Financial services regulatory and risk
Cybercrime and its impact on D&O insurance
Cybercrime has risen in recent years, perhaps more than anybody ever expected. For a long time, the focus was on defending businesses against such crimes. Now, with more people aware of cybercrime and the risks, insurers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact such crime may have on D&O policies.
Read moreFSCS – reviewing the funding of the fund of last resort
In its third consultation paper on this topic, the FCA has recently confirmed that: - FSCS claims in respect of investment advice will benefit from an increased compensation cap, from £50,000 to £85,000; - product providers will have to start making contributions to FSCS funding for insurance and investment advice claims; and - it proposes new rules to prevent personal investment firms' insurers excluding cover for claims where the firm or a third party becomes insolvent.
Read moreCryptocurrency pre-ICO funding – a regulatory overview
The FCA has issued a discussion paper targeted at the non-workplace pension market. The paper marks the start of the FCA's work looking at whether there is harm in the non-workplace pension market and to better understand the potential presence, nature, extent and cause of any harm.
Read morePension transfers
The FCA tries again to get it right with new rules and a further consultation paper.
Read moreThe FCA publishes its 2018/19 Business Plan
On 9 April 2018 the FCA published its Business Plan for 2018/19, demonstrating its continued focus on culture and governance in firms, tackling financial crime and the role of technology in the financial services industry.
Read moreUnregulated cryptocurrencies – an end in sight?
Since their creation, cryptocurrencies have been somewhat of an enigma. Decentralised digital currencies such as Bitcoin have remained unregulated, despite becoming more prevalent in our day-to-day lives. That could be about to change with the FCA announcing plans to include them as part of their other regulated products or services.
Read moreFCA success in the High Court: Compensation of £16.9m awarded to misled investors
A five-year court battle between the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") and Capital Alternatives Limited concluded on 26 March 2018 when the High Court used its restitution powers under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to award compensation to investors who lost money invested with Capital Alternatives.
Read moreESMA cracks down on the sale of binary options and CFDs to retail investors
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has announced its intention to prohibit the sale of binary options to retail investors and to place restrictions on the sale of contracts for difference (CFDs). This is the first use of ESMA's new intervention powers under MiFID II.
Read moreFCA reviews approach to enforcement and penalties
The FCA has announced plans in its recent consultation paper on enforcement to review how it applies penalties which have gone from record highs to record lows over the past 5 years.
Read moreFrederick & Others v Positive Solutions Limited – a win for principals on vicarious liability
The Court of Appeal has reinforced the idea that liability will only attach to a principal in cases where a tort committed by an agent can be shown to have been completed as an integral part of the business activities of the principal. Furthermore, all elements composing the tort must take place within the course of the agency. The case thickens the lines defining what conduct of an agent could lead to recovery from the principal.
Read moreChanges on the horizon - FCA consults on non-workplace pensions
The FCA has issued a discussion paper targeted at the non-workplace pension market. The paper marks the start of the FCA's work looking at whether there is harm in the non-workplace pension market and to better understand the potential presence, nature, extent and cause of any harm.
Read morePrivilege: A welcome respite from ENRC?
Are interviews held with employees to prepare a report intended to deter a governmental authority from taking legal action privileged?
Read moreESMA to use new powers to attack the sale of CFDs and binary bets to retail investors
ESMA has launched a public consultation on measures to protect retail investors investing in contracts for difference (CFDs) and binary bets. Potential changes include wide-ranging restrictions on the marketing and sale of CFDs, and a complete prohibition on the sale of binary bets to retail investors. An intervention would mark ESMA's first use of its new powers under MiFID II, which came into force on 3 January.
Read moreFOS consultation on SME access to Ombudsman service
The FCA is currently consulting on proposed new rules to allow larger small and medium sized enterprises to refer complaints to the FOS.
Read moreThe FCA pledges to take action against providers of contracts for difference
The FCA has concluded that consumers are at "serious risk of harm" due to the poor practices of some providers and distributors of CFDs. The regulator will take further action against at least one firm in its latest crack-down on these "complex, high-risk" products.
Read moreThoughts on the FCA's fund fee transparency proposals
Alternative investment funds may soon be required to report total cost of ownership in a standardised form. Work on new templates in ongoing, and fund managers need to be aware of the situation and to be involved in this important debate that has so far been largely overlooked.
Read moreInitial Coin Offerings – the digital financing process under global scrutiny
In an era of social media platforms and the like, the technological world creeps into its corporate counterpart of today. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) storm the corporate world by force, but what does the future hold for the new phenomenon?
Read moreFCA revisits FSCS funding proposals, and abandons plans for significant changes to professional indemnity insurance requirements
The FCA has published a second consultation paper on the thorny subject of FSCS funding. Although not widely reported so far, the new consultation makes it clear that the FCA will not, after all, consult on significant changes to personal investment firms' professional indemnity insurance requirements.
Read moreFCA allows confidential report to be scrutinised by Treasury Select Committee
The FCA has allowed the Treasury Select Committee to review its s.166 report into RBS' Global Restructuring Group (GRG) and has published an interim summary of the report. It is possible that the threat of publication will play on the minds of firms subject to s.166 reports, which may reduce cooperation with skilled persons and therefore the efficacy of this investigatory power.
Read moreThe FCA makes clear its expectations of financial advisers
FCA, regulatory, financial services
Read moreAre there dark clouds on the horizon for SIPP providers?
According to Citywire, the FCA is poised to complete further supervisory work on the SIPP industry with a specific focus on non-standard investments. We understand that the FCA has questioned SIPP providers on the number of high risk investments they hold following a spate of complaints about such products in recent years.
