Legal Shorts 2026
Welcome to Legal Shorts, a short briefing on some of the week’s developments in the financial services industry.
Week ending 3rd April 2026
Draft Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations
IOSCO consultation report on good practices for OTC commodity derivatives markets
Financial Conduct Authority its annual work programme 2026/27
Regulatory Priorities for payments
FCA Regulatory Priorities report 2026: wholesale buy side
Infringement proceedings against EU states for failing to transpose CRD VI
Non-financial misconduct
Good practice in operational resilience
FCA consultation on regulated fees and levies rates for 2026/27
Week ending 20th March 2026
FSB Cross-border Payments Summit
FCA Innovation
UK MiFID transparency calculations
Man jailed for running illegal sale-and-rent-back scheme targeting struggling homeowners
FCA consumer duty findings
FATF report on mitigating risks of offshore VASPs
HM Treasury response to consultation on FOS review
Second FCA and FOS consultation on modernising redress system
Week ending 13th March 2026
The FCA has published its 51st quarterly consultation paper (CP26/8)
Attracting investors with tax efficient fund investing
Government fraud strategy 2026-2029
FCA Regulatory Priorities report 2026: Pensions
The Capital Requirements Regulation (Market Risk Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026
European report on preparedness in the EU financial sector
Week ending 6th March 2026
FCA direction on application period for cryptoasset regulated activity permissions
New FCA webpage on cryptoasset firms using FCA-authorised approvers for financial promotions
FATF targeted report on stablecoins and unhosted wallets
New FCA webpages on SDR and labelling regime
BoE consults on using its requirements and permissions powers to mobilise new CCPs
Week ending 27th February 2026
Whistleblowing reports decrease
T+1 settlement
FCA AI Live Testing – applications due
The Upper Tribunal upholds FCA decisions
ESMA supervisory briefing on AAR representativeness obligation under EMIR
EU draft report on digital assets
ESMA withdraws guidelines on MiFIR obligations on market data
FCA launches Regulatory Priorities reports
Good and bad practices for smaller firms’ consumer duty board reports
Week ending 20th February 2026
HM Treasury consults on changes to appointed representatives regime
EBA opinion on PSD2 and MICA overlap: February 2026
FCA and PRA consult on reforming securitisation framework
ESMA consults on amendments to MAR guidelines on delay in disclosure of inside information
HM treasury response to policy paper on applying FSMA model to UK CRR
Week ending 13th February 2026
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2026 published
JMLSG publishes final revisions to Part 1 of AML and CTF guidance: February 2026
FOS quarterly complaints data on financial products and services: Q3 2025/26
IOSCO work programme for 2026
FCA commences civil proceedings against cryptoasset firm for alleged unlawful financial promotions (High Court)
AMLA consults on draft RTS for harmonised supervision under MLD6 and AML regulation
EU review of shareholder rights directive
Week ending 6th February 2026
We are the champions
BOE speech on shaping the UK’s digital future
Corporate reporting: FCA consults on UK sustainability reporting standards
PRA speech on banks’ management of risks from principal trading firms
Convictions of five city traders sent back to courts by criminal cases review commission
FSB work programme for 2026
FSB warns of financial stability challenges in repo markets
AMLA strategic programming document 2026-28
Week ending 30th January 2026
How to select the best prime broker
OFSI blog on work to tackle financial sanctions breaches involving cryptoassets
FCA launches new enforcement newsletter
FCA responds to treasury committee questions on implementing outstanding Leeds Reforms
FCA updates webpage on T+1 settlement transition
Single list for UK sanctions designations is now in operation
AMLA to launch data collection exercise testing risk assessment models for financial sector
FCA launches review into long-term impact of advanced ai on retail financial services
FCA appoints bond consolidated tape provider
Week ending 23rd January 2026
Crypto regulatory update
UK regulators sign MOU with ESAS on oversight of critical third parties
FCA’s next steps for open banking
European Commission consults on venture funds and AIFMD reform
Week ending 16th January 2026
New FCA cryptoasset webpages announce expected opening date of application gateway
House of Lords report on private markets
ESMA principles for risk-based supervision
FCA multi-firm review findings on complex exchange-traded products
ESMA launches digital strategy 2026-2028 and updates data strategy 2023-2028
G7 cyber expert group roadmap for transition to post-quantum cryptography in financial sector
Week ending 9th January 2026
FCA policy statement on changes to ancillary activities test
High Court provides detail on dismissed challenge to FCA investigation announcement decision
EBA final report on updated guidelines on equivalence of confidentiality and professional secrecy regimes of third-country authorities
FCA statement on transitional direction for derivatives trading obligation under UK MiFIR: January 2026
ESMA final report on internal controls guidelines for directly-supervised entities