Tracks financial services regulatory developments and provides insight and commentary
In recent years, diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the financial services sector has become a focus for regulators around the world. Individual regulators, however, have taken different approaches to D&I to reflect the local socio-economic environment.
Below, we provide a high-level summary of the position across a number of key jurisdictions updating our table published…
In the latest instalment of our Regulation Around the World series, Financial Services partners in 15 jurisdictions cover recent developments concerning anti-money laundering.
Our global updater is accompanied by further analysis and insights in our Regulation Around the World podcast which is available now to stream and download. The podcast features speakers from the…
In the summer of 2023, the European Commission issued a payment services legislative package which amends the existing Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2). A new Directive, PSD3, was proposed together with a Regulation, the Payment Services Regulation (PSR). In addition, a further Regulation was proposed, a Regulation on a Framework for…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on September 17, 2024 that it has withdrawn its 1995 Bank Merger Guidelines, effectively overhauling how it reviews M&A transactions involving banks and bank holding companies. According to the DOJ, the 2023 Merger Guidelines are its sole authoritative statement across all industries that identify the factors and…
Singapore has passed legislative amendments to enhance its anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. Such changes will, amongst other things, enable more effective prosecution of money laundering offences, enhance the enforcement and supervisory efforts of AML/CFT regulators, and align the city-state’s AML/CFT framework with international standards.
Read our new…
On August 28, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a final rule that will impose new anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing (AML/CFT) program requirements on registered investment advisers and exempt reporting advisers (collectively, Covered IAs) by, among other things, including Covered IAs within the definition of “financial…
On 20 August 2024, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (the FSRA), the financial services regulator in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, published Consultation Paper No. 7 of 2024 (CP7) on a proposed regulatory framework for the issuance of stablecoins that are backed by a fiat currency, or what CP7 refers to as…
In our latest Global Regulation Tomorrow Plus podcast, Jonathan Herbst, Hannah Meakin and Anita Edwards discuss PRA Consultation Paper 11/24, which sets out proposals updating the regulator’s approach to international banks.
Listen to the episode here.
In Episode 4 of our podcast series ‘Let’s talk asset management’ Jonathan Herbst, Hannah Meakin and Anita Edwards discuss the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s final rules for a new option to pay for investment research.
Listen to the episode here.
In Episode 3 of our podcast series ‘Let’s talk asset management’ Frank Herring and Simon Lovegrove discuss the EU Retail Investment Strategy.
Listen to the episode here.
On July 25, 2024, in the case of Federation of Americans for Consumer Choice, Inc., et al. v. United States Department of Labor, et al., (“Federation of Americans”) the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued an order staying the effective date of the DOL’s final fiduciary rule (and related amendments…
In PS24/9 (Payment optionality for investment research) the FCA sets out final rules for a new option to pay for investment research and sets out its feedback to its earlier consultation in CP24/7. To remind everyone, the new option will exist alongside those already available, i.e., payments for research from a firm’s own resources and…
Last week, two major stablecoin announcements were made to support Hong Kong’s efforts in facilitating the responsible development of its virtual asset ecosystem.[1] On 17 July 2024, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) jointly published consultation conclusions on the proposed regulatory…
On 26 March 2025, the Bank of England (BoE) published a speech on ‘Innovating wholesale payments: building a resilient and innovative future’, delivered by its Executive Director for Payments, Victoria Cleland, at Pay 360.
Key points covered in the speech include:
FINRA requested comment on “modernizing” current rules, guidance and process relating to capital formation.
The full update can be found here on our US Regulatory Intelligence platform.
At the Crypto Task Force inaugural roundtable, SEC Commissioner Caroline A. Crenshaw cautioned Commissioner Hester M. Peirce and Acting Chair Mark T. Uyeda against conceding that many crypto assets and related activities should not be subject to securities laws.
The full update can be found here on our US Regulatory Intelligence platform.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network adopted an interim final rule to narrow the existing beneficial ownership information reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act.
The full update can be found here on our US Regulatory Intelligence platform.
On 26 March 2025, there was published the official translations of the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) guidelines on certain aspects of the suitability requirements and format of the periodic statement for portfolio management activities under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA). The guidelines are intended to promote greater…
On 26 March 2025, the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance (the Platform) published its response to the European Commission’s earlier call for evidence on a draft delegated regulation amending the Taxonomy Delegated Acts. The Platform welcomes and acknowledges that several of its proposals have been taken into consideration and that overall the proposed amendments…
On 24 March 2025, the European Banking Authority (EBA) announced that it had updated its methodology for the assessment of regulatory and supervisory frameworks of non-EU countries. The updates have been made to reflect changes to the Capital Requirements Regulation and Capital Requirements Directive. The EBA’s methodology is based on two questionnaires with…
On 25 March 2025, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Services published its second Supplementary Report on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The Supplementary Report on the FCA is being published in instalments, with the first having been published in February 2025. The first instalment…
On 25 March 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched a voluntary survey to inform the future regulation of ESG ratings and broader sustainability disclosures.
The FCA explains that as it develops the future regulatory regime for ESG ratings providers, it is engaging widely to inform its approach, which includes ESG ratings providers…
On 25 March 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a feedback statement, FS25/2: Immediate areas for action and further plans for reviewing FCA requirements following introduction of the Consumer Duty.
Background
The FCA launched a call for input in July 2024, which sought to understand how it could simplify its…
On 25 March 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched its new 5-year strategy for 2025-2030, which aims to deepen trust, rebalance risk, support growth and improve lives.
The FCA’s strategy focuses on four priorities, which are intended to reinforce each other:
