Blog
Strengthening Operational Resilience as Ireland’s Regulatory Deadline Approaches
Are you ready for 1st December? This is the deadline set by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) for firms to identify vulnerabilities and take
CBI’s safeguarding expectations of payment and e-money institutions – a timely reminder
As the safeguarding deadline approaches for payment and e-money institutions in Ireland, this blog sets out the main takeaways from fscom’s safeguarding webinar held earlier
Individual Accountability Framework Report 2023: Your Guide to Success
In the ever-evolving realm of financial services, regulatory compliance is more than a mandatory checkbox; it’s a strategic imperative. To empower you on this journey,
Payments and e-money institutions seeking authorisation in Ireland
By Russell Burke, Senior Associate Consultant at fscom Nearly 50 payments and e-money firms have chosen Ireland as their European base, including some of the
MiCA: Paving the way for crypto regulation in the EU and beyond
New rules on markets in cryptoassets (MiCA) were adopted by the EU’s Council last month. This is a significant – and positive – development which
The Third Payment Services Directive (PSD3) – Everything Merchants Need to Know So Far.
The European Commission is on the verge of publishing the third Payment Services Directive (PSD3) which will introduce new regulations for payment services in the
How to prepare for your IT security audit
Hearing the word “audit” can raise the blood pressure of a financial services company’s chief executive or compliance officer. But voluntarily undergoing an audit, and
Are you ready for the Consumer Duty? 10 tips from our Readiness Roundtable
Financial services firms in the UK have until 31st July to implement the new Consumer Duty rules from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). fscom’s experts recently held
10 trends to watch: fscom report assesses Ireland’s regulatory outlook for 2023
A raft of new regulations is expected from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) in 2023. A new report from fscom aims to guide investment
Six areas to watch from the Central Bank of Ireland’s new letter to payment and e-money firms
It is barely a year since all authorised payment and e-money firms in Ireland received a “Dear CEO” letter from the Central Bank of Ireland.
Belfast-headquartered consulting firm fscom partners with leading growth investor Bridgepoint
Leading specialist consulting firm FSCom Limited (fscom) has today announced a partnership with world-leading alternative asset fund management group Bridgepoint following a significant investment to
Top Cyber Security Questions to Ask Your CISO
Head of Cyber Security and ICT Risk, Nick Gumbley discusses in this blog the top cyber security questions you, as a compliance professional should be asking your
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)
