July 20, 2018 @ 5:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

The leading financial regulator in the United Kingdom released their annual report this week. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) tackled a wide spectrum of issues in the report including the forthcoming separation from Europe. But the FCA also addressed their ongoing intent to foster an… Read More

July 16, 2018 @ 3:03 pm By JD Alois  |  

UK based Sovren says it will launch the first digital asset exchange to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and accessible to institutional investors. The creation of two ex-bankers, Sovren has also announced an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) planned for Q3 this year…. Read More

July 4, 2018 @ 9:57 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) posted its next cohort of Fintech companies accepted into their regulatory sandbox and several blockchain based companies were on the list. BlockEx, a company that is launching a digital bond service on blockchain, was one of these companies.  BlockEx expects… Read More

July 4, 2018 @ 9:32 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority announced the next cohort of firms to be accepted into its Fintech Sandbox program. Within this group is a good number of crypto / blockchain. One of these firms, 20|30, will commence test initial coin offerings that will be equity… Read More

July 3, 2018 @ 8:39 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has posted the 29 firms that will be part of the fourth cohort of the Fintech sandbox. The UK was the trailblazing regulatory agency that first created an environment where innovative financial firms could safely experiment with new services… Read More

May 24, 2018 @ 8:47 am By JD Alois  |  

Christopher Woolard, Executive Director of Strategy and Competition at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), delivered a speech today on the hot topic of cybersecurity, crime and financial services. Delivered at a “TechSprint” in London, Woolard said it was time to bring regulators and tech specialists… Read More

May 21, 2018 @ 2:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

Today was the first meeting of the UK Cryptoassets Taskforce. The previously announced group involves the participation of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Bank of England (BoE), HM Treasury and other Senior government officials. Some of the named participants include, Katharine Braddick, Director General of… Read More

May 16, 2018 @ 10:19 am By JD Alois  |  

Andrew Bailey, Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), addressed the regulator’s business plan for the coming year in a speech this week. Touching upon innovations in financial services, Bailey stated; “Fintech and Big Data are transforming financial services. We will seek to… Read More

May 6, 2018 @ 9:09 am By JD Alois  |  

In a speech delivered by UK FCA Competition Director Mary Starks, the public official addressed the topics of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. Regarding blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT), Starks was more optimistic. Regarding cryptocurrencies, or “cryptoassets” as she labeled them, she was more circumspect…. Read More

May 5, 2018 @ 12:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published an interim report on UK mortgage market. According to the FCA, Mortgage debt accounts for over 80% of total UK household liabilities – so this is a significant sector of finance that has a profound impact on individuals. While… Read More

April 24, 2018 @ 7:06 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says that loan fee scams is now the most common scam in financial services topping investment fraud. The shift is largely due to the emergence of online lending as victims are targeting while searching for loans on the internet…. Read More

April 11, 2018 @ 3:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has recently published a note stating they are aware of a growing number of UK firms issuing cryptocurrencies or digital assets associated with initial coin offerings. These vehicles are currently not directly regulated but the FCA, and other policy types,… Read More

March 22, 2018 @ 1:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

As was announced earlier today (and leaked out earlier this week) the Australian and UK governments have signed an “enhanced cooperation agreement” on Fintech innovation. Under the new agreement the Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will continue to… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 10:04 am By JD Alois  |  

Christopher Woolard, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority  Executive Director of Strategy and Competition, delivered a keynote speech today at the Innovate Finance Global Summit. Woolard is the defender and champion of the vital competition mandate that has made the FCA a successful financial regulator.  Woolard… Read More

March 14, 2018 @ 7:32 am By JD Alois  |  

Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, has received an e-money license from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This will enable Coinbase to offer payments in the UK while supporting the UK’s Faster Payments Scheme. Simultaneously, Coinbase has partnered with Barclays… Read More

March 13, 2018 @ 2:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) is the leading research authority on global innovations in finance. Over the past several years, CCAF has produced benchmark reports tracking the growth and evolution of all forms of Fintech around the world. These reports have become valued… Read More

March 5, 2018 @ 3:02 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Collateral, a UK-based peer to peer lending platform, has reportedly gone into administration after trading without a proper license. According to various reports, a letter was sent to investors from the company’s administrator, named Gordon Craig, that stated the company was operating in the belief that… Read More

February 20, 2018 @ 5:30 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a call for input as to how technology can make things easier for firms to meet their regulatory reporting requirements. Incorporating Regtech can also streamline the process for the regulator while improving the overall quality of the… Read More

February 19, 2018 @ 7:38 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have signed a formal agreement that commits the two regulatory agencies to work together to support Fintech. This is the first such agreement for the CFTC and just one of many… Read More

January 5, 2018 @ 11:58 am By JD Alois  |  

HM Treasury appointed Charles Randell CBE as the new Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The appointment commences on April 1st and is for a 5 year term. Randell is currently an external member of the Prudential Regulation Committee of the Bank of England and… Read More