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An insurer reports a 71% rise in fraudulent claims, driven partly by an increase in faked images.

Experts say Mythos potentially has an unprecedented ability to identify and exploit cyber-security weaknesses.

Seizure numbers hit a 17-year high as an estimated 300,000 uninsured vehicles are driven each day.

Seres' plans show how stiff competition in the EV space is putting pressure on carmakers to innovate.

Firms say digital twins make staff more productive, but are they a potential legal minefield?

Under the Consumer Duty, firms must report annually on what their monitoring found about customer outcomes, and what actions they’ll take as a result.Good Consumer Duty Board reports provide clear evidence about outcomes – helping to turn governance into real change. Boards can ask better questions, hold people to account, and act quickly to make sure they aren’t causing harm or offering poor value. We’ve seen this lead firms to design better products, communicate more clearly and support their customers better. This means they fix issues sooner, and customers are more likely to get fair value and the help they need.With the third cycle of Consumer Duty Board reports on the horizon, now is a good moment to pause and reflect on what we’ve learned from year 2.The good news: the Duty is making a difference. Firms are continuing to mature in how they use data and insights to understand their customers' experiences. Boards are more actively shaping and scrutinising this work.Still, some areas need more attention to ensure reporting is genuinely outcome‑focused. Here’s where firms have made progress compared to our review of first year board reports, and where concentrating effort now will help them prepare for the next round of reporting.

The FCA has finalised a simpler UK short selling regime that reduces reporting burdens for firms, while maintaining regulatory oversight. Short selling plays an important role in financial markets by supporting price formation, providing liquidity, and facilitating risk management.The new rules follow legislative changes under the Government’s repeal and replace programme, which imply that the FCA will publish aggregated data showing the overall size of net short positions in each company rather than identifying individual short sellers.As well as implementing these changes, the new rules set out how the FCA will oversee short selling in a more proportionate and practical way.Firms will benefit from a more workable reporting timetable, with extra time to calculate and submit short position reports. In addition, rules for market makers have been simplified allowing eligible firms to make far fewer notifications to us about exemptions, replaced by an annual confirmation. This cuts administrative effort while retaining regulatory oversight.Jon Relleen, director of infrastructure and exchanges at the FCA, said: 'These changes give firms clearer rules and cut administrative burdens, while ensuring we have the information we need to keep the market fair. It is smarter regulation in action.'Notes to editorsRead the Policy Statement, rules and operational guidance.The FCA’s powers to intervene in exceptional market conditions, including through emergency measures, remain unchanged. The regulator set a high bar for the use of the emergency powers and only consider using them in exceptional circumstances.

Crypto will be regulated in the UK from October 2027. The FCA is finalising the wider cryptoasset regime, with rules to be published this summer. Parliament has now confirmed which cryptoasset activities will fall within the scope of regulation. Building on that, the FCA is consulting on new guidance to help firms understand how they might be affected by the regulatory regime for cryptoassets.The FCA is seeking feedback on its interpretation of the following regulated cryptoasset activities:issuing qualifying stablecoinoperating trading platformsdealing and arranging deals in qualifying cryptoassetssafeguarding cryptoassetsstakingThe proposed guidance supports the FCA’s aim for an open, sustainable and competitive crypto market people can trust.Crypto firms will be able to start applying for authorisation from September 2026. Ahead of this, the FCA is providing crypto firms with support on how to apply and to understand how the future regime could work.Until the new regime comes into force, crypto is largely unregulated except for financial promotions and financial crime purposes. As with all high-risk investments, people should only put in what they can afford to lose.Notes to editorsRead the full consultation.The consultation closes on 3 June 2026.This publication marks another step towards crypto regulation in the UK, following the making of the statutory instrument in Parliament on 4 February 2026.The FCA has set out the timeline for crypto regulation in its crypto roadmap.The FCA has consulted on stablecoin issuance and cryptoasset custody (CP25/14), prudential rules (CP25/15 and CP25/42), the application of the FCA Handbook (CP25/25 and CP26/4), regulating cryptoasset activities (CP25/40), and admissions and disclosures and market abuse (CP25/41).The FCA’s consultations on rules for the future cryptoasset regime are substantively complete, with policy statements to be published this summer. This perimeter guidance consultation complements that work by clarifying which activities fall within scope, with a final policy statement due in autumn.The authorisations gateway opens on 30 September. The FCA is hosting authorisation-focussed webinars to support prospective applicants, with an introduction to the upcoming regulatory changes and an intro to anti-money laundering regulations available on demand. The next webinar, on 29 April, focuses on the Senior Managers and Certification Regime.Later this year, the FCA will consult on decentralised finance (DeFi) guidance and separately on operational resilience guidance for firms using distributed ledger technology (DLT). It will also consult on updates to the Financial Crime Guide relevant to cryptoasset firms.Find out more about requirements firms must comply with.

