About the FCA

The Financial Conduct Authority is the conduct regulator for 50,000 financial services firms and financial markets in the UK and the prudential regulator for over 18,000 of those firms.

Our role

Financial markets must be honest, fair and effective so consumers get a fair deal. We work to ensure that these markets work well for individuals, for businesses and for the economy as a whole. 

We do this by:  

• Regulating the conduct of around 50,000 businesses 
• Prudentially supervising 48,000 firms 
• Setting specific standards for around 18,000 firms 

We were set up on 1 April 2013, taking over conduct and relevant prudential regulation from the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

Our Head Office is based in London, but we also work across the UK, from our offices in Leeds and Edinburgh and via colleagues in Belfast and Cardiff.

How we operate

Our strategic objective is to make sure relevant markets function well. 

Our operational objectives are to: 

• Protect consumers from bad conduct
• Protect the integrity of the UK financial system
• Promote effective competition in the interests of consumers

We're an independent public body funded entirely by the fees we charge regulated firms. Our role is defined by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) and we’re accountable to the Treasury, which is responsible for the UK’s financial system, and to Parliament.

We work with consumer groups, trade associations and professional bodies, domestic regulators, international partners and a wide range of other stakeholders. We have a large and growing remit, and use a proportionate approach to regulation. We do this by prioritising the areas and firms that pose a higher risk to our objectives.