As the industry draws a line under 2025, it would be easy to characterise the year through its loudest narratives: the backlash against ESG, the unrelenting enthusiasm for AI, or repeated claims that wealth advice is on the verge of reinvention. Yet, as Kidbrooke has previously argued in its Trends research, the most consequential developments across wealth management and...

At the end of December 2025, the European Commission published a notice clarifying how the EU sustainable finance framework and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive apply to the defence sector. While the notice does not introduce new legal obligations, it sends a strong signal that the way SFDR, particularly Principal Adverse Impact (PAI) assessments, is being applied in...

Artificial intelligence has become impossible to ignore across financial services. Conference agendas, vendor stands and product announcements all highlight AI as the defining capability of modern compliance technology. What began with predictive analytics and evolved into generative AI copilots has now expanded into widespread claims around agentic AI. Yet as AI language becomes more pervasive, it has also become harder...

As financial institutions head into 2026, artificial intelligence is moving from a promising compliance tool to a regulatory necessity. Insights from 4CRisk.ai suggest the coming year will be defined by how effectively firms deploy governed, high-impact AI to manage growing regulatory complexity while meeting heightened supervisory expectations. This shift is explored by Supradeep Appikonda, COO and co-founder at 4CRisk.ai, who...

Zilch, the consumer payments platform powering the future of commerce, has signed an agreement to acquire AB Fjord Bank, a Lithuania-based regulated bank, as it looks to accelerate its expansion across Europe.

SimCorp, a global leader in financial technology, has announced an expansion of its data collaboration with MSCI, enabling buy-side firms using its SimCorp One platform to gain direct access to MSCI’s private market data services and datasets.

Eastspring Investments, a global asset manager and the $286bn asset management business of Prudential plc, has partnered with SGX FX to strengthen its foreign exchange (FX) trading capabilities through advanced workflow solutions and infrastructure. The partnership between Eastspring Investments and SGX FX is focused on enhancing FX trading outcomes through innovation, automation and access to advanced trading workflows. The collaboration...

HabitTrade, a global brokerage firm providing trading, settlement, custody and asset-issuance services, has completed a Series A funding round of nearly $10m to accelerate its global expansion and strengthen its brokerage infrastructure. The Series A round was led by Newborn Town Inc., with participation from Bright Venture Capital, StableStock and other investors. HabitTrade plans to use the capital to enhance...

GenAI is no longer a novelty in financial services, but on the compliance desk, trust is still hard-won. While generative models promise faster analysis of regulations, risks, and controls, concerns around explainability, accountability, and regulatory scrutiny continue to slow adoption. As pressure mounts to do more with less, compliance teams are being forced to decide whether GenAI can be...

Banking Circle has strengthened its European footprint by becoming the newest member of the Czech Fintech Association (CEFTAS). The move signals the company’s ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the growth of the Czech Republic’s FinTech ecosystem, according to FF News.  CEFTAS acts as a hub for the country’s leading financial technology companies, promoting collaboration, advocating for modernised regulation, and...