Why governance is the make-or-break factor for digital banks in Australia

Australia’s digital banking market is mature, highly regulated and difficult to scale. In this environment, governance is not a later-stage consideration but a core condition of sustainable growth. As APRA, ASIC and AUSTRAC continue to raise expectations around accountability, risk and control, institutions need frameworks that are designed to support scale from the outset.  A digitally mature […]

AML Tranche 2 Reforms in Australia: what professional services firms need to do now

Australia’s AML Tranche 2 reforms bring lawyers, accountants, real estate and other professional services firms into scope for AML/CTF regulation. The priority now is to identify designated services, embed risk-based controls, and show clear governance. Readiness depends on whether your approach works in practice and stands up to regulatory scrutiny.  Australia’s AML Tranche 2 reforms are often framed as […]

What the FCA motor finance redress scheme update means for lenders

The FCA has issued its latest update to motor finance firms and lenders following legal challenges to its proposed motor finance redress scheme.   The regulator continues to iterate that the scheme is its preferred way of delivering redress to the millions of customers potentially affected. However, the legal process is now underway and will shape if, how and when it can be delivered.  Earlier this month, the FCA […]

How FOS reforms will affect financial services firms

The government has recently set out its plans to reform the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to ensure clarity and predictability for the consumers and firms who use it.  This follows a consultation period from July to October 2025, which received over 600 responses from firms, consumer groups and other stakeholders.  At a high level, the reforms are focused on improving […]

Motor finance redress scheme meets resistance

The FCA has confirmed its proposed motor finance redress scheme is now subject to legal challenge. The regulator confirmed it has received four claims; one from Consumer Voice represented by Courmacs Legal Ltd and three from lenders including Volkswagen Financial Services, Mercedes Benz Financial Services and Crédit Agricole Auto Finance.  The regulator has reiterated its position that an industry-wide approach remains the most effective way […]

Consumer Understanding under the Consumer Duty: the capability gap firms must now address

The FCA’s Consumer understanding: good practice and areas for improvement publication is not simply guidance on better communications – it’s a clear statement about capability, governance and behavioural maturity under the Consumer Duty.  While the FCA continues to allow flexibility in how outcomes are achieved, firms must now be able to demonstrate how their people, processes and decision‑making genuinely support consumer understanding across the organisation.  What the FCA expects beyond […]

Delivering good outcomes under the FCA’s Mortgage Regulatory Priorities

The FCA has published its Regulatory Priorities report for the mortgages sector, setting out where it will focus supervisory attention over the year ahead. Covering mortgage and home finance lenders, administrators and intermediaries, the report is intended to give boards and senior leaders a clearer, more joined‑up view of regulatory expectations, replacing multiple portfolio letters with a single point […]

FCA Regulatory Priorities Payments: Key areas of focus

The FCA’s Regulatory Priorities: Payments report for 2026 outlines the supervisory focus for payment and e-money firms and serves as a practical guide for boards and senior managers, highlighting key areas where regulatory scrutiny will intensify over the coming year.  Four core themes for the payments sector The report emphasises four consistent themes shaping the FCA’s approach:   Preparing for future regulation and innovation  The […]

FCA Regulatory Priorities for the Wholesale Buy Side: what firms need to evidence now

The FCA has published its first Regulatory Priorities report for the wholesale buy side, replacing more than 40 individual portfolio letters with a single, annual statement of expectations. The message to boards and senior management is deliberately direct: firms should read the report carefully, assess the priorities against their business model, and act where necessary.  While the […]