Financial firms have made progress in preventing sanctions breaches – with £37bn worth of assets frozen in the UK as of last year – but gaps remain, warns the FCA. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) implement financial and trade sanctions. The FCA supports them through its role supervising firms within the financial services sector. This includes checking they have adequate sanctions systems and controls.Since Februa...
On 22 May 2026, Sukate & Bezeboh Ltd (SB Remit) entered administration. Charles Turner and Frank Ofonagoro were appointed as joint administrators. SB Remit is a small payment institution authorised by the FCA to provide payment services.On 13 May 2026, SB Remit agreed to a voluntary undertaking, which restricted the activities it could undertake. These measures included restrictions preventing the firm from accepting new customer funds.On 22 May 2026, Charles Turner and Frank Ofonagoro of Opu...
Firms that approve financial promotions should be doing more to protect consumers, an FCA review has found. The FCA found that the strongest firms were applying the Consumer Duty from the start of their processes. They were able to make sure that every promotion approved was accurate, clear and reached the right audience.However, the FCA also found that some firms approved adverts with unsubstantiated claims or allowed retail investors to see promotions intended for professional clients. In s...
We’re inviting applications from senior practitioners at smaller regulated firms in the general insurance and consumer credit sectors to join the panel. The Smaller Business Practitioner Panel provides independent advice and challenge from the perspective of smaller firms, helping to shape our work at a time of significant change in UK financial services regulation.Its key remit is to provide input to the FCA from the industry to help us meet our strategic and operational objectives from a sm...
We’re pleased to announce that our Annual Public Meeting (APM) will be held in Edinburgh for the first time on 6 October 2026, marking an important milestone for us a UK-wide regulator. The announcement coincides with a visit to Edinburgh on 26 May by our chair Ashley Alder, who was there to open a new office space, demonstrating our commitment to growing our presence in Scotland, and expanding our workforce of more than 350 colleagues.Edinburgh continues to strengthen its position in global ...
Fast‑growing and innovative financial services businesses can now apply for more support to help them grow. The FCA’s Scale-up Unit provides tailored support to firms, helping them navigate regulation so they can scale sustainably. The unit is now open to solo-regulated firms to apply.The unit offers a dedicated point of contact and practical support to help navigate regulatory processes, develop innovative products and understand the impact of policy changes.Jessica Rusu, FCA chief data, inf...
Half (49%) of young drivers have bought insurance through social media or messaging apps, new research reveals. With 4 in 10 (39%) unconfident in spotting the signs of a fake policy, thousands could be paying for cover that doesn’t exist. The FCA is warning 17-to 25-year-old drivers about 'ghost broking' scams where criminals sell bogus insurance policies through social media and messaging platforms.Ghost brokers pose as legitimate insurance sellers but offer cheap rates. The policies they se...
When consumers are wronged, many rightly seek fair compensation. Some complain directly, without paying a penny using free Ombudsman services. Others turn to claims management companies (CMCs) or law firms.They can provide a valuable service and support access to justice.However, we’ve seen firsthand from the way some claims firms have handled car finance complaints that, all too often, they make a difficult situation worse.Poor practices include unwanted texts or emails sent to people who ne...
UK financial firms can adopt tokenisation and distributed ledger technology (DLT) with greater confidence, as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England set out a shared vision and seek industry views on the future of UK wholesale markets. Tokenisation is the process of creating a digital representation of a real-world asset – such as a share, bond or unit of currency – on a digital ledger. It has the potential to streamline wholesale markets, making everything from issuing...
The conflict in the Middle East means cost of living pressures remain top of mind – with people facing increased costs for utility bills, food and fuel. We want to remind you about our clear expectations on the support you should offer consumers in challenging times, through the Consumer Duty and our rules on protections for borrowers in difficulty.
The FCA has announced 2 permanent appointments to its executive team, strengthening leadership at a pivotal time for UK and global financial markets. Simon Walls appointed executive director, marketsSimon Walls has been appointed permanent executive director, markets. Having taken on this role on a temporary basis since 2024, his appointment provides continuity at a vital and volatile time for the UK and global economy. Simon will be able to drive forward work he has already started to streng...
The FCA is reviewing how consumer investment firms support bereaved customers and whether they're getting it right. Fewer than half of bereaved customers (47%) felt they received the support they needed from financial firms, according to research (PDF).What the FCA is looking atThe review will focus on firms that advise, manage, or administer investments - including platforms, advisers and wealth managers. The FCA will examine the experience customers have from the moment the firm is told abo...
The FCA has banned Frank Breuer from working in UK financial services and fined him £755,000 for repeatedly acting without integrity and putting customers at risk for personal financial gain. Mr Breuer was the joint owner and sole director of Bluesky Wealth Management Limited (Bluesky), which provided advice on investments and pensions. Although authorised to advise on defined benefit (DB) pension transfers, the firm did not have the appropriate professional insurance in place from April 2019...
