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UK’s FCA to Strengthen Payment Firms’ Safeguarding Rules from May 2026

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Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced stricter regulations for electronic payment firms, effective from May 2026, aiming to better protect customers’ money by ensuring it is kept separate from firms’ own funds. This move follows growing consumer exposure to risks associated with payment providers as their use has surged dramatically in recent years.

The FCA’s reforms will require larger payment firms to submit monthly reports and undergo annual audits, as well as conduct daily checks to confirm the correct safeguarding of customer funds. These rules will apply to payment institutions, e-money institutions (EMIs), and credit unions that issue e-money.

The regulator highlighted recent failures in the sector, such as foreign exchange broker Argentex, which entered special administration last month after liquidity problems caused by market volatility. Between 2018 and mid-2023, failed payment firms showed an average shortfall of 65% in safeguarding customers’ funds.

Matthew Long, FCA’s director of payments and digital assets, emphasized the importance of these reforms to protect consumers from losing money when firms fail, and noted the FCA will monitor firms’ compliance to decide if further rules tightening is needed.

UK Finance, representing the finance industry, welcomed effective safeguarding but urged careful assessment to avoid imposing unrealistic demands, especially on smaller firms, and to maintain international competitiveness.

JPMorgan to Charge Fintech Firms for Access to Customer Bank Data, Bloomberg Reports

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JPMorgan Chase is planning to start charging fintech companies for access to its customers’ bank account data, Bloomberg News reported Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The U.S.’s largest bank has sent pricing proposals to data aggregators — intermediaries that connect banks with fintech platforms — outlining fees that may vary depending on the use case. Payment-focused fintech firms are expected to face higher charges.

A JPMorgan spokesperson stated the bank has invested heavily in building a secure system to protect customer data. The spokesperson added that JPMorgan is engaging with industry players to ensure necessary investments are made in infrastructure that safeguards customer information.

This move could disrupt payment app companies that currently rely on free access to customer financial data to facilitate transactions. Following the news, shares of major payment firms fell sharply: PayPal dropped 6.3%, Block fell 5.6%, while Visa and Mastercard declined around 2.8% and 2.9%, respectively.

The fees are expected to be implemented later this year but remain subject to negotiation, according to Bloomberg.

In the broader regulatory context, U.S. banking giants like JPMorgan are advocating for lighter regulations under President Donald Trump’s administration, in contrast to the stricter capital requirements imposed during the Biden administration.

SEC’s ‘Crypto Mom’ affirms tokenized securities remain subject to regulations

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Hester Peirce, a Republican commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) known as “crypto mom” for her supportive views on cryptocurrencies, emphasized on Wednesday that tokenized securities must comply with existing securities regulations.

Peirce stated, “As powerful as blockchain technology is, it does not have magical abilities to transform the nature of the underlying asset. Tokenized securities are still securities.” Tokenization refers to converting traditional shares into digital tokens traded on blockchain platforms. Investors holding these tokens own a representation of the underlying securities.

She warned that tokens issued by third parties, rather than the original security issuers, carry distinct risks for investors.

The concept of tokenized securities is gaining traction in the crypto and finance industries as a potential way to innovate trading processes. Coinbase recently revealed it is seeking SEC approval to offer blockchain-based stock trading.

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, also a Republican, voiced support for fostering innovation but stressed regulatory oversight remains important. Critics argue that tokenization could be exploited to bypass SEC rules, putting retail investors at risk.