Global Financial Regulatory Blog

Tag Archives: fintech

FCA Board Focuses on AI

A new publication from the UK’s financial regulator signals to firms that they should take steps to manage risks in the use of AI. By Stuart Davis, Fiona M. Maclean, Gabriel Lakeman, and Imaan Nazir The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its latest board minutes highlighting its increasing focus on artificial intelligence (AI), … Continue Reading

UK Chancellor Outlines Future for Financial Services Post-Brexit

Equivalence decisions for EEA states, green finance and fintech initiatives are at the forefront of the UK government’s priorities. By Rob Moulton, Anne Mainwaring, and Anna Lewis-Martinez On 9 November 2020, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered a statement setting out plans for the start of a new chapter for UK financial … Continue Reading

European Parliament Calls for New EU Common Framework for Cryptoassets

An ECON draft report on digital finance recommends legislative action in relation to cryptoassets and cyber resilience and a framework for digital onboarding. By Stuart Davis, Sam Maxson, and Anna Lewis-Martinez On 4 June 2020, the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) published a draft report setting out its recommendations to the European … Continue Reading

UK and Singapore Regulators Announce Enhanced Cybersecurity Collaboration

By Andrew C. Moyle, Grace Erskine, and Charlotte Collins As leading global financial and FinTech centres, the UK and Singapore will benefit from strengthening their cybersecurity alliance. On 13 June 2019, the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore announced that they will be working together to strengthen cybersecurity … Continue Reading

What EBA’s Outsourcing Guidelines Mean for Financial Institutions

The guidelines create new obligations for financial, payment, and electronic money institutions that will impact cloud outsourcing and deployment of FinTech. By Fiona M. Maclean and Laura Holden On 25 February 2019, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published a final report on its draft guidelines on outsourcing arrangements (Guidelines). The report followed the EBA’s publication … Continue Reading

Will Regulatory Reform Make Cryptoassets the Next Buyout Boom for Private Equity?

Regulatory guidance on cryptoassets and digital currency companies may lead to a legitimisation of crypto-businesses as an investable asset class. By Stuart Davis, Sam Maxson, David Walker, Tom Evans, and Catherine Campbell Recent and upcoming regulatory guidance on cryptoassets and the regulation of companies engaged in digital currency, such as issuers, crypto-exchanges, crypto-custodians, crypto-brokers, and … Continue Reading

FCA Publishes Policy Statement Extending Rules to Payment Services and E-Money Sectors

From August 2019, certain existing FCA rules and guidance will extend to payment service providers and e-money issuers in a signal that the FCA wants a consistent approach to consumer protection. By Rob Moulton, Brett Carr, and Frida Montenius The FCA has published a Policy Statement extending certain rules and guidance to the payment services … Continue Reading

Outsource Service Providers to the Financial Services Industry — A Growth Sector for Buyout Firms

By Nicola Higgs, Fiona MacLean, Brett Carr, and Catherine Campbell Technology outsourcing by financial institutions (FIs) has increased in recent years as FIs look to the latest innovations to improve their day-to-day business processes and to reduce costs. FIs outsource key functions to a host of regulated and unregulated third-party service providers, and the sector is … Continue Reading

European Banking Authority’s Draft Guidelines on Outsourcing: Discussion of Key Themes

The EBA’s draft guidelines on outsourcing will impact cloud outsourcing and institutions’ deployment of FinTech. By Fiona Maclean, Charlotte Collins, and Terese Saplys On 4 September 2018, a wide audience of interested individuals gathered at Canary Wharf for a public hearing (Public Consultation) to listen to what the European Banking Authority (EBA) had to say in relation … Continue Reading

Private Equity and Blockchain: New Infrastructure or New Asset Class?

