UK fintech investment hits lowest since pandemic despite Revolut boost February 11, 2026 Investment into the UK’s fintech sector tumbled to a five-year low in 2025 even after a major boost from industry juggernaut Revolut. UK fintech received just shy of $11bn (£8bn) in investment in 2025, falling a fifth from the $13.4bn notched the year prior, according to new figures from KPMG. A hefty chunk of the [...]
Allow pensions savings to go into housing deposits, says FCA chief February 10, 2026 The head of the financial watchdog has suggested that the UK should have the “contentious debate” about whether pension savings could be put towards housing deposits. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said there was greater scope for pension savings to support financial resilience, particularly among lower income households. “We have [...]
Why Natwest splashed the cash for a slice of the wealth management pie February 10, 2026 Natwest has opened its wallet for its biggest deal since the financial crisis, as the bank revives its appetite for acquisitions after the remaining government-owned shares in the business were finally sold. But after the FTSE 100 firm watched its share price sink into the red on Monday, will there be a sense of buyer’s [...]
FCA to publish London share trading data to defend UK public markets February 9, 2026 The City watchdog is planning to start collecting and publishing all available data on share-trading in an attempt to show that liquidity in UK public markets is not as bad as it is often thought. The plans will act as a stopgap until the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issues its ‘consolidated tape’ of trading data [...]
Secure Trust Bank sells motor finance arm after £21m hit February 5, 2026 Specialist lender Secure Trust Bank has offloaded its motor finance arm, becoming the latest UK bank to retreat from the sector, which has been wrapped up in scandal. The bank sold its remaining vehicle finance loan book to European Alternative Investment Fund Manager LCM Partners in a move expected to increase the bank’s CET1 ratio – a [...]
Payments watchdog won’t be abolished ‘any earlier than 2027’ February 4, 2026 The boss of the payments watchdog has said he doesn’t expect the regulator to be officially abolished any earlier than the first quarter of 2027 as criticism grows over the slow progress of reforms in the sector. David Geale, managing director at the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), said he had “not seen the outcome” of [...]
Exclusive: Starling’s top investor withdraws support for London IPO February 4, 2026 Starling’s elusive billionaire backer has gone cold on his ambition for the digital bank to list in London, City AM can reveal, in a move that will heighten fears of the fintech heading to New York for its highly-anticipated IPO. Harald McPike had lobbied for the group to launch its initial public offering in London [...]
UK payments stuck with ‘bolted on’ European regulation, says PSR boss February 2, 2026 The boss of the UK’s payments regulator has said the body’s consolidation with the City watchdog will allow it to ditch overhanging red tape from Europe. David Geale, who heads up the Payments System Regulator (PSR) and leads on payments at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said: “There are bits of payments regulation that have [...]
Fitzwalter backs off Auction Tech after hostile bidding campaign February 2, 2026 Investment giant Fitzwalter has backed off Auction Technology Group after a hostile campaign between the two led to 13 different takeover attempts of the latter. The London-headquartered said on Monday ATG’s Board had unanimously rejected its proposed offer of 400 pence per share. The offer sat above the UK market median for similar cash transactions [...]
London fintech Guavapay founder quits ahead of Mastercard court battle January 21, 2026 The founder of London fintech Guavapay has resigned as a director as the firm gears up for a court case brought by payments giant Mastercard. Azerbaijani entrepreneur and Russian university graduate Orkhan Nasibov, who launched the company in 2017, has stepped back from his role at the helm of the company due to “fatigue and [...]