Technology Outsourcing And UK Financial Services Regulation

The UK financial services regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, has published a new list of considerations for regulated financial services firms planning to use third-party technology to support their operations. The list will need to be taken into account by any regulated financial services entity that falls under the auspices of the FCA.

Since FCA pronouncements on regulated firms' use of technology and outsourcing are rare, the new list will be studied closely. However, anyone expecting to find new insights into the FCA's approach to regulation of technology and outsourcing operations is likely to be disappointed – and the list is possibly more notable for what it doesn't cover (e.g., cloud and as-a-service solutions) as for what it does.