – essentially crowdfunding platforms but for larger deals.

Generally the changes will take effect on 19 January 2026.

Government announces “Leeds reforms”

After the Edinburgh reforms, we now have the Leeds reforms! The Government has announced an ambitious package of measures to attract inward investment into the UK and financial services businesses. Rachel Reeves announced the UK’s first Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness sector plan. The plans include:

giving consumers support to invest;
create good skilled jobs;
encouraging banks to offer investment opportunities to people with cash in low-interest accounts;
encouraging the industry to highlight to consumers the opportunity to invest when they can – the Government says that, based on current trends, if consumers move �2,000 from low interest accounts into stocks and shares, they could be over �9,000 better off in 20 years’ time;
the BoE will allow more lending at over 4.5 times a buyer’s income and simplified FCA Rules, if adopted, will make remortgaging easier. The changes will also allow the Nationwide to make its “Helping Hands” scheme available to lower income borrowers – now the thresholds are �30,000 for solo and �50,000 for joint applicants (�5,000 lower than previously);
there will be a new government-backed Mortgage Guarantee Scheme to ensure high loan-to-value mortgages are available in times of economic uncertainty;
FOS will need to align its decisions more closely with FCA rules;
the SMCR will be radically streamlined;
the FCA is to review how the Consumer Duty affects and applies to wholesale firms;
the MREL threshold will be raised to �25-49bn;
the Basel 3.1 rules will come in from January 2027;
reform of the ring-fencing regime;
a major FPC review of bank capital requirements;
providing bespoke support to fintechs;
greater financial capacity for the British Business Bank; and
progressing the Berne Financial Services Agreement, so that it is fully implemented by the end of the year.

See our separate posts on some of these initiatives!

FCA to review client categorisation rules

The FCA says it is planning to consult on reform of the investment client categorisation rules to allow firms to act more proportionately when dealing with wealthy or sophisticated investors. The paper, on reform of the...

FCA and Treasury consult on ancillary activities exemption

HM Treasury is consulting on changes to the current UK secondary legislation setting the tests that firms must meet to use the “ancillary activities” exemption when they trade in commodity derivatives and emissions allowances.� As part of the Wholesale Markets Review, it said it would replace the current test with a new, simpler, version. It is now legislating to give the FCA powers to put in place a replacement test. The Order would amend the RAO and other statutory instruments in respect of the definition of “investment firm” and will provide that firms can use the exemption where the relevant business is ancillary to its main business, or is below an annual threshold that the FCA will set.
The FCA is in turn consulting on its proposals to set out, simply, how firms can work out whether they can benefit from the exemption. It proposes 3 separate and independent tests, and a firm will be able to use the exemption if it meets any one of them. It hopes the proposals will have the advantage of simplicity while having minimal impact on costs for firms, given the methods they already use to calculate the application of the exemption under the current regime.
Comments on both the draft legislation and the FCA consultation are due by 28 August. The changes will take effect from 1 January 2027.

Tribunal upholds bans

The Upper Tribunal has upheld the FCA’s decision to fine and ban 3 individuals who engaged in market manipulation while working at Mizuho International PLC.

FCA finalises PISCES sandbox arrangements

The FCA has made the final rules that will allow the new PISCES system to start operating through a sandbox. The sandbox is open from 10 June, and shares are likely to start being traded later this year, with the FCA looking to move to a permanent regime by 2030.
As a reminder, institutional investors, HNWIs, sophisticated investors and employees of participating companies will� have access to PISCES, and the legislative framework, confirmed by HM Treasury in May, will require that they receive information on the risks involved in making investments.
The FCA has now published its policy and guidance for firms wanting to run a PISCES platform.� Its new rules will include obligations on operators for disclosure arrangements, organising and running trading events and market manipulation and oversight, and are in a new sourcebook, the Pisces Sourcebook (PS). The sourcebook also sets out the process for application, and how the FCA will decide on applications.

FCA apologises over mini-bond firms

The FCA has apologised to investors in 2 firms that issued mini-bonds. Basset & Gold plc and Basset & Gold Ltd were appointed representatives of three regulated firms and went out of business in 2022 and 2021...

FCA speaks on rebalancing risk

Dominic Holland, director of market oversight at the FCA, has spoken on how the FCA is working to rebalance risk to spur growth, but not at the expense of consumer protection. His speech, to corporate treasurers...

Government makes PISCES legislation

The Government has laid the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System Sandbox) Regulations 2025, the Regulations which set the legal framework for PISCES. This...

FCA publishes latest Handbook Notice

The FCA has published its latest Handbook Notice, which confirms updates relating to its new rules on the derivatives trading obligation (DTO) and post-trade risk reduction services. The FCA has made updates to the...

