Millions more to get financial advice as part of FCA red tape shake-up December 11, 2025 More than 18m savers will benefit from more detailed advice on their investments and pension in the next decade as part of a radical shake-up of financial red tape that the City watchdog has hailed as “game-changing”. The Financial Conduct Authority’s ‘targeted support programme’ will give financial services firms the ability to give tailored suggestions [...]
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 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 [...]
City watchdogs balloon despite deregulation drive November 18, 2025 Calls for the Chancellor to accelerate her City-wide deregulation push grew on Monday after freshly obtained figures revealed headcount at financial regulators has ballooned by over 50 per cent in the past decade. According to data shared exclusively with City AM, nearly 4,500 more staff work at the City’s five largest regulators than did 10 [...]
FCA doubles down on AI testing over regulation November 12, 2025 The UK’s financial regulator has doubled down on its decision not to draft new AI-specific laws, insisting that the best way to manage the tech’s momentous rise is through testing and collaboration rather than rushing to legislate. Speaking at the City & Financial Global AI regulation summit, Charlotte Clark CBE, the Financial Conduct Authority’s director [...]
Adair Turner: Crypto? It’s like buying tulips in 1635 November 7, 2025 As chair of the FSA at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, Adair Turner knows all about the anatomy of a global crash. Over 15 years on, exuberance in AI and opaque private credit markets have set warning systems flashing. Ali Lyon, spoke to the arch-technocrat to see whether the fears are justified, and [...]
Vanquis warns of £7m motor finance hit if FCA does not change course November 5, 2025 Vanquis Banking Group has warned it may be forced to hike provisions for the motor finance scandal to £7m if the financial watchdog does not switch lanes on its redress scheme. The specialist lender said it recognised a £3m provision in its third-quarter results, which follows the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) pledging an industry-wide redress [...]
Treasury eyes ISA season for financial advice scheme rollout October 15, 2025 A flurry of fresh financial advice could be aimed at savers as soon as February as the Treasury seeks to fast-track the rollout of its flagship scheme to get more Brits investing in the stock market. In a speech to the Investment Association last night, Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby confirmed the government [...]
City watchdog unveils plans to support tokenisation as it pursues further growth October 14, 2025 The City watchdog has set out fresh plans to support tokenisation as it ploughs ahead with its growth agenda. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) unveiled guidance that provides firms and asset managers clarity on how to adopt the technology effectively in order to boost competitiveness and increase the amount of choice for consumers. Tokenisation allows [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Bank shares surge; Gold surpasses $4,000 October 8, 2025 Good morning from the City AM live blog team. Arguably no sector has had as sensitive share movement in recent months as the banking industry. In August, following the motor finance ruling, City banks added £7bn in market value after a major boost from the Supreme Court. But less than a month later after the [...]