Compliance Monitor

In grappling to devise a regime for the delivery of something short of financial advice, "The problem has always been that one cannot half-give advice." Now the regulator is exploring possible solutions that lie both within and outside the notion of a personal recommendation, writes Adam Samuel.

In the fast-moving sphere of financial technology, the next wave of change - involving broader data-sharing, embedded services and smart-data ecosystems - is upon us. Charlotte Hill explores what the UK's open finance reforms mean for compliance.

Often a subject of controversy, financial industry pay is utilised not only to incentivise high performance but also to manage risk-taking, embed culture and values, and curb non-financial misconduct. Jack Prettejohn presents a framework for remuneration and compliance functions to align their efforts towards both business and regulatory goals.

Criticism that the FOS, at times, acts as a "quasi-regulator" has generated a flurry of speeches and consultations. But much of what appears in the papers already happens or should be happening under the existing frameworks, comments Adam Samuel.

The past 14 months have seen the implementation of significant new regimes for financial crime prevention. Emma Radmore and Stephen Wilson examine the main themes of the year and provide a heads-up for 2026.

With a nine per cent increase in reports over the financial year 2024/2025, this exploitative crime is growing in scale and complexity. In a deep dive into the systems of six varied banks and payment institutions, the regulator saw some "meaningful, tailored care" as well as a lack of consistency across the industry. Denis O'Connor reports.

A research note from the Financial Conduct Authority considers the potential applications of quantum computing in UK financial services. Daniel Hirschfield and Martin Dowdall review the paper, some of the key challenges and what firms and regulators can do now to prepare for quantum computing applications.