Kingscrown Finance Limited (Kingscrown) has stopped onboarding new customers or undertaking new business with existing customers – including extending existing credit. Kingscrown, which was incorporated in 2014, provides lending for business and investment purposes, including property investment, buy-to-let and house in multiple occupation (HMO) finance.The voluntary restrictions on Kingscrown’s business came into effect on 21 April 2026. Kingscrown has never been authorised by or registered ...
A convicted money launderer has been sentenced to an additional 499 daysin prison for failing to fully pay the money owed under a Confiscation Order. In 2021,RichardFaithfull,now36,wassentenced to5 years and 10 monthsin prisonfor laundering £2.5 million, following a prosecution brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).He was part of a trans-national organised crime group which laundered the proceeds of at least 7 overseas investment frauds.Mr Faithfullis required topay back £529,961,b...
On 6 May 2026, Kanda Products and Services Ltd (Kanda) entered liquidation. Philip Harris and Neville Side of FRP Advisory Trading Limited have been appointed as Joint Liquidators. Kanda is authorised by the FCA as a credit broker. It operated a network of around 700 introducer appointed representatives, mainly tradespeople who introduced consumers to finance for home improvement and other goods and services.On 16 February 2026, Kanda agreed to a voluntary requirement with the FCA which restr...
Following the publication of financial reporting by PayPal Holdings Inc, we can confirm we are investigating Mastercard, PayPal and Visa under Chapter I in the Competition Act 1998, and Mastercard and Visa under Chapter II in the Competition Act 1998, for suspected anti-competitive conduct linked to thefunding and usage of PayPal’s digital wallet.The FCA has reached no conclusions nor made any findings with regard to competition law having been broken.Notes to editorsThe Competition Act 1998 ...
Three people have been arrested as part of a crackdown on suspected illegal financial promotions. Two homes in the Chelmsford and Romford areas were searched, as part of an operation led by the FCA and the Eastern Regional Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), a specialist policing unit that tackles serious and organised crime.Adverts from firms that aren't FCA-regulated can be a warning sign of a scam. If something goes wrong, these firms aren't covered by the rules that protect people's money – ...
The FCA has charged Shaun Lawrence for operating as a mortgage broker without authorisation. Mr Lawrence, who also goes by the names Shaun Lawrence-Bright and Shaun Bright, was previously authorised to give mortgage advice.However, in 2008 he had his permissions revoked and was fined. He was also banned from working in financial services.The FCA alleges that Mr Lawrence has breached the Financial Services and Markets Act by continuing to provide mortgage broking services when already banned.M...
From 11 May 2026, cryptoasset firms preparing for the new FSMA regime will be able to request a pre-application meeting with us via our Pre-Application Support Service (PASS). Pre-application meetings are free of charge and give firms the opportunity to discuss their plans with us and ask questions before submitting an application for authorisation or variation of existing permissions.This comes ahead of the new regime for cryptoasset regulation, where firms wanting to undertake the new regul...
Asset managers will find it easier to unlock the benefits of fund tokenisation, following the publication of new guidance by the FCA. The guidance sets out how firms can use distributed ledger technology (DLT) within the regulator’s existing rules.New rules will also make fund dealing more efficient, including an optional Direct to Fund (D2F) model. This enables investors to deal directly with the fund, whether traditional or tokenised.Tokenisation is a way of representing an asset, or owners...
The FCA is reviewing whether Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) help consumers understand borrowing costs andis seeking views on whetherit should changehow these are communicated in credit advertising. APRsindicatethe yearly cost of borrowing, including interest and fees. A representative APR means at least half of consumers receive that rate or better. Current rules require representative APRs in most credit advertising.Research, published today, shows APRs are useful for comparing products, but...
On 28 April 2026, LCM Family Limited (LCM) went into administration. Louise Longley and Gary Shankland of BTG Begbies Traynor (Central) LLP were appointed as joint administrators of the firm. The joint administrators are responsible for managing the affairs of the firm during the administration process.LCM (previously known as LCM Wealth Management Limited) is authorised by the FCA and provided financial advice and related investment services. LCM is also regulated by the Solicitors Regulatio...
Help us develop a proportionate reporting regime for ESG ratings. Register your interest by 13 May 2026. We're inviting ESG rating providers to join a pilot to inform future regulatory reporting once the regime is live.Our aim is to avoid unnecessary reporting burden for firms over time.The pilot aims to help us assess whether the proposed metrics for ESG ratings reporting are:clearfeasibleproportionate across different business modelsuseful for supervisory purposesParticipants will have a di...
The FCA is seeking views on proposals to change rules that govern the publication of research during the initial public offering (IPO) process. The FCA is consulting on removing the requirement for a 7-day delay before connected research on an IPO can be published. It also consults on removing rules that require firms to provide independent analysts with the same information as their own research analysts.These rules were introduced in 2018 to encourage the production of unconnected research,...
The FCA Board appoints new members to decision-making committee. The Board of the FCA has appointed Jonathan Peddie and Raymond Cox KC as new members of the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions Committee (RDC).The RDC is responsible for taking certain regulatory decisions on behalf of the FCA relating to contested enforcement action. Committee members bring a broad range of professional experience to support fair, independent and evidence-based decision-making.Alison Potter, the chair of the RDC, said:...