Read moreFCA criticised by Complaints Commissioner for its handling of enforcement limitation issues
The Office of the Complaints Commissioner recently upheld two complaints against the FCA for making a "serious mistake" in its management of limitation issues for two connected investigations. The Commissioner criticised the FCA not only for its mismanagement of the limitation issue, but also for the unnecessary delays in concluding its own internal investigation into these complaints.
Read moreDB Transfers - now what?
We know that the FCA is looking closely at defined benefit transfers; we already have the FCA's review of redress methodology and the defined benefit transfer rules. We now have the results of the FCA's review, into defined benefit transfers and it makes for uncomfortable reading for the financial services industry.
Read moreThe FCA: key themes for 2017/18
A look at key developments for the FCA in 2017 and looking forward to 2018
Read moreA level playing Field?
Frank Field's Work and Pensions Select Committee is intending to review the impartiality of defined benefit pension transfer advice. What could this mean for the advisory industry and its PI insurers?
Read moreSIPP complaints to FOS still on the up
Complaints to the FOS about SIPPs continue to rise, having sky rocketed in the first quarter of 2017.
Read morePSR issues public censure on payment system operator
The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has recently announced its first enforcement outcome, as it issued a public censure against a payment system operator.
Read moreCould 'clickstream data' put firms' websites in the spotlight?
Rachael Ellis considers the FCA's use of clickstream data to examine customers' engagement with charges information.
Read moreNo duty of care owed when conducting a redress procedure
The Court of Appeal has found that banks did not owe a duty of care when conducting a past business review (PBR) of previous sales of interest rate hedging products. Although the decision is in the context of the review procedure agreed between the FCA and banks, the decision is likely to apply to all PBRs, except formal 'consumer redress schemes' under s404 FSMA.
Read moreNew corporate criminal offence
Failure to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion
Read moreCMA approves new payment systems operator
On 12 July 2017, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved the consolidation of the operators of Cheque and Credit Clearing Company, Faster Payments and Bacs into a new payment systems operator (NPSO). This consolidation was one of the key recommendations in the PSO Delivery Group's (PSODG) Report of 4 May 2017.
Read moreHigh Court sheds light on compulsory jurisdiction of Financial Ombudsman Service
The High Court has provided some clarification of the scope of the compulsory jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The decision has left the scope of that jurisdiction open to discussion, and appears to suggest that the courts will take a more mechanical approach to reviewing regulatory decisions.
Read moreMiFID II Policy Statement: still not had a chance to read it?
Rachael Ellis summarises some of the FCA's key new conduct requirements arising from MiFID II now that it has published its final rules.
Read moreFCA releases its final rules for implementation of MiFID II
The FCA has released its final policy statement (PS17/14) detailing aspects of its implementation of MiFID II, including final rules and its response to the six preceding MiFID II consultation papers dating back to 2015.
Read moreRetail CFD firms face potential EU market-wide restrictions and further criticism from the FCA
The European Securities and Markets (ESMA) has announced it is considering imposing restrictions on contracts for difference (CFD) trading that would mean seismic changes for the industry, whilst the FCA has announced its serious concerns about the CFD industry's continued failure to meet expectations regarding the treatment of retail clients.
Read moreFCA proposes remedies following asset management sector market study
The FCA today published the final findings of its asset management market study and it has announced the remedies that will be implemented to address the concerns previously identified.
Read moreCowboys beware; the AML Sheriff is on her way
With under a year until the first Financial Action Task Force ("FATF") visit to the UK in a decade, the FCA is consulting on proposed changes to its Handbook as the new money laundering regulations ("MLR 2017") come into force today.
Read moreWill robo-advice mean checkmate for human financial advisers?
With continuing advances in artificial intelligence and the rise in 'robo-advisers', is financial advice following in the footsteps of chess, where computers have long since outstripped humans in ability? Are human financial advisers nearing checkmate or is the endgame still unclear?
Read moreFCA review of suitability finds big is best
Bigger, restricted firms scored better in the FCA's suitability review and so supervisory focus will be on smaller firms as the FCA plans a follow up review in 2019.
Read moreFCA examines blockchain technology in financial services in its new discussion paper
FCA discussion paper on distributed ledger technology and blockchain technology
Read morePrivate Fund Limited Partnership
Welcome addition of a new investment funds vehicle
Read moreThe Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: harsh but fair?
A recent case highlights the dilemma of businesses whose assets are frozen as suspected proceeds of crime.
Read moreWarning: Enhanced Penalties for Financial Sanctions
Penalties for breaching financial sanctions have increased this week (since 2 May 2017) as HM Treasury brings The European Union Financial Sanctions (Enhanced Penalties) Regulation 2017 (the Regulation) into force.
Read moreIn-specie pension contributions - what's the fuss all about?
SIPP and SSAS providers and members continue to be left in limbo over potential tax charges arising from in-specie contributions. HMRC has suspended tax relief on contributions whilst it investigates the position, leaving providers and members without tax relief and the risk of tax assessments back to 2009.
Read moreHas the FCA made settling more appealing?
Changes to the Regulatory Enforcement Process
Read moreRobo-Advice: not so black and white?
The Chairman of the FCA, John Griffith-Jones has provided an insight into the Regulator's concerns that the advent of technological developments has blurred the distinction between when customers are receiving advice or guidance.
Read moreThe importance of retainer letters
Court strikes out claim that an adviser owed a duty to point out a claim against a former adviser
Read moreThe long arm of the law: chasing the proceeds of (alleged) crime
The English Court has recently upheld a freezing order over the sale proceeds from shares alleged to be a Canadian company's bribes to a Chadian diplomat's wife in the US.
Read moreInvestment funds, January 2017
Senior Manager’s Regime and its applicability to all regulated firms - The FCA is consulting on extending the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) to all regulated financial services firms in 2018, which will include many managers of investment funds.
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