In effect since July of 2016, the European Market Abuse Regulations (MAR) are EU regulations designed to prevent insider dealing, unlawful disclosure of insider information and market manipulation. The regime was “onshored” into UK law as the UK Market Abuse Regulation (UK MAR), which contains equivalent prohibitions and requirements on market abuse. Regulatory priorities in the UK and across Europe demonstrate that MAR is hardly old news, remaining a consistent focus since its inception. And regulatory enforcement shows that even close to a decade in, firms are still struggling to stay compliant with MAR regulations and the flow of insider information across their organizations.

A conflict of interest happens in financial firms when an employee, executive, or director has multiple competing interests and serves one to the detriment of another. An individual may put personal financial gains above the interests of their firm, clients, and broader financial market integrity. They may also use confidential information, manipulate others to share information, or even offer and receive bribes to create unfair advantages and personally beneficial outcomes.

PRESS RELEASE | FEBRUARY 6, 2026 FDIC Extends Comment Period on Proposal to Establish GENIUS Act Application Procedures for FDIC-Supervised Institutions Seeking to Issue Payment Stablecoins WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced a 90-day extension to the comment period on the agency’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) that would implement the application provisions under the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) for FDIC-supervised state nonmember banks and state savings associations seeking to issue payment stablecoins through a subsidiary. To provide additional time for the public to prepare comments to address the matters raised by the NPR, the FDIC is extending the comment period from February 17, 2026, to May 18, 2026. ### ATTACHMENTS: Federal Register Notice: Extension of Comment Period Through May 18, 2026 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Approval Requirements for Issuance of Payment Stablecoins by Subsidiaries of FDIC-Supervised Insured Depository Institution ###   MEDIA CONTACT: MediaRequests@fdic.gov The FDIC does not send unsolicited email. If this publication has reached you in error, or if you no longer wish to receive this service, please unsubscribe. CONNECT WITH US

On January 29, 2026, FINRA filed proposed Rule 3290 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC Release No. 34-104746, File No. SR-FINRA-2026-001). The proposed Outside Activities Rule aims to replace both Rule 3270 (Outside Business Activities) and Rule 3280 (Private Securities Transactions) with a single, more efficient rule. With the proposed rule submitted to the SEC, now is the time to take a hard look at the potential advantages and disadvantages of the reduced requirements and how they might impact your compliance program.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA) has published two new reports on exchange traded funds and fund mergers, and updated statistics and data visualizations on municipal advisors, transfer agents, and…

In this report, we explore how MiFID II inducements requirements apply to firms and their counterparties in common scenarios. The MiFID II inducements regime is complex and can cause confusion. Not only do different requirements apply to different scenarios, but the same requirements apply differently to the different parties involved in a single scenario. As...

PRESS RELEASE | FEBRUARY 5, 2026 FDIC Issues List of Banks Examined for CRA Compliance WASHINGTON - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today issued its list of state nonmember banks recently evaluated for compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The list covers evaluation ratings that the FDIC assigned to institutions in November 2025. The CRA is a 1977 law that requires the FDIC to assess a bank’s record of meeting the credit needs of its entire community, including those of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound operations. As part of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), Congress mandated the public disclosure of an evaluation and rating for each bank or thrift that undergoes a CRA examination on or after July 1, 1990. You may obtain a consolidated list of all state nonmember banks whose evaluations have been made publicly available since July 1, 1990, including the rating for each bank, or obtain a hard copy from FDIC's Public Information Center, 3501 Fairfax Drive, Room E-1002, Arlington, VA 22226 (877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200). A copy of an individual bank's CRA evaluation is available directly from the bank, which is required by law to make the material available upon request, or from the FDIC's Public Information Center. ATTACHMENTS: February 2026 List of Banks Examined for CRA Compliance Monthly List of Banks Examined for CRA Compliance # # # MEDIA CONTACT: MediaRequests@fdic.gov The FDIC does not send unsolicited email. If this publication has reached you in error, or if you no longer wish to receive this service, please unsubscribe. CONNECT WITH US

Federal Reserve Board finalizes hypothetical scenarios for its annual stress test and votes to maintain the current stress test-related capital requirements until public feedback can be considered

The Committee believes that the financial services regulators are not doing enough to manage the risks presented by AI. By Becky Critchley, Gary Whitehead, and Charlotte Collins On 20 January 2026, the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee published a report on AI in financial services. This follows an inquiry that was launched in February...

Failing to adequately manage Material Non-Public Information (MNPI) remains a high-risk area for compliance, as evidenced by recent actions in the United States, the United Kingdom and across the globe for issues including insufficient insider trading compliance policies, market abuse and failure to effectively manage insider information.