Portugal’s National Council of Financial Supervisors launches equity release schemes workstream and sets 2026 agenda

Portugal’s National Council of Financial Supervisors published an account of its 28 November 2025 meeting in microprudential and macroprudential formations, including agreement to set up a working group to examine whether the marketing of equity release schemes should be subject to specific regulation and approval of its 2026 work programme and meeting calendar. On the microprudential side, the council reviewed the status of legislative initiatives within its remit, received updates from its fintech and cyber resilience workstreams and approved calendar changes to the fintech plan, including the launch of the 7th edition of Portugal FinLab following the completion of the 6th edition. It also approved general orientations for work on the operating model of the National Financial Education Plan, noted preparatory work for the 5th survey of financial literacy of the Portuguese population under the OECD International Network on Financial Education, and took stock of 2025 activities including the 13th “Todos Contam” competition, which involved 1,028 participants. On the macroprudential side, the council discussed risks to financial stability across the macroeconomic and financial environment, capital markets, banking