FCA Announces List of Firms for Cohort Six of Regulatory Sandbox
FCA announced the list of 22 firms that have been accepted into cohort six of the regulatory sandbox to test innovative products and services. FCA received 68 applications to cohort six of the regulatory sandbox. Names of participating firms and their project descriptions have been made available. Some of the selected firms are DLA Piper, Climate chain, CrediCar, FundAdminChain, and Hitachi Europe Limited. FCA is also collaborating with key strategic partners and the industry to pilot a digital sandbox, which looks to provide enhanced regulatory support for innovative firms tackling the challenges caused by COVID-19 outbreak.
Applications were received from firms operating in the UK and overseas. The majority of applications came from firms looking to operate in the retail banking, payments, and retail lending sectors. Examples of propositions that have been accepted into cohort six include financial education platforms, a digitized motor finance proposition, safekeeping and transacting of digital assets using distributed ledger technology, and a sustainable finance investment platform, which enables the mobilization of capital toward green projects. This notable proposition from Hitachi Europe Limited involves a "Sustainable Finance Platform" that aims to facilitate the mobilization of capital toward green projects through a "matching function" between investors or lenders and project owners. The prototype uses the "Internet of Things" to communicate operational information about green assets and blockchain for enhanced transparency and security.
Tests will be conducted on a short-term and small-scale basis. FCA work closely with each firm to agree on testing parameters and build in appropriate consumer safeguards. For cohort six, FCA called out, for the first time, areas where it would like to see more innovation. This included propositions that "make finance work for everyone" and "support the UK in the move to a greener economy." More than half of the applications received were propositions that sought to address issues around access and exclusion to financial services and vulnerable consumers, with two successful applicants developing sustainable finance models. The propositions in cohort 6 support the increased demand for digital offerings created by the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
Related Links
Keywords: Europe, UK, Banking, Insurance, Securities, COVID-19, Fintech, Regtech, Cohort 6, Regulatory Sandbox, Sustainable Finance, ESG, Climate Change Risk, FCA
Featured Experts
Michael Denton, PhD, PE
Dr. Denton provides industry leadership in the quantification of sustainability issues, climate risk, trade credit and emerging lending risks. His deep foundations in market and credit risk provide critical perspectives on how climate/sustainability risks can be measured, communicated and used to drive commercial opportunities, policy, strategy, and compliance. He supports corporate clients and financial institutions in leveraging Moody’s tools and capabilities to improve decision-making and compliance capabilities, with particular focus on the energy, agriculture and physical commodities industries.
James Partridge
Credit analytics expert helping clients understand, develop, and implement credit models for origination, monitoring, and regulatory reporting.
Previous Article
EIOPA Updates Risk Dashboard in August 2020Related Articles
BIS and Central Banks Experiment with GenAI to Assess Climate Risks
A recent report from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub details Project Gaia, a collaboration between the BIS Innovation Hub Eurosystem Center and certain central banks in Europe
Nearly 25% G-SIBs Commit to Adopting TNFD Nature-Related Disclosures
Nature-related risks are increasing in severity and frequency, affecting businesses, capital providers, financial systems, and economies.
Singapore to Mandate Climate Disclosures from FY2025
Singapore recently took a significant step toward turning climate ambition into action, with the introduction of mandatory climate-related disclosures for listed and large non-listed companies
SEC Finalizes Climate-Related Disclosures Rule
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finalized the long-awaited rule that mandates climate-related disclosures for domestic and foreign publicly listed companies in the U.S.
EBA Proposes Standards Related to Standardized Credit Risk Approach
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has been taking significant steps toward implementing the Basel III framework and strengthening the regulatory framework for credit institutions in the EU
US Regulators Release Stress Test Scenarios for Banks
The U.S. regulators recently released baseline and severely adverse scenarios, along with other details, for stress testing the banks in 2024. The relevant U.S. banking regulators are the Federal Reserve Bank (FED), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
Asian Governments Aim for Interoperability in AI Governance Frameworks
The regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence (AI), including the generative kind, is evolving rapidly, with governments and regulators aiming to address the challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology.
EBA Proposes Operational Risk Standards Under Final Basel III Package
The European Union (EU) has been working on the final elements of Basel III standards, with endorsement of the Banking Package and the publication of the European Banking Authority (EBA) roadmap on Basel III implementation in December 2023.
EFRAG Proposes XBRL Taxonomy and Standard for Listed SMEs Under ESRS
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), which plays a crucial role in shaping corporate reporting standards in European Union (EU), is seeking comments, until May 21, 2024, on the Exposure Draft ESRS for listed SMEs.
ECB to Expand Climate Change Work in 2024-2025
Banking regulators worldwide are increasingly focusing on addressing, monitoring, and supervising the institutions' exposure to climate and environmental risks.
