Bank of England hits Mastercard subsidiary with £12m fine July 9, 2025 A Mastercard-owned company has been fined almost £12m by the Bank of England after it failed to fully comply with a regulatory order to fix weaknesses in its risk management. Vocalink – which was acquired by Mastercard in 2017 – has been slapped with the £11.9m fine due to failing to meet directions from the [...]
National wealth fund boss slams banking industry’s risk appetite June 30, 2025 The boss of the National Wealth Fund has blasted the banking industry’s risk appetite and cited the lack of risk-taking as the reason for waning growth figures. Speaking at City Week on Monday, John Flint, the chief executive of the newly-established government body, said: “The banking system is very heavily regulated and in the best [...]
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 [...]
A third of UK fintechs put customers data at risk of cyber attack May 29, 2025 UK fintechs are putting thousands of customers in jeopardy by leaving themselves vulnerable to a cyber attack, shocking new research reveals. Nearly 800 firms’ digital presence was analysed by the ethical hacking platform Ethiack as it scrutinised their cybersecurity. Four in ten fintechs were found to be giving hackers a “powerful headstart” by revealing software [...]
FCA to rip up insurance rules in drive for growth May 14, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has outlined plans to ditch “outdated or duplicated” insurance rules in a bid to help firms reduce costs and drive competition. The City regulator’s fresh proposals would hand firms greater responsibility over reviewing the value of their product. This would involve companies using the risks and characteristics of each individual product [...]
Britain will miss out on the AI revolution unless it recalibrates attitudes to risk February 13, 2025 Britain is well-placed to be at the forefront of AI breakthrough but for one thing: its deep-seated culture of risk aversion. To foster a more entrepreneurial culture, there are three things the UK should do, says Lewis Z Liu The UK has a unique set of advantages to lead the AI revolution. It boasts world-class [...]
Lord Mayor urges UK financial services to invest in risk management January 27, 2025 The UK’s financial services need to be investing in risk management roles to maintain the City of London’s competitive edge, the Lord Mayor has warned. In recent years, the role of Chief Risk Officers (CROs) across the financial sector has evolved from a compliance-focused gatekeeper to a strategic partner in driving growth. New research from [...]
Going for growth is a game of risk that ministers must embrace January 21, 2025 In the words of the Lord Mayor of London, “the only way you get growth is via risk.” Alastair King made this observation early in November last year, before it was fashionable. These days, it seems everyone’s discovering their appetite for risk. The notion that professional regulators could magic up some pro-growth policies has attracted [...]
Americans do it better (investing, that is) October 9, 2024 British companies are often accountable to passive shareholders, such as pension funds, leading to risk aversion and short-termism. The US invests differently, with much better results, says Tom Focas The UK economy is in dire need of a rejuvenation. Growth is still stagnating, productivity lags behind global competitors, and industries that once anchored the nation’s [...]