Financial Conduct Authority

Google expands ads verification program to tackle financial scams

Google is expanding a verification program for financial services ads that it launched in the U.K. last summer after seeing what it describes as a “pronounced decline” in reports of ads pr

How the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is set to shake up BNPL in 2022

BNPL services offer customers accessibility and flexibility for payments, but unregulated services mean people can unintentionally put their financial health at risk.

UK expands Online Safety Bill to cover scam ads and eyes wider reforms

The UK government has again announced an extension to the scope of the draft Online Safety Bill — this time bringing scam ads into scope following pressure from campaigners. In parallel, it has

This UK startup got $9M so you’ll pay it to shrink your household bills

The UK’s cost of living crisis has been making grim headlines for months — with no respite in sight. Just this week, newspapers reported that inflation had hit 5.5%, a 30-year high, furthe

A hard rain is coming for UK’s crypto boom

The U.K.’s ad-fuelled boom in crypto trading looks to be headed for major speed restrictions: The country’s financial watchdog said it will beef up rules around marketing of crypto assets

Republic acquires the UK’s Seedrs in $100M deal to push into Europe

UK equity crowdfunding business Seedrs – who’s merger with rival Crowdcube was earlier blocked by competition regulators – has been acquired by start-up investing platform Republic in a

Google tightens UK policy on financial ads after watchdog pressure over scams

The U.K.’s more expansive, post-Brexit role in digital regulation continues to be felt today via a policy change by Google, which has announced that it will, in the near future, only run ads for

UK’s Digital Markets Unit starts work on pro-competition reforms

A new UK public body that will be tasked with helping regulate the most powerful companies in the digital sector to ensure competition thrives online and consumers of digital services have more choice

Buy now, pay later to be regulated in the UK

Following a government review, the U.K.’s financial services regulator will be instructed to regulate the buy now, pay later industry made popular by companies such as Klarna and AfterPay (known

With Robinhood’s UK launch delayed, eToro to bring out UK debit card following acquisition

Investment app eToro is to launch a debit card, following its acquisition of Marq Millions Ltd, the U.K. based e-money business. Marq Millions will now trade as eToro Money and will be the issuer for

The CFO of UK fintech challenger Revolut has resigned

This hasn’t been a good week for challenger bank Revolut. The company, which offers digital banking services and is valued at $1.7 billion, confirmed today that embattled CFO Peter O’Higgi

UK to probe fairness of personalized pricing practices in online retail

The UK government has announced an investigation into personalized pricing practices in online retail following growing concerns that vulnerable consumers are at risk of price discrimination through

Call for social media adtech to be probed by UK competition watchdog

A British Conservative politician, who has called repeatedly for Mark Zuckerberg to come to parliament to answer questions about how Facebook fences fake news — only to be repeatedly rebuffed &#

Equifax slapped with UK’s maximum penalty over 2017 data breach

Credit rating giant Equifax has been issued with the maximum possible penalty by the UK’s data protection agency for last year’s massive data breach. Albeit, the fine is only £500,000 bec

Wonga investors inject £10M so cash-strapped payday lender can fund claims

If you were at Disrupt London four years ago you may remember more than a little awkwardness during an investor panel when two VCs that had invested in European payday loans firm Wonga declined to c

Fake news inquiry calls for social media levy to defend democracy

A UK parliamentary committee which has been running a multi-month investigation into the impact of online disinformation on political campaigning — and on democracy itself — has published

#Brexit + #fintech: What happens now?

The British public recently voted to leave the European Union. Only history will tell whether it was a good decision or not. The immediate issue is... what happens now? Those in financial services and