Morning, Friday, 22nd May 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for the UK FinTech sector. With a range of current policy developments aimed at fostering growth in the sector, planned discussion will focus on priorities for regulation that can effectively support innovation, and how stakeholders can benefit from opportunities being offered.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss implications of the Government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, alongside implementation of Smart Data provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and next steps for the Payments Forward Plan. The agenda will examine implications of developments in open finance, digital identity, and artificial intelligence-driven innovations, with the Financial Conduct Authority conducting the Mills Review on the impact of AI on retail financial services, as well as the rollout of data-sharing and payment frameworks that might best support consumer confidence and the interoperability of markets.
Discussion will bring out latest thinking on approaches to encouraging innovation while managing risk, including the impact of the new Scale-Up Unit, the Smart Data Accelerator, and evolving responsibilities for payments oversight. Attendees will also assess the direction of policy for cryptoassets and digital assets, and steps required to implement robust rules for exchanges and stablecoins that support consumer protection, investment, and competitiveness.
Strategies for supporting investment in the sector will be considered, including new funding commitments through the British Business Bank, the role of platforms such as the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System in broadening access to capital, alongside the contribution of private investment in supporting scale-ups and longer-term growth. Delegates will also examine the UK’s position in global markets and pipeline to sustain future competitiveness.
Further sessions consider regional development, including cluster initiatives, mayoral funds, and growth of FinTech ecosystems outside London, and how they might support more balanced development and investment opportunities across the UK. There will be a focus on emerging risks and building resilience, looking at preparedness for operational disruption, impact of the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act on UK firms, and collaborative initiatives aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and continuity, alongside implications for financial stability and international confidence.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy:
- Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy implementation
- implications of the Data (Use and Access) Act for smart data schemes - implementation of the Payments Forward Plan
- data frameworks: roadmap for open finance - certification and trust frameworks for digital identity - commercial viability of expanded data-sharing
- regulatory direction: role of the Scale-Up Unit, and priorities - testing of use cases in the Smart Data Accelerator - coordination as Payment Systems Regulator functions move into the Financial Conduct Authority
- technology: appointment of an AI Champion in financial services - opportunities for FinTech firms to scale AI use cases - regulatory clarity for automated decision-making and third-party tools
- funding: deployment of British Business Bank growth capital - assessing PISCES as a new market for private companies - role of private funds in sustaining scale-ups
- crypto regulation: scope of draft legislation - requirements for exchanges and stablecoins - impact on investment confidence
- competitiveness: UK position in global FinTech investment - pipeline of firms ready to expand - longer-term growth prospects
- regional growth: contribution of cluster champions programmes - potential of mayoral funds - insights from regional mapping exercises
- resilience: implications of the Digital Operational Resilience Act for UK firms - collaborative projects to close resilience gaps - sector readiness for cybersecurity threats
- sector outcomes: prospects for stronger consumer confidence - widened access to services - trust in digital infrastructure
