Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Compliance Support
The regulatory environment for Capital Markets in the UK is complex, and ever evolving. We help a wide range of firms, including Exchanges, trading platforms (MTF/OTF), brokers across all asset classes, proprietary trading firms, digital assets businesses and benchmark administrators to manage their regulatory obligations.
Our dedicated Capital Markets practice has deep expertise in areas of focus for the FCA in the sector, including financial crime, market abuse, trade and transaction reporting, employee compliance, SMCR, ICARA and exchange rules compliance.
Regulatory Perimeter Advice
The regulatory perimeter defines the FCA’s remit. The perimeter is set by the UK Government through legislation however it can be complex to determine whether what you do, or plan to do, falls inside or outside. Getting it wrong can have costly consequences. We can advise on whether you need to be authorised, registered or whether you are exempt. We partner with our clients to understand their business model and ensure regulatory questions and decisions are addressed at the earliest possible point to avoid preventable hurdles that can stifle your growth.
Compliance Health Checks and Mock Inspections
We can review your compliance framework and give our view on whether your arrangements meet regulatory requirements and expectations, and how you compare to your peers. We can review your policies and procedures, sample files, speak to your staff, and then advise you on whether we see any compliance risks or issues and how these can be addressed.
This service is particularly useful for incoming Compliance Officers looking to establish whether the current compliance framework is fit for purpose before assuming responsibility. It can also be useful for Governing Bodies looking for reassurance that the compliance function is positioned to effectively managing its regulatory risks.
Regulatory Projects
Our team brings proven subject-matter expertise across key regulatory areas, including Consumer Duty, Financial Crime, Principal Firms and Appointed Representatives, Market Conduct, Best Execution, Transaction Reporting and SMCR Compliance. We have delivered stand-alone projects for a wide range of firms, helping them navigate complex requirements with clarity and confidence.
We understand the challenges these regulatory topics create, and our experience spans both regulated firms and the regulator itself. Whether you need a second opinion on how ever-evolving rules may impact your firm, or hands-on support with detailed reviews and implementation, we can provide bespoke services to suit your needs. We pride ourselves on providing a people-led, collaborative service, ensuring that any enhancements are proportionate, practical, and aligned to the realities of your business.
FCA Authorisation
Financial services businesses looking to establish in the UK for the first time or extend into new business lines from an existing entity, may need to seek authorisation from the FCA. Drawing on experience as former regulators and from in-house compliance roles, our team of compliance consultants have a deep understanding of what is required from the FCA’s perspective. The scrutiny applied at the regulatory gateway is more thorough now than ever and FCA are increasingly using tools such as interviews to assess firms and their staff. We can help you to understand your regulatory obligations, prepare your application, run mock interviews and support you in responding to queries throughout the process to give the best chance of success with the FCA.
Compliance Monitoring
Compliance monitoring is an FCA requirement and vital to enable firms to identify and remediate issues early. Effective compliance monitoring requires time, expertise and independence, and as a result smaller firms and subsidiaries are often ill-equipped to do this themselves.
We can carry out your routine compliance monitoring on an outsourced basis or identify areas of key regulatory risk for your firm that we thematically review to supplement your internal monitoring. Either way, we will work with you to develop a risk-based monitoring plan that suits your needs and provide you with a regular report with our findings.