Latest
Reporting and analysis on the institutions, products, rules, and technology shaping UK finance.
- · Explainers & Guides
Who is responsible when an AI agent makes a payment?
UK law has no single rule for AI-agent payments. This explainer maps which protections apply when an agent buys the wrong item, signs an unwanted contract, or creates debt.
- · AI & Finance
HSBC weighs deep cuts to UK wealth advisers amid AI push
HSBC is reportedly weighing cuts of around 70% to UK wealth adviser roles and half of management and specialist posts, with the plan still subject to consultation and Consumer Duty accountability unchanged.
- · UK Fintech
UK T+1 settlement readiness uneven a year before deadline
A year before the UK's planned move to T+1 settlement on 11 October 2027, FCA and industry survey evidence point to uneven progress on automation and testing readiness.
- · Fraud & Cybersecurity
FCA finfluencer enforcement actions surge to 74 in 2025
FCA data obtained under Freedom of Information rules show enforcement actions against financial influencers rose from one in 2023 to 74 in 2025 — but most were warning alerts, not prosecutions.
- · Payments and open banking
Cashflows takes undisclosed stake in payments firm Tap & Go
Cashflows has taken an undisclosed strategic stake in UK merchant-services firm Tap & Go, which plans to expand beyond card terminals into ecommerce and multi-site payments.
- · AI & Finance
Subcontext brings branded life insurance AI to ChatGPT and Claude
Subcontext says insurers can run branded quoting and eligibility assistants inside ChatGPT and Claude, but FCA Consumer Duty and advice rules still apply in full.
- · Crypto, Stablecoins & Tokenisation
Seven UK banks test tokenised deposits for mortgages and shopping
UK Finance announced on 24 September 2026 that seven UK banks had completed live tokenised-deposit pilots, locking funds for two remortgages and a marketplace payment whose live-or-simulated status is disputed. The pilots test conditional payments, not proven speed or cost gains.
- · Fintech News
UK fintech funding falls to a decade low amid consolidation pressure
UK fintech investment fell to £1.8bn in H1 2026, KPMG's lowest level since 2016, as late-stage funding drops sharply and smaller fintechs face pressure to merge, sell or close while B2B and AI deals keep attracting capital.
- · Fraud & Cybersecurity
Nine in ten scam sessions now happen on mobile, says BioCatch
BioCatch says nine in ten scam sessions in its global customer data are now on mobile, as UK banks weigh behavioural checks against APP reimbursement rules that split scam costs 50:50.
- · UK Fintech
FCA maps transition to new transaction reporting rules for 2028
The FCA's CP26/34 consultation sets out draft schemas and transition rules for the new UK transaction reporting regime starting 3 April 2028, with responses due by 6 November 2026.