On August 7, 2018, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority
("FCA") announced the formation of the Global
Financial Innovation Network ("GFIN"), comprised of
11 financial regulators, including the Ontario Securities
Commission ("OSC") and Autorité des marchés
financiers ("AMF").
GFIN follows upon a
white paper published by the FCA in February 2018, which
suggested the creation of a "global sandbox" to enhance
regulators' ability to collaborate on innovation-related
topics. It is also intended that the GFIN will provide innovative
firms with greater efficiencies in their interactions with
regulators. The announcement was accompanied by the publication of
a GFIN Consultation Document, which
proposes three complementary functions for the GFIN: