In our recent alert “New Year, Similar Concerns: The FCA’s 2025 Priorities for UK Private Fund Managers,” we discussed the updated supervisory strategy and priorities which the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has for...more
3/10/2025
/ AIFM ,
Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
Asset Valuations ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
EU ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Fund Managers ,
Private Equity ,
Private Funds ,
Risk Management ,
Valuation ,
Venture Capital
On 26 February 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a portfolio letter (Letter) explaining its supervision priorities for the asset management and alternatives portfolios....more
3/3/2025
/ Asset Management ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Due Diligence ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Crimes ,
Fund Managers ,
Investment Funds ,
Know Your Customers ,
Market Abuse ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Private Equity ,
Private Funds ,
Risk Management ,
Supervision ,
Sustainable Finance ,
UK
In a previous alert, we identified that the definition of a collective investment scheme (CIS) could capture on-chain staking, and that the UK government, acting through the HM Treasury (HMT), was looking to clarify the...more
1/16/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Collective Investment Schemes ,
Compliance ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services and Markets Act ,
Financial Services Industry ,
HM Treasury ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
UK
On 14 November 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her inaugural Mansion House 2024 speech, announcing a collection of reforms designed to drive growth and competitiveness in the financial services sector....more
11/21/2024
/ Economic Growth ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Fund Managers ,
MiFID II ,
Pensions ,
Private Funds ,
Privately Held Corporations ,
Senior Management Regime (SMR) ,
Senior Managers ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Trading Platforms ,
UK
In our previous alert we mentioned a joint letter from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to the UK Government on their strategic approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and...more
11/6/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Bank of England ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Financial Stability Board ,
FinTech ,
Machine Learning ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Mitigation ,
UK
Welcome to the third edition of our Horizon Scan for 2024: key recent and expected funds, regulatory and tax developments to look out for. As before, we focus on the most important developments and changes that we expect...more
11/1/2024
/ Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Financial Crimes ,
Fund Managers ,
MiFID II ,
Packaged Retail And Insurance-Based Investment Products (PRIIPS) ,
Private Funds ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
SFDR ,
Sustainable Finance ,
UK
The European Commission’s adoption on 23 October 2024 of the two regulations (Regulations) supplementing the [the Regulation on digital operational resilience for the financial sector Publications Office (europa.eu)] (DORA)...more
10/28/2024
/ Compliance ,
Compliance Dates ,
Digital Services ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Incident Response Plans ,
Member State ,
Regulation Technical Standards (RTS) ,
Risk Management ,
Third-Party Service Provider
For any UK fintech business involved with payments of electronic money (e-money) and any (experienced) investor in these businesses, safeguarding client funds is a key regulatory issue....more
10/2/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Auditors ,
Compliance ,
Consultation ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Customers ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Investors ,
Lehman Brothers ,
Money Transfer ,
Payment Systems ,
UK
The European Union (EU) Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending...more
8/12/2024
/ Amended Regulation ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Brokers ,
Compliance Dates ,
Effective Date ,
EIOPA ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Banking Authority (EBA) ,
European Commission ,
European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) ,
Extraterritoriality Rules ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Insurance Brokers ,
International Harmonization ,
Investment Adviser ,
Lenders ,
Member State ,
Nonbank Firms ,
Retail Investors ,
Third-Party Service Provider
The publication by the Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) on (a) 17 July 2024 of the second batch of implementing materials and (b) 26 July 2024 of the sub-contracting of information and...more
7/30/2024
/ Banking Sector ,
Compliance ,
Cyber Incident Reporting ,
Digital Services ,
EU ,
European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Implementing Technical Standards (ITS) ,
Information Sharing ,
Regulation Technical Standards (RTS) ,
Risk Management ,
Third-Party Service Provider ,
UK
Welcome to the second edition of our Horizon Scan for 2024: key recent and expected funds, regulatory, and tax developments to look out for. As before, we focus on the most important developments and changes that we expect to...more
5/24/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Cross-Border ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EU ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fund Managers ,
Investment Funds ,
Private Funds ,
Private Investment Funds ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Reporting Requirements ,
SFDR ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Transitional Arrangements ,
UK
In our previous alert AI and Machine Learning in UK financial services, we discussed the response in FS 2/23 of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to its discussion paper on...more
In our previous alert The FCA’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and Labelling Regime (SDR): A Flexible Regime for UK Private Fund Managers, we examined the final framework under policy statement PS23/16, on...more
4/26/2024
/ AIFs ,
Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Greenwashing ,
Investment Management ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Portfolio Managers ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
In our previous alert “Acquiring or Investing in EU Crypto-Asset Businesses: MiCA’s Impact,” we discussed the impact of the European Union (EU) Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) on the acquisition or investment in EU...more
4/18/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Cryptoassets ,
Digital Assets ,
EU ,
European Banking Authority (EBA) ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Investment ,
Popular ,
Regulation Technical Standards (RTS) ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Standards
On 6 March 2024, following the Chancellor’s budget statement, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Order 2024 (SI 2024/301) (the March Amendment) was...more
In our previous alert, we noted the statement of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) encouraging market participants and national competent authorities in EU member states to prepare for implementation of the...more
The market had been expecting feedback by now from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) regarding its November 2022 consultation on its guidelines on funds’ names using ESG or sustainability-related terms...more
On 7 December 2023, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a joint consultation paper titled ”CP26/23 - Operational resilience: Critical third parties to the UK financial...more
In our previous alert, The Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and Investment Labels Rules: Tougher ESG Standards for UK Private Fund Managers, we discussed the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) October 2022 consultation...more
We wrote on the impact of changes to the financial promotion rules that came into effect earlier this year. On 7 November 2023, the UK Government published the proposed changes to the Financial Promotion Order 2005 (FPO). The...more
The Response and Stablecoins Update confirm the core of HMT’s policy proposals in the General Consultation and Stablecoin Consultation, respectively, although they shine further light on the features of the regulatory regime....more
In our previous alert, we discussed the emerging trends for regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in financial services and mentioned a joint paper published by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial...more
In our previous alert, we noted the speech made by Nikhil Rathi, CEO of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which built on the points made in a joint paper published by the Bank of England (BoE) and FCA on artificial...more
10/12/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Bank of England ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Information Reports ,
Joint Statements ,
Machine Learning ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
UK
In a previous alert, Too Important To Fail? Further Light on When EU and Non-EU Technology Providers Will Become Subject To DORA, we discussed the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). We have also set up a microsite...more
As we have discussed previously (see ”First Reminder: Two Months Until New UK Crypto Marketing Rules Take Effect”), starting 8 October 2023, anyone — including a crypto issuer or business based outside the UK — who makes a...more