Blog

EWPN panel discusses putting the E, S and G into Ireland’s Payments and E-Money Sector
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues have become essential considerations for financial services companies – and indeed all companies – in the last few years.

How To Tackle Your Resource Pressures with Interim PCF support
Regulations governing financial services companies in Ireland are ever-changing, which puts more pressure on firms’ already stretched compliance teams. More firms are therefore looking outside

Irish Consumer Credit Sector in the Spotlight as Central Bank of Ireland Expands Regulatory Perimeter
Plenty of changes are afoot for the Irish consumer credit markets, following the enactment of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing

Wind-up planning: what do firms in Ireland need to know?
Wind-up planning – or wind-down planning as it is confusingly also known! – is becoming increasingly important for payment and e-money institutions in Ireland. The

AML in Crypto: A beginners Guide
As of January 2022, more than 300 million people are using blockchain-based cryptocurrencies worldwide, and over 18,000 businesses accept cryptocurrency payments. According to market experts,

Ten Trends to Watch in Ireland’s Regulatory Outlook for 2022
Ireland’s regulatory authorities brought 2021 to an end with two statements of intent: a major fine levied on the Bank of Ireland and a “Dear

A Week of Sanctions: how should firms respond?
It has been a fast-moving week for the world and the main pillar of the international response in relation to the Ukraine Russian crisis has

Best Practice Guidance for AML and CTF risk assessments
All financial services firms in the UK are required to carry out risk assessments for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering Terrorist Financing (CTF). Yet a

How fscom’s distinct location and expertise helps firms to navigate compliance challenges in the UK, Ireland and the EU
The UK and Ireland are home to many of the leading players across financial services and fintech. One of the main reasons for this is

Dear CEO: Central Bank of Ireland sets expectations for Payment and E-Money firms
It’s not quite a Christmas card, but all Payment and E-money firms in Ireland received a “Dear CEO” letter from the Central Bank of Ireland

The building blocks of operational resilience for financial services firms
How ready is your company to become operationally resilient? If you aren’t sure, you will need an answer soon because the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) PS21/3 rule

The FCA’s approach to payment and e-money institution authorisations: your key questions answered!
The impact of Brexit is a frequent – and often contested – topic of debate in virtually every industry. But the impact on payment and

The Pandora Papers – Lessons in Compliance
“The Panama Papers on steroids” is how the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have described their latest leak of confidential financial documents. The leak of

Six steps to effective safeguarding for payment and e-money institutions
How can payment and e-money institutions meet regulatory requirements to safeguard consumers’ funds? fscom’s Director Alison Donnelly and Independent Payments Consultant Russell Burke, formerly Payment

The 5th Money Laundering Directive – Transposition into Irish Law
The Criminal Justice Act (CJA) 2021 became effective on 23rd April 2021 with the transposition of the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5MLD) into Irish Law. This blog

What does 5MLD mean for cryptocurrency firms?
Entering into force in July 2018 after political agreement was reached by the EU Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the EU’s Fifth Money Laundering

Opportunities with Open Banking for Credit Unions
In a world where everything is becoming more complex, today’s consumers are seeking financial services providers who can simplify their lives. Solutions that are seamless

Operational and security risk reporting (REP018) and IT audits
REP018 is the name the FCA has given to the reporting return for the operational and security risk assessment that all payment service providers (PSPs)

Outsourcing function, not responsibility
As of today, credit institutions, MiFID investment firms, e-money institutions and payment institutions must maintain a register of outsourcing agreements that can be made available

5MLD – What are the key changes in the Fifth Money Laundering Directive?
Her Majesty’s Treasury published a consultation paper on the UK’s transposition efforts relating to the EU’s 5th Money Laundering Directive (5MLD) earlier this year. The Directive

REP017: Are You Ready To Submit Your Fraud Report by 31 August?
Under PSD2, payment services providers across the EU are required to provide statistical data on fraud to their respective competent authority. In the UK, relevant

EWPN Announces Ambassador for Ireland
fscom is delighted to announce Alison Donnelly has been appointed as the European Women in Payments Network (EWPN) Ambassador for Ireland. EWPN is an exciting