The FCA has led international action to stop illegal finfluencers putting consumers' money at risk. Seventeen regulators worldwide took part in the 'week of action' which included enforcement activity, consumer awareness campaigns, and educational programmes for finfluencers who want to act responsibly. Activity started on 20 April 2026.In the UK, the FCA:Secured a guilty plea from Geordie Shore’s Aaron Chalmers for illegal promotions on social media. Criminal proceedings have been commenced ...
Sapia has agreed to make a voluntary payment of £19,637,950 to WealthTek clients and the FCA has censured the firm. Sapia began working with WealthTek in 2013 and later appointed it as one of its appointed representatives. This resulted in Sapia holding and being responsible for protecting client money resulting from WealthTek’s activities.The FCA found Sapia did not put enough safeguards in place to protect this money.Sapia has admitted that it failed to properly separate key roles within it...
We have published findings from our Financial Adviser Survey. The findings provide an updated picture of how the UK financial advice market is evolving and what this means for firms, consumers and future growth. The survey brings together responses from more than 4,100 financial advice firms; alongside analysis of data we already hold on around 31,000 advisers.Overall, it shows a market that remains broadly stable and continues to support millions of clients, even as firms adapt to consolidat...
The FCA is looking for expressions of interest from market participants to join our advisory committee. The committee was established in 2022, and we are renewing the membership in line with our terms of reference.The purpose of the committee is to support our work in wholesale secondary markets for equities, derivatives, fixed income and commodity derivatives.The committee’s task is to:help develop reforms that improve market competition, increase consumer protection and enhance the integrit...
Firms willbenefitfromreduced costs andgreater flexibility, andfind it easier tocomply with the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR),following reformsset outon 22 April by theFCA and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). The changes, which come as the first phase of a multi-stage package of reform from the Government and regulators, will maintain the core principle of senior leader accountability, and will benefit firms by:Giving more time to submit senior manager applications whe...
The FCA has carried out its first operation with partners to disrupt illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading across multiple London locations. Working with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), the FCA targeted 8 premises suspected of illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading. The FCA issued cease and desist letters at each site, notifying traders to stop illegal activity immediately. Evidence obtained during the on-site inspections is supporting a numbe...
Speaking at UK FinTech Week, Jessica Rusu, chief data, information and intelligence officer at the FCA, has confirmed the second group of firms selected to join AI Live Testing. Eight new firms, including Barclays, Experian, Lloyds Banking Group (Scottish Widows), and UBS, have been chosen by the FCA to live test AI applications to support safe and responsible deployment.The FCA is working with its technical partner Advai, a London-based specialist in automated AI assurance, to provide AI Liv...
Help shape financial regulation from the perspective of consumers. We are recruiting 2 new members to the Financial Services Consumer Panel, an independent statutory panel that represents the interests of consumers of financial services to the FCA.Panel members provide constructive challenge and expert advice to help ensure the consumer perspective is fully embedded in the FCA’s policy development and implementation. Members engage regularly with senior FCA colleagues, including the chair, ch...
On 16 April 2026, HDH Investment Services Limited (HDH), which advised on and arranged deals in investments, entered Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (CVL). Dina Devalia and Tom Parish of Quantuma Advisory Limited (Quantuma) have been appointed as joint liquidators.On 20 January 2026, HDH agreed to stop carrying out any regulated activity. This was because we were concerned that HDH may have given unsuitable financial advice to some of its customers, potentially leading to financial loss.HDH ...
Under the Consumer Duty, firms must report annually on what their monitoring found about customer outcomes, and what actions they’ll take as a result.Good Consumer Duty Board reports provide clear evidence about outcomes – helping to turn governance into real change. Boards can ask better questions, hold people to account, and act quickly to make sure they aren’t causing harm or offering poor value. We’ve seen this lead firms to design better products, communicate more clearly and support the...
The FCA has finalised a simpler UK short selling regime that reduces reporting burdens for firms, while maintaining regulatory oversight. Short selling plays an important role in financial markets by supporting price formation, providing liquidity, and facilitating risk management.The new rules follow legislative changes under the Government’s repeal and replace programme, which imply that the FCA will publish aggregated data showing the overall size of net short positions in each company rat...
Crypto will be regulated in the UK from October 2027. The FCA is finalising the wider cryptoasset regime, with rules to be published this summer. Parliament has now confirmed which cryptoasset activities will fall within the scope of regulation. Building on that, the FCA is consulting on new guidance to help firms understand how they might be affected by the regulatory regime for cryptoassets.The FCA is seeking feedback on its interpretation of the following regulated cryptoasset activities:i...
The FCA has set out plans to take action against Hartley Pensions Limited and an individual involved at the firm. Hartley was a Self-Invested Personal Pension operator, which went into administration in July 2022. The FCA alleges that Hartley provided it with false and misleading information and improperly withdrew and invested substantial amounts of customers’ pension funds, without their consent, to benefit an individual at the firm.The FCA alleges that the individual dishonestly used the p...
