The U.K. Jurisdiction Taskforce has published a consultation on the issuance and transfer of "digital securities" under English law. Digital securities are shares, bonds and other debt securities which are constituted by...more
Since late February 2022, the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU) and its member states, the United Kingdom (U.K.), and many others—including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Canada—have imposed sweeping...more
8/11/2022
/ Asset Freeze ,
Belarus ,
Blocking Sanctions ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Transactions ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
Technology Sector ,
Trade Relations ,
Trade Suspensions ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
UK ,
Ukraine
The recently published Financial Services and Markets Bill (FSM Bill) is intended to recast the U.K.’s regulatory architecture post-Brexit. It was introduced to Parliament on 20 July 2022. The Bill implements the outcomes of...more
8/2/2022
/ Commodities ,
Derivatives ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services and Markets Act ,
Financial Services Industry ,
HM Treasury ,
New Legislation ,
Stablecoins ,
UK ,
UK Brexit
The House of Commons Treasury Committee has published a report on the Future of Financial Services Regulation setting out its view on the priorities for regulatory change in the U.K. now that the U.K. has left the EU. The...more
Following its 2021 consultation on targeted amendments to the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the MLRs), the U.K. government has published a...more
The U.K. Prudential Regulation Authority has opened a consultation in which it proposes introducing a definition of a "Simpler-regime Firm". This is the PRA's first step in developing a strong and simple prudential framework...more
The House of Commons Treasury Committee has announced the creation of a new sub-committee that will scrutinize financial services regulatory proposals and has published a report setting out the approach that Parliament will...more
The U.K. Government has published the U.K. Infrastructure Bill, a piece of legislation designed to put the U.K. Infrastructure Bank on a statutory footing. The Bank was launched in interim form in June 2021 as part of the...more
Following the Queen's speech yesterday, the government has published a briefing pack setting out details of the bills that it intends to introduce, including the so-called Brexit Freedoms Bill as well as key legislation...more
5/24/2022
/ Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
HM Treasury ,
Insider Trading ,
MiFID II ,
Sanctions ,
Securities ,
UK ,
UK Brexit
The U.K. Payment Systems Regulator Panel has published a report on its Digital Payments Initiative, which investigated potential barriers to the take-up of digital payments and possible solutions. The Panel advises the PSR on...more
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, delivered the Queen’s speech in which he announced that the government will be introducing the so-called Brexit Freedoms Bill, which was first announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on...more
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has made three appointments to its senior leadership team -
Mel Gunewardena has been appointed to Senior Advisor, and will join the FCA from his role as Chief Market Intelligence...more
HM Treasury has published a Policy Statement on its plans for protecting the U.K.'s wholesale cash infrastructure. In recent years, use of cash has diminished in favour of cashless transactions but the U.K. government is...more
The EU and U.K. PRIIPs Regulations have had a significant effect on practices in the wholesale capital markets. Uncertainty about whether some financial instruments qualify as a PRIIP has resulted in cautious interpretations...more
Since late February 2022, the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU) and its member states, the United Kingdom (U.K.), and many others — including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Canada — have imposed...more
4/28/2022
/ Australia ,
Canada ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Foreign Policy ,
Foreign Relations ,
Japan ,
Military Conflict ,
New Zealand ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
Sanctions ,
Taiwan ,
UK ,
Ukraine ,
Vladimir Putin
The International Organization of Securities Commissions is seeking feedback on two IOSCO reports: the first on drivers of liquidity in corporate bond markets during COVID-19 induced market stresses and the second on good...more
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has made three new appointments...more
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, Prudential Regulation Authority and Bank of England have published a joint statement on the London Metal Exchange's suspension of nickel trading between March 8-16, 2022. Trading was...more
The FCA has announced that Sberbank CIB (UK) Limited, the U.K. arm of Sberbank's corporate and investment banking division, has entered special administration. The firm has found itself unable to make payments due to the...more
Following its consultation last year, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published its final policy and rule amendments on the scope of the rules governing packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (or...more
Following the call for evidence issued in January 2021, the U.K. government has confirmed that it will bring the issuing or facilitating the use of stablecoins used as a means of payment into the U.K. regulatory perimeter, in...more
On March 1, 2022, HM Treasury published its conclusions on the consultation it launched in July 2021 on major reforms to the U.K.’s prospectus regime. That consultation followed on from Lord Hill’s Listing Review which made...more
Since late February 2022, the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU) and its member states, the United Kingdom (U.K.), and many others—including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Canada—have imposed sweeping...more
3/23/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Canada ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Foreign Policy ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
Sanctions ,
UK ,
Ukraine
Following its consultation last year, HM Treasury has set out its policy approach to amending the U.K. Prospectus regime. The current U.K. Prospectus Regulation will be replaced by legislation when parliamentary time allows....more
The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation has published a revised General License under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The License was first published on February 25, 2022, and allows...more