By Andrew Moyle and Stuart Davis Growth in applications for blockchain and tokenisation, combined with an increasing number of initial coin offerings (ICOs), mean that buyout firms should note developments in this sector. Why Should PE Be Interested in Blockchain? A shared blockchain ledger could drive a single interface between a PE fund and its investors, … Continue Reading

FCA Speaks Out on the Ethics of Big Data

FCA Chair hints that new regulation addressing data ethics in the FinTech space may be on the horizon. By Nicola Higgs, Fiona Maclean and Terese Saplys Will societies of the future be ruled by algocracy, in which algorithms decide how humans are governed? Charles Randell, Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Payment Systems … Continue Reading

FCA Supports Guidelines on the Open Banking Fall-Back Provisions Exemption

The FCA has outlined its approach to implementing key standards under the revised Payment Services Directive. By Christian McDermott, Stuart Davis, Brett Carr, and Charlotte Collins The FCA has published a statement on its website relating to the European Banking Authority’s (EBA’s) Opinion and draft Guidelines of 13 June 2018 on the Regulatory Technical Standards … Continue Reading

UK Financial Services Regulators Warn Firms About Risks of Exposure to Crypto-assets

Both the FCA and the PRA have written to firms to warn about certain risks associated with exposures to crypto-assets, and to advise firms of the measures they should consider implementing to mitigate such risks. By Stuart Davis and Charlotte Collins The FCA and the PRA have each written a “Dear CEO” letter to firms, … Continue Reading

New Kid on the Block – New UK Payment System Operator Takes Over

The consolidation of UK payment system operators marks another big step in delivering on the New Payments Architecture. By Stuart Davis and Brett Carr What happened? Operational responsibility for the Bacs and Faster Payments systems, which process a combined £6.3 trillion worth of payments annually, has transferred to the New Payment System Operator (NPSO). The … Continue Reading

Cryptocurrencies and Prepaid Cards Face Closer AML Regulation in the EU

New EU anti-money laundering measures have been approved by European legislators. By Stuart Davis and Charlotte Collins The European Parliament and Council have finally signed off on the text of the fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (known as MLD5). Overview The new directive is of particular interest to the FinTech sector as, amongst other things, MLD5 … Continue Reading

Poised for Next Payments Boom

By Christian McDermott In recent years, PE firms have been paying to play in the payment processing sector. From Worldpay and Nets, to Bambora and Paysafe, payment processing companies have proven to be attractive investments for European PE. In our view, a wave of regulation in the FinTech sector will unleash further growth potential, and … Continue Reading

Opening Up Access to UK Payment Schemes

Bank of England announces that, for the first time, a non-bank payment services provider has accessed the UK payments system directly. By Andrew Moyle, Stuart Davis, Charlotte Collins, and Brett Carr The Bank of England has announced that a regulated payment services provider (PSP) has become the first non-bank direct participant in the UK’s Faster … Continue Reading

UK Government’s First FinTech Sector Strategy Launched at the International Fintech Conference

The Strategy emphasises the UK government’s continued push to create a world-leading FinTech sector. By Stuart Davis, Charlotte Collins and Sam Wong At the second International Fintech Conference held on 22 March 2018, Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the launch of the UK’s first Fintech Sector Strategy. The Strategy includes the following key … Continue Reading

Global Ambitions for the FCA’s Sandbox

The FCA seeks industry feedback to capitalise on global regulatory sandbox trend. By Stuart Davis and Charlotte Collins The regulatory sandbox was pioneered by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) back in November 2015 — a “safe space” in which businesses can test innovative products, services, business models, and delivery mechanisms without immediately incurring all the … Continue Reading

UK Budgets for Fintech Growth

By Andrew Moyle and Stuart Davis The UK government’s 2017 Autumn Budget included some measures of particular interest for fintech firms, demonstrating the government’s continued commitment to making the UK a world-leading fintech hub. The government has provided only scant detail on these measures at present, but no doubt firms will be watching closely to … Continue Reading

ECB Announces Support for Fintech Bank Applicants

By Andrew Moyle, Stuart Davis, and Charlotte Collins On 15 November 2017, the European Central Bank (ECB) published a newsletter containing an article on how the ECB is dealing with the increasing number of fintech bank applications. The ECB is the banking supervisor, alongside national regulators, for all “significant” banks authorised in Eurozone countries. As … Continue Reading

Coining it in: ICOs as the New Fundraising Paradigm?

By Andrew Moyle, Wenchi Hu, Simon Hawkins and Stuart Davis Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) involve issuers offering virtual coins or tokens that are created and disseminated using distributed ledger or blockchain technology. The capital raised from the offer will fund the development of a digital platform, software, or any other project. Holders of virtual coins or … Continue Reading
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