Adverts which used edited, unauthorised clips of Martin Lewis to make misleading claims about average motor finance compensation and used the FCA logo without permission, have been banned by the FCA. Conclusive Financial Ltd (Conclusive), a claims management company (CMC), which also trades as PCP Refunds, was required to remove its advertising and update or take down its website until it complied with the FCA's rules. Conclusive has since removed the banned adverts.The FCA was also concerned...
Consumers and businesses could be given greater control over their financial data to help secure better deals, under a vision for open finance published by the FCA. Open finance will unlock the potential for people and businesses to share their financial data securely with a range of financial services providers, helping them access mortgages, investments, savings and pensions. This will give financial services firms a more complete picture of consumers’ and businesses’ finances, enabling mor...
On 21 November 2025, we imposed restrictions on Bazar Money Transfer Limited (BMTL), preventing it from providing regulated payment services. BMTL is registered with the FCA to provide money remittance services to retail and corporate customers.As BMTL was no longer meeting the conditions for registration as a small payment institution, we acted to impose restrictions to protect consumers, preventing BMTL from carrying out any regulated payment services.Following representations made by BMTL,...
The FCA and Bank of England (Bank) invite expressions of interest from market participants to join a new taskforce. The purpose of this taskforce is to inform the design of our long-term approach to harmonising transaction and post-trade reporting requirements.The taskforce will be comprised of three separate working groups: a main Policy group, supported by a Strategy group and an Architecture group. The working groups will have the following individual objectives: Policy group:Identifying a...
Millions of motor finance customers will receive compensation this year under an FCA scheme for those treated unfairly by firms who broke the law by failing to disclose important information. Consumers were denied the chance to seek a better deal and, in some instances, paid more for their loan.The FCA has made several changes to the free to use scheme in response to conflicting feedback from consumers, their representatives, firms, manufacturers and industry bodies.This ensures it is fair fo...
Shojin Financial Services Limited (Shojin) is a crowdfunding platform authorised and regulated by the FCA. Shojin allowed customers to make investments that were used to fund loans toward property developments. On 23 March 2026, Shojin went into administration. Simon Carvill-Biggs and Ian Corfield of FRP Trading Advisory Limited were appointed as Joint Administrators.The Joint Administrators are responsible for acting in the best interests of the people who are owed money by Shojin, and they ...
A new taskforce will tackle poor handling of motor finance claims by some claims management companies (CMCs) and law firms, after the FCA, Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) agreed to join up their efforts. The announcement comes as the FCA prepares to set out its final compensation scheme for motor finance customers.The regulators will step up efforts to share intelligence and continue to take co-ordinated ...
The FCA has fined Dinosaur Merchant Bank Limited (DMBL) £338,000 for failing to put in place effective systems and controls to detect and report suspicious trading in its contracts for difference (CFD) business. CFDs are sophisticated financial products that are used to speculate on various assets going up or down in value. Given their high-risk nature, firms must have strong and reliable surveillance arrangements to prevent insider dealing and market manipulation.In June 2024, DMBL introduce...
As part of ongoing improvements to My FCA, and following the successful removal of RegData sign in at the end of last year, we have now removed direct access to Connect and the Online Invoicing System. Firms do not need to take any action. All existing RegData, Connect and Online Invoicing links and bookmarked pages will now automatically redirect to My FCA, where you can access all systems from a single homepage without signing in again. This makes managing your regulatory tasks quicker and ...
On 25 March 2026, following a petition filed by the FCA, the High Court ordered that Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited (EFG) be wound up. EFG is a corporate finance firm. EFG was also a principal for a number of appointed representatives between 2015 and 2020, including Amyma Ltd and Osborne Baldwin Ltd, which traded as Hunter Jones.An appointed representative carries on regulated activity under the responsibility of an authorised firm, known as 'the principal'. Find more information on ...
We have set out plans for using AI to speed up authorisations, testing new tools to identify key risks earlier, with our people remaining at the heart of decision-making. The new authorisation tool is being developed internally and will be integrated into existing FCA systems.It forms part of our annual work programme 2026/27, which lays out how we’re accelerating our ambition to be a smarter, more data-driven regulator.We will also use generative AI to support our efforts to modernise regula...
More people could access financial advice, under proposals set out by FCA. The FCA is consulting on how to make it easier for firms to give more simplified forms of individualised financial advice to consumers.Simplified forms of advice can help consumers with more straightforward needs and do not require a full assessment of all their financial circumstances, making it more accessible and affordable.Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the FCA, said:'For too long the support people nee...
We have restricted Beauforce Corporation Limited from carrying out any regulated activities. This means it cannot provide regulated debt advice or debt management services to consumers. We have also ordered the firm to return money held in its bank accounts to its clients.We’ve taken this action following concerns about the suitability of the firm’s senior management and its conduct in dealing with us. Read the full Notice (PDF)
We’ve confirmed new rules to make existing incident and third party reporting clearer, more consistent, and easier for firms to follow. These new rules will help us respond quickly to disruption such as a cyber attack or power outage, give firms greater certainty on what to report and when and strengthen firm resilience to better protect consumers and markets.Cyber attacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated, and firms are increasingly reliant on third party providers. In 2025, ...