The FCA has set out plans to take action against Hartley Pensions Limited and an individual involved at the firm. Hartley was a Self-Invested Personal Pension operator, which went into administration in July 2022. The FCA alleges that Hartley provided it with false and misleading information and improperly withdrew and invested substantial amounts of customers’ pension funds, without their consent, to benefit an individual at the firm.The FCA alleges that the individual dishonestly used the pension funds and made false representations to obtain money for a company that they owned. They then misled the FCA to conceal this misconduct.The issued Warning Notices are not the FCA's final decisions and there is a right to make representations to the Regulatory Decisions Committee. In the event that the FCA makes final decisions, it intends to make its findings public at the appropriate point, but it cannot provide any further detail beyond the Warning Notice Statement at this stage, including about any proposed sanctions.Notes to editorsWarning Notice Statement for Hartley Pensions Limited (PDF).Warning Notice Statement for individual (PDF).The FCA previously provided an update: Hartley Pensions Limited enters administration.In relation to the Warning Notice for the individual, subject to any written and/or oral representations to it, the Regulatory Decisions Committee may decide to take no further action, in which case the matter is discontinued, or to proceed with enforcement action, issuing a Decision Notice setting out the action to be taken. If a Decision Notice is issued, the subject may refer the matter to the Upper Tribunal. If it is not referred, or if the case is settled, the FCA will issue a Final Notice giving effect to the outcome.

Adverts which used edited, unauthorised clips of Martin Lewis to make misleading claims about average motor finance compensation and used the FCA logo without permission, have been banned by the FCA. Conclusive Financial Ltd (Conclusive), a claims management company (CMC), which also trades as PCP Refunds, was required to remove its advertising and update or take down its website until it complied with the FCA's rules. Conclusive has since removed the banned adverts.The FCA was also concerned that some of the firm’s adverts stated consumers would receive £1,846 on average for compensation for motor finance claims, with no explanation of how they reached this figure.Conclusive also promoted a 'No Win, No Fee' service on its websites, without a proper explanation of the fees, including any exit fees, people would be charged. It did not tell consumers that they could make claims for free to their lender or to the Financial Ombudsman Service without the need to use a CMC.Alison Walters, director of consumer finance at the FCA, said: 'Consumers should be wary of adverts that overpromise or give the impression they are endorsed by the FCA or well-known individuals. We will take swift action where rules are being broken.'Our scheme is free and people don’t have to use a CMC or law firm. If they do, it’s important that they can trust them.'A joint taskforce with the FCA, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Advertising Standards Authority and Information Commissioner’s Office was recently formed, which is the latest measure by the regulators to improve standards. Following FCA action, CMCs have removed or amended 899 misleading adverts since January 2024.Advice for consumersConsumers who have engaged with Conclusive and believe they have been misled by its advertising, should complain directly to Conclusive. If consumers are unhappy with the outcome, they can refer their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.If a consumer, as a result of seeing these adverts, has signed up with a law firm, then they should complain to the law firm directly and the Legal Ombudsman if they remain unsatisfied.Notes to editorsFirst Supervisory Notice: Conclusive Financial Limited (PDF).Millions of car finance customers to get payouts this year as FCA goes ahead with compensation scheme.Consumers can make a motor finance claim for free. Check our website for more information.