Standard Chartered slapped with $2.7bn lawsuit over fraud scandal July 1, 2025 Standard Chartered has been hit with a $2.7bn lawsuit over its alleged role in one of the world’s largest financial fraud cases, known as the 1MBD scandal. The London-headquartered lender is being accused of helping move and hide billions of dollars that were stolen from Malaysia’s 1MDB fund, by not sufficiently checking to see where [...]
Will banks be able to escape a Reeves’ tax raid this Autumn? June 27, 2025 As Rachel Reeves watches her fiscal headroom crumble with every Labour U-turn, the Chancellor may return to her budget mantra that those with the “broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden”. Lenders managed to skirt a tax raid in the 2024 budget after lobbyists warned it could damage the sector’s international competitiveness, but renewed fiscal [...]
Starling Bank sets sights on US expansion June 26, 2025 Starling Bank has set its sights across the Atlantic for future growth prospects as the UK fintech eyes a US banking licence or entering the market through an acquisition. The neobank took a £223m hit to profit in 2024, down from £301m in the previous year and has since scouted endeavours overseas to boost its [...]
Ring-fencing row puts Reeves in midst of Bank of England and City June 25, 2025 Rachel Reeves has found herself in the crosshairs of City chiefs and the Bank of England as she weighs whether to scrap ring-fencing rules. The Chancellor is facing pressure to rip up the rules imposed on British lenders after top banking chiefs branded the system “redundant”. Reeves said she is “open-minded” to ditching the 15-year-old [...]
FCA reviewing bank risk appetite to boost home ownership June 24, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has said it will review lenders’ risk-taking in its bid to boost home ownership. The City watchdog said it was seeking a “public conversation” on the “future of the mortgage market” as it looks to support economic growth through an overhaul on mortgage rules. An update to “responding lending rules” was [...]
Cavendish shares eye year high after rejecting deals unit takeover June 24, 2025 Shares in investment bank Cavendish spiked on Tuesday as the firm confirmed it had rejected takeover interest in its deals unit after facing private equity-backed interest. Cavendish had been approached regarding a deal that would break up the London-listed investment bank by Smith and Williamson (S&W). The value of the offer remains unclear, Sky News [...]
Saga shares jump after revealing banking tie-up with Natwest June 24, 2025 Shares in over-50s group Saga rose on Tuesday after the firm revealed it was in “final negotiations” with FTSE 100 juggernaut Natwest for a banking partnership. The London-listed company quickly climbed three per cent in early trading to 176.80p. The firm posted the update ahead of their AGM on Tuesday, confirming it had “agreed heads [...]
Zopa: Fintech bank takes on HSBC and Lloyds with current account June 24, 2025 Digital bank Zopa is parking its tanks on the lawns of the UK’s top lenders – with a new high interest current account. The London-based fintech has launched “Biscuit,” which it said will allow customers to make £256 in cashback and interest per year. The current account offers two per cent AER interest on balances, [...]
Palestine Action: Invesco office attacked in latest red paint vandalism June 23, 2025 Global investment firm Invesco has been hit in the latest string of “red paint” attacks on financial services companies. The Atlanta-headquartered firm had its Westminster office vandalised on Monday as red paint and graffiti was left plastered across the side of the walls of the Portman Square building. The vandalism, which was committed by activists [...]
Exclusive: Tandem to name ex-Vanquis chief as new boss June 23, 2025 Digital lender Tandem will this week name the former boss of specialist lender Vanquis and Sainsbury’s retail banking arm as its new chief executive, City AM can reveal. The fintech challenger is set to appoint Neil Chandler, who will replace outgoing chief Alex Mollart. Chandler has most recently served at the helm of digital Banking-as-a-Service [...]