KasimGaripoglu has been banned from working in UK financial services. The FCA found he is not fit and proper because of his lack of honesty and integrity. Mr Garipoglu is the owner of a firm that provided online trading of foreign exchange and contracts.Between April 2012 and December 2022, including when Mr Garipoglu was the chief executive and director at the firm and an approved person, he repeatedly demonstrated a disregard for regulatory requirements, undermined compliance and anti‑money...
On 9 March 2026, the High Court placed Concept Capital Group (CCG) into administration. BTG are the administrators of the company. In July 2025, the FCA announced High Court proceedings against CCG and others over an alleged unauthorised investment scheme. CCG has been under a court order that temporarily froze its assets since then.CCG had promoted investments in static homes. CCG claimed these would be let to social housing tenants placed by local councils. Investors were promised fixed ret...
Lenders and brokers in thesecond charge mortgagemarket need toconsiderhow theyadvise customers, assess affordability and charge fees. An FCA review has found that weaknesses in some firms’ practices could put borrowers, particularly those consolidating debt, at increased risk of financial harm.Second charge mortgages are often used by customers with high existing levels of debt and low financial resilience. The FCA’s review found examples of good practice across the sector but also issues tha...
On 23 January 2026, the FCA imposed requirements on Sendsii Ltd which prevent them from carrying out any regulated activity. The FCA has issued a First Supervisory Notice to Sendsii Ltd after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) suspended the firm’s registration on 9 October 2025. The suspension means that Sendsii Ltd no longer met the conditions required for its FCA authorisation under the Payment Services Regulations 2017.These requirements prevent Sendsii Ltd from carrying out any regulated activ...
Rajinder Gill and accomplices have been sentenced for their involvement in a sale-and-rent-back scheme. Mr Gill has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for running a sale-and-rent-back scheme without being authorised and illegally providing credit agreements and mortgages. As accomplices in the scheme, Amandeep Heer received a community order for 2 years with a condition of 250 hours of unpaid work, and Jetinder Sandhu has completed 100 hours' unpaid work over 12 months (as a con...
We have appointed 2 new senior leaders, further strengthening our capability across key areas of our remit. Chris Knight will join us in July 2026 as director of insurance within our Supervision, Policy and Competition (SPC) division. He joins the FCA from Legal & General, where he has been the group chief risk officer for the last 5 years and member of the Group management committee. Prior to this, he was CEO of Legal & General Retail Retirement for 3 years.David Lymburn joined the Payment S...
We're concerned that HDH Investment Services Limited may have given unsuitable financial advice to some of its customers, potentially leading to financial loss. We recently placed restrictions on HDH Investment Services Limited (HDH). From 20 January 2026, HDH agreed to stop carrying out all regulated activities. This now means the firm can't give investment advice.HDH also agreed to write to all customers to explain what these restrictions mean for them. What customers should do nowIf you th...
John Wood Group PLC (Wood Group) has been fined £12,993,700 for publishing inaccurate information in its financial results. Following the poor performance of certain projects, Wood Group’s accounting judgements were inappropriately influenced by its desire to maintain previously stated financial results. Wood Group did not have adequate systems, controls or procedures to prevent this from happening.This resulted in Wood Group publishing inaccurate information in its full-year 2022 and 2023 fi...
The latest report from the Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS) finds there is still room for improvement. The anti-money laundering supervisors of professional services firms are more effective than at any time since 2018. However, OPBAS remains concerned that their enforcement lacks the teeth to deter firms from falling short of minimum standards.OPBAS’s latest report found Professional Body Supervisors (PBSs) generally continue to demonstrate good levels o...
Firms can now apply for permission to provide targeted support. Targeted support is a once in a generation change that will help millions navigate their financial lives. From 6 April 2026, people’s banks, pension providers, or other financial firms that are authorised for targeted support can provide suggestions designed for groups of consumers with common characteristics. This will help them make important decisions across their pensions and investments.We want authorised firms to be ready t...
The FCA has chosen 4 companies to test how their stablecoin services work with proposed regulation in a safe environment. The stablecoins cohort is part of our commitment to supporting growth and innovation in UK financial services. 20 applications were received and the FCA has chosen the following firms:Monee Financial TechnologiesReStabiliseRevolutVVTXThe Regulatory Sandbox programme allows firms to trial stablecoin products in real world conditions with appropriate safeguards. It will help...
Lenders could have access to more comprehensive information to support lending decisions, under new proposals by the FCA. The FCA is consulting on designating certain credit reference agencies (CRAs). If a lender shares credit information with one designated consumer CRA, it would be required to share it with them all.The changes aim to close gaps in consumers’ credit files and ensure these more accurately reflect people’s financial circumstances.Alison Walters, director of consumer finance a...
We've launched our new Regulatory Priorities reports, starting with the insurance sector. This marks a new approach that will help to transform our supervision and streamline regulation.We expect regulated firms to follow the rules and stay informed about any changes. This is important for maintaining a safe and resilient market. Our mission to be a smarter regulator means reducing burden where we can, so that firms can get the information they need as efficiently as possible.Our Regulatory P...