FCA updates Regulatory Initiatives Grid

The updated Regulatory Initiatives Grid highlights many initiatives for various regulators relevant to the financial markets, including: during 2025: further action plan on FCA requirements in light of Consumer Duty...

Treasury and FCA hold perimeter meeting

HM Treasury and the FCA have held their fourth annual meeting on issues relating to the regulatory perimeter. The meeting noted the government’s strong commitment to the FCA’s secondary competitiveness and...

FCA publishes work programme 2025-6

The FCA has published its work programme for 2025-26, which builds on the 4 priority areas in its 5 year plan. Specific initiatives additional to those set out in the 5 year plan (which we summarised in this article)...

PRA and FCA consult on margin requirements

The PRA and FCA are consulting on a proposal that would indefinitely extend the current temporary exemption for single-stock equity options and index options from the UK bilateral margining requirements. The current...

FCA delays “polluter pays” decisions

The FCA is still considering the feedback to its consultation on requiring firms to set aside capital resources for potential redress liabilities.  While it is continuing to carry out increased monitoring of firms and...

FCA delays decision on SDR extension

The FCA has confirmed that it will no longer imminently be publishing its feedback statement on the proposed extension of the SDR and investment labels regime to portfolio management. The FCA is aware that fund managers...

FCA reforms commodity derivatives framework

The FCA has published a policy statement on reforms to the regulatory framework for commodity derivatives. The 2023 consultation covered key pillars of the regime, including position limits and related exemptions...

PRA speaks on prime brokerage developments

Rebecca Jackson of the PRA spoke to UK Finance about recent dynamics in the prime brokerage sector, and the results of a recent PRA thematic review. Key points included: that the core of prime brokerage is financing...

FCA consults on CCI framework

The FCA is consulting on how it plans to build the new UK regulatory framework for Consumer Composite Investments, brought in to replace the EU PRIIPs concept. As we’ve previously reported, legislation creates a...

FCA charges former WealthTek partner

The FCA has brought criminal charges against John Dance, the principal partner at WealthTek LLP, in relation to 9 criminal offences, including multiple counts of fraud and money laundering. WealthTek, then known as...

FCA updates derivatives trading obligation

The FCA has updated its direction relating to the Derivatives Trading Obligation (DTO) with effect from the end of 2024. The DTO came from MiFID, and the FCA is now modifying the UK’s DTO from the transitional...

PRIIPs disclosure change confirmed

The Regulations that take investment trusts outside the scope of the current PRIIPs disclosure requirement (current until the PRIIPs regime is repealed in favour of the new Consumer Composite Investment regime) have...

Tribunal disagrees with FCA on fine amount

The FCA had found Arian Financial LLP had breached Principles 2 and 3 in respect of failings in its financial crime prevention systems and controls in relation to business introduced by the now infamous “Solo...

FCA updates market cleanliness measures

The FCA has revised its methodology for its market cleanliness statistic, to make it more accurate. Going forwards it will be able to detect abnormal price movements that happen on the same day as an announcement, use a...

FCA reacts to Mansion House speech

The FCA has reacted to several announcements from the Mansion House speech. It has reiterated that it is committed to supporting growth and says it has fully embraced its secondary international competitiveness and...

FRC consults on Stewardship Code updates

The FRC is consulting on significant updates to the Stewardship Code, with a view to streamlining reporting requirements while ensuring a clearer focus on the purpose of Stewardship and delivering increased transparency...

FCA makes market rules to support growth

A new set of transparency rules for bond and derivatives trades will take effect on 1 December 2025. The FCA says the rules will both provide more information to investors and also reduce costs for firms, and will also...

FCA portfolio letter for SIPP operators

The latest in the current series of FCA portfolio supervision letters is aimed at the CEOs of SIPP operators. The FCA has recently completed its 2024 SIPP data request and will be using the information from it in its...

FCA updates regulatory initiatives grid

The FCA has published an interim update on its Regulatory Initiatives Grid. It had postponed the scheduled 8th edition because of the election and says that the replanning required as a result means that there...

FCA speaks on supervisory strategy

Nick Hulme, head of the FCA’s advisers, wealth and pensions, consumer investments department, has spoken on the FCA’s tweaked supervisory focus. He said the FCA continues to focus on good client outcomes and...

Market Watch focuses on SYSC 6 and UBOs

The latest edition of Market Watch looks at how firms can ensure compliance with SYSC 6.1.1R when dealing for overseas clients who operate aggregated accounts that provide no visibility of the UBOs. Firms will often...

FCA speaks on “predictable volatility”

Nikhil Rathi has spoken on the volatility of capital markets and on how one small “blip” can have a significant ripple effect. He noted how things that used only to happen rarely now happen more frequently...

FCA sets out financial adviser expectations

The FCA’s latest portfolio supervision letter to financial advisers and investment intermediaries sets out where it sees the most potential harms that the sector could generate and its expectations on firms...