Relief for fintech startups as government plans new short-term FCA licences December 4, 2025 Fintech startups could be about to start trading much sooner after the government signalled plans to issue temporary licences in advance of getting full accreditation. Startups often suffer delays of months or even over a year as they wait for regulators at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to grant them authorisation, during which they burn [...]
Is HSBC’s chair hunt really over? December 4, 2025 Safe, but surprising – that was the verdict across the City as Britain’s biggest bank unveiled its new chair after a twist-and-turn search. Brendan Nelson will take the post at HSBC, succeeding Sir Mark Tucker, whose exit in September left the bank without a permanent chair for weeks. Except for Nelson. Indeed, the seasoned accountant [...]
FCA launches ‘safe space’ for AI as City firms rush to deploy new tech December 3, 2025 The City’s top regulator has opened the doors to its first-ever ‘AI live testing‘ scheme, giving major financial firms a controlled environment to trial AI without fear of tripping regulatory wires. NatWest, Monzo, Santander, Scottish Widows, Gain Credit, Homeprotect and fintech Snorkl are among those in the inaugural cohort. The FCA says the scheme is [...]
FCA chief ducks committing to investigating Treasury briefings December 3, 2025 The boss of the City watchdog appeared to skirt committing to investigating Treasury briefings when pressed on the Labour government’s “possible market abuse” on Wednesday morning. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, has been lobbied by the Conservatives and other opponents to the Labour government to look into the rogue briefings on [...]
The 68p lawsuit that threatened to upend the British bond market December 3, 2025 In 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority set out to modernise the bond market. A noble ambition. But as many seasoned City execs will tell you, noble ambitions from regulators don’t always work out how they were intended. The FCA proposed to introduce what’s known in industry jargon as a consolidated tape – a system which [...]
City watchdog to lift motor finance complaints pause earlier than expected December 3, 2025 The City watchdog has lifted the cap on motor finance complaints following the landmark ruling from the Supreme Court over the summer. The Financial Conduct Authority said it would ditch the pause on complaints from 31 May 2026 – two months ahead of plan. In a letter sent to banking bosses, the FCA has also [...]
FCA to regulate ESG ratings providers December 1, 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings providers will be policed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under plans published by the watchdog citing concerns of conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency in the burgeoning industry. In what promises to be the most radical overhaul of sustainable finance regulation in UK history, the City’s [...]
FCA pressed to investigate Treasury over Budget briefings November 29, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has been urged to wade into the row between the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility and investigate government briefings about a so-called £20bn fiscal hole. Scottish National Party leader Stephen Flynn urged the City regulator to investigate Reeves and other Downing Street officials over “deliberately false and misleading” briefings [...]
Banks to pay ombudsman more as Treasury crackdown costs £8m November 27, 2025 Banks will pay more to the Financial Ombudsman Service in the next year as the body strums up cash for its bill to meet the Treasury’s clampdown. Financial services will pay the FOS £86m in the 2026/27 financial year – an increase of £16m – under new proposals, which aim to beef up the Compulsory [...]
Relief for Cirata after FCA closes investigation November 27, 2025 Cirata execs have breathed a sigh of relief after the financial regulator closed a two-year investigation into the software firm, drawing a line under the dramatic events that caused the firm’s stock to plummet. In March 2023, Cirata – or Wandisco, as it was then known – revealed it had massively overstated its sales figures, [...]