Seven social media influencers have been sentenced at Southwark Crown Court for their role in the promotion of an unauthorised foreign exchange trading scheme. Biggs Chris, Jamie Clayton, Lauren Goodger, Rebecca Gormley, Yazmin Oukhellou, Scott Timlin and Eva Zapico all pleaded guilty to one count of issuing unauthorised financial promotions.The outcomes were:Lauren Goodger was fined £3,750 and ordered to pay costs of £5,778.18.Biggs Chris was fined £600 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.Jam...
The Upper Tribunal has upheld the FCA's decisions to ban Stephen Joseph Burdett and James Paul Goodchild from working in financial services. Mr Burdett and Mr Goodchild previously held senior roles at Synergy Wealth Limited (Synergy) and Westbury Private Clients LLP (Westbury), respectively.The FCA banned the pair from working in regulated financial services for recklessly exposing pension holders to unsuitable investments.The Tribunal also found that it was appropriate for the FCA to impose ...
The FCA has fined Richard Howson £237,700 for his part in misleading statements being issued by Carillion plc. As group chief executive, Mr Howson was aware of serious financial troubles in Carillion’s UK construction business. He failed to reflect this in company announcements or alert its board and audit committee, leading to poor oversight.The fine was imposed after Mr Howson withdrew his challenge to the FCA’s decision.Mr Howson was one of two executive directors on Carillion’s Board. His...
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) borrowers will benefit from stronger protections from 15 July 2026, following the Government's decision to bring the sector under the FCA's regulation. BNPL will be subject to the Consumer Duty and consumers will benefit from:Clear information: Consumers will get clear, upfront details about their agreement, including when payments will be due, amounts, and what happens if they miss a payment.Affordability checks: Lenders must carry out proportionate checks to make su...
The FCA has begun legal proceedings against global crypto exchange HTX (formerly Huobi) for illegally promoting cryptoasset services to UK consumers. Access documents on this claim on the FCA websiteFirms providing crypto products to UK consumers need to comply with rules which protect consumers from unfair and misleading marketing. Advertising cryptoassets on social media or websites without complying with these rules is a criminal offence.Since the rules came into force in October 2023, the...
The FCA has fined Dipesh Kerai and Bhavesh Hirani for insider dealing in shares of Bidstack Group Plc. Mr Kerai has been fined £52,731, and Mr Hirani has been fined £56,000.In December 2021, Mr Hirani was the interim Chief Financial Officer at Bidstack, a company that placed advertising inside video games. This meant he had access to inside information about a major upcoming deal between Bidstack and a large video game publisher.Before it was announced to the public, Mr Hirani passed this con...
From 6 April 2026, Gemini is closing all customer accounts in the UK. Gemini Payments UK, Ltd (GPUK) is authorised by the FCA to issue electronic money (e-money) and provide payment services.Gemini Intergalactic UK, Ltd (GIUK) offers cryptoasset products. These activities are not regulated by the FCA, although we oversee compliance in accordance with UK anti-money laundering regulations. On 5 February 2026, GPUK and GIUK confirmed they plan to exit the UK market. Effective 6 April 2026, Gemin...
The FCA has imposed restrictions on independent financial adviser Advantage Wealth Management Ltd (AWM), which means it must not dispose of any assets or conduct any regulated activities without the written consent of the FCA. The action follows concerns that AWM is not being managed in a way that ensures that its affairs are conducted in a sound and prudent manner. We issued a First Supervisory Notice (PDF)on 22 December 2025, outlining further details about our concerns and the basis for im...
The FCA and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have today issued a joint warning to claims management companies (CMCs) and law firms involved in motor finance commission claims to make sure consumers don’t have multiple representatives for the same claim and are not charged excessive termination fees. The regulators are reminding CMCs and law firms that they are expected to have robust checks in place to confirm consumers have not already instructed another representative. The FCA has also...
The Upper Tribunal has upheld the FCA’s decision that Rangecourt SA (formerly Banque Havilland), Edmund Rowland, the former London CEO and Vladimir Bolelyy, a former Bank employee, acted without integrity. The Tribunal agreed with the FCA that significant fines should be imposed, deciding that fines of £4m, £352,000 and £14,200 were appropriate for Rangecourt SA, Mr Rowland and Mr Bolelyy respectively. The Tribunal also upheld the FCA’s decision to ban Mr Rowland and Mr Bolelyy from working i...
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have announced the first cohort of banks and building societies to benefit from their joint Scale-up Unit. The Scale-up Unit announced last year is designed to build stronger ties and provide tailored support for fast-growing and innovative financial firms, helping them to grow sustainably at pace.The 6 firms that expressed interest and have been accepted to the first cohort are:Allica BankClearBankMonument BankNo...
People who pay monthly for their insurance are saving around £157m a year, with over half the firms the FCA reviewed as part of a market study lowering the cost of premium finance. Interest rates for premium finance have fallen by an average 4.1 percentage points since 2022, saving consumers £8 on a typical motor policy and £3 on a typical home policy per year. The changes result from regulatory attention, fair value assessments and base rate reductions. The FCA has seen even more significant...
FCA stunt launches new Firm Checker tool as around 700,000 people lose money to investment scams. Morning commuters at London Waterloo got more than their usual caffeine hit today when a mysterious 'ATM' promising to 'give away a fortune' stopped them in their tracks – and revealed an unexpected surprise.As curious passers-by approached the machine, the screen slid open to unveil Emil the Seal, the FCA's finance-friendly mascot, delivering a blunt message about the dangers of investment scams...
The FCA has called on the insurance industry to help more consumers access products that support them and their families if they become critically ill or die. The interim findings of its competition review of pure protection products found that, for those consumers that have taken out protection insurance, the market mostly works well. There are a wide range of products, most consumers can claim when they need to, and the costs of cover have remained stable in the last few years.But 58% of ad...
The FCA has launched a review into the implications of advanced AI on consumers, retail financial markets and regulators. The Review will be led by Sheldon Mills and builds on the FCA’s existing work on AI. This includes its AI Discussion Paper, AI Sprint, and AI Lab including AI Live Testing and its groundbreaking Supercharged Sandbox supported by NVIDIA.AI is already embedded across financial services. Rapid advances in generative, agentic and emerging forms of AI mean the next phase of cha...
On 21 January 2026, Guavapay Limited entered compulsory liquidation. The Official Receiver, an officer of the Insolvency Service, is its liquidator. Guavapay is authorised by the FCA to issue E-money and provide payment services to its customers.On 17 September 2025, Guavapay agreed to a voluntary requirement with the FCA, restricting the activities it can undertake. See details on the Financial Services Register.As liquidator, The Official Receiver is responsible for:Managing customer claims...
We urge consumers thinking of investing in high-risk securities, such as mini-bonds and loan notes, to continue to be cautious. On 19 January 2026, the Public Offers and Admissions to Trading regime came into force. The regime sets new rules and standards about when an offer of securities to the public can be made.A security is a financial instrument that represents some type of financial value (for example, shares, bonds and stock) that can be traded on a financial exchange.The types of secu...
We are seeking views on further rules for cryptoasset firms as the final step in our consultations on our crypto rules. We have made significant progress in delivering our crypto roadmap and are helping firms to meet our standards and get ready for when the gateway opens in September 2026.We have set out our proposals on how the Consumer Duty, conduct standards, redress and safeguarding will apply to cryptoasset firms. We are also seeking feedback on our proposed approach to international cry...
We have opened applications for the second cohort of our AI Live Testing service. AI Live Testing is the first of its kind in the financial sector to help firms who are ready to use AI in UK financial markets. Participating firms receive tailored support from our regulatory team and our technical partner Advai to develop, assess and deploy safe and responsible AI.The service helps firms to consider key questions around evaluating AI including governance, risk management and monitoring to help...
The FCA's decision to ban Darren Antony Reynolds from working in financial services and fine him £2,037,892 has been upheld by the Upper Tribunal. The FCA's decision to ban Darren Antony Reynolds from working in financial services and fine him £2,037,892 has been upheld by the Upper Tribunal.Mr Reynolds was dishonest when he gave pension transfer advice and investment recommendations to his customers, causing them significant harm.Mr Reynolds showed a clear disregard for his customers’ intere...
On 16 January 2026, Logic Investments Ltd (Logic Investments) entered special administration. Alex Watkins and Ed Boyle of Interpath Ltd were appointed as joint special administrators. Logic Investments is FCA authorised and regulated to provide wealth management services. On 16 December 2025, Logic Investments agreed to an FCA requirement preventing it from accepting new clients, client money or assets; or moving existing client money or assets without FCA consent. This was done because of c...
On 19 December 2025 the High Court approved the FCA’s proposals to distribute funds to Asset Land investors. The Court has directed the FCA to pay funds to investors in the Asset Land schemes who provide valid bank account details to the FCA on or before 20 February 2026.Investors who have not received previous communications from the FCA or who have not updated their contact information are requested to immediately contact the FCA using the details below.Please ensure this is completed no la...
The FCA has fined Russel Gerrity £309,843 for using inside information to net himself £128,765. As a consultant, Mr Gerrity had access to information about whether oil and gas had been discovered during the drilling of wells. Between October 2018 and January 2022, he took advantage of this and used inside information to buy shares in Chariot Oil & Gas Limited and Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Plc ahead of announcements that increased their price. On another occasion, he used inside information t...
We reviewed how firms sell complex exchange traded products (ETPs) to retail consumers. Complex ETPs are a subset of the wider ETP market and include high-risk investment strategies that can be difficult for retail consumers to understand.We assessed how firms of different sizes and business models evaluate these products, communicate key risks and monitor outcomes under the Consumer Duty.Given the complexity and risk profile of ETPs, it is essential firms make sure investors have the knowled...
The FCA has secured a confiscation order of £265,523.96 against Andrew Currie. Mr Currie was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to 2 years 6 months imprisonment for defrauding investors through the collapsed peer-to-peer lending platform Collateral (UK) Ltd.He diverted funds from Collateral investors and used them for personal gain, including the purchase of a property in Spain.At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 9 January 2026, Mr Currie was ordered to pay £265,523.96. This amount represen...
Pension schemes must now publish transparent data on their performance, costs, and service quality, according to new proposals from the FCA, DWP, and TPR. Pension schemes will need to publish clear data on their performance, costs and quality of service, under proposals announced today by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and The Pensions Regulator (TPR). If a pension offers poor value, firms and trustees must then fix it by moving savers to bet...
This page contains information about fines published during 2026. The total amount of fines so far is £371,700. Firm or individual finedDateAmountReasonRichard Adam07/01/2026£232,800The Final Notice refers to knowing concern in breaches of Article 15 of the Market Abuse Regulations, Listing Rule 1.3.3R, Listing Principle 1 and Premium Listing Principle 2.Zafar Khan07/01/2026£138,900The Final Notice refers to knowing concern in breaches of Article 15 of the Market Abuse Regulations, Listing Ru...
The FCA has fined 2 former finance directors for their part in misleading statements being issued by Carillion plc. Richard Adam and Zafar Khan were both aware of serious financial troubles in Carillion’s UK construction business but failed to reflect this in company announcements or alert the Board and audit committee, leading to poor oversight.Mr Adam and Mr Khan have been fined £232,800 and £138,900, respectively. The fines were imposed after Mr Adam and Mr Khan withdrew their challenges t...
The FCA has opened an enforcement investigation into The Claims Protection Agency Limited (TCPA) following concerns about its advertising and sales tactics in relation to potential motor finance claims. The FCA is investigating what customers were told about the amount of redress they might obtain, whether they were told they could make a claim for free, and whether they were pressurised to sign up.Announcing the investigation allows TCPA customers to consider their options.The FCA has not re...
On 21 November 2025, Michael Pettifer Insurance Brokers Limited, trading as MPI Brokers, entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation. Robert Cooksey of Bridgestones Limited has been appointed as liquidator. MPI Brokers was authorised and regulated by the FCA to sell and arrange insurance policies. The firm specialised in travel insurance.If you need to contact the liquidator, please contact Bridgestones using the details below:Email: mail@bridgestones.co.ukIn writing: MPI Brokers (In Liquidation...
The FCA has removed all regulatory permissions from Verus Financial Services Limited requiring it to stop conducting all regulated activities and imposed a more stringent assets restriction. The action follows concerns that the firm has repeatedly breached an existing asset restriction, which prevented it from selling, transferring or diminishing its assets without our approval. It also failed to comply with a Financial Ombudsman Service decision. We issued a First Supervisory Notice (PDF) on...
People could find it easier to pay using contactless, thanks to greater flexibility and the removal of red tape by the FCA. Banks and payment providers with strong fraud controls will be able to set their own limit for contactless payments, allowing them to better respond to changing consumer demands, inflation and new technology. They are also being encouraged to let customers set their own limit, or turn contactless off altogether, as many high street banks already do. People are using cont...
Open banking in the UK is growing rapidly. Latest industry figures show there are more than 16 million users now benefiting from the service. The number of open banking payments has soared by 53% year on year, reflecting a significant shift in how consumers and businesses manage their finances.See the API performance statsA key driver of this transformation is the rise of variable recurring payments (VRPs), which now account for 16% of all open banking transactions. VRPs allow consumers and b...
We’re seeking feedback on whether tailored market risk rules for non-bank trading firms could remove unnecessary barriers, free up capital and attract new market participants, ultimately supporting economic growth. The rules in place today were originally designed for banks to ensure they held enough capital to absorb major trading losses and protect depositors.While that approach is sensible, it means non-bank trading firms face the same standards even though the potential harm from their fa...
We are asking for views on new proposals as the next step in shaping the UK’s crypto rules. These proposals continue our progress towards an open, sustainable and competitive crypto market that people can trust. We want a market where innovation can thrive, but where people understand the risks. Regulation cannot – and should not – remove all risk. Instead, it should make sure anyone investing in crypto does so with their eyes open.Our proposals apply a similar approach to crypto as we do in ...
Earlier this year, we undertook a refresh of our Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee. In line with good governance, we planned to refresh the membership on a staggered basis, allowing us to bring in new expertise whilst benefiting from some continuity. Following this process, we are pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to the Committee:Elly Dowding, Director of ESG AccordFarnam Bidgoli, Independent AdviserThese appointments reflect our commitment to drawing on diverse exp...
First-time buyers and the self-employed could get a step-up onto the housing ladder, under new plans from the FCA. Its priorities for reforms to the mortgage market also include helping homeowners unlock housing wealth for a more comfortable later life.The FCA will focus on 4 areas:First-time buyers & underserved consumers: Simplifying mortgage rules to allow more flexible products that reflect different working patterns and income levels at different stages of life.Later-life lending: Review...
We're providing guidance to support firms to tackle bullying, harassment and violence in financial services, after they asked for additional support. In July, we changed our rules – setting clearer standards for how financial services firms should address non-financial misconduct.This more closely aligned the rules for banks and non-banks. We wanted to give firms the confidence to act against serious misconduct, drive consistency and make it clearer when non-financial misconduct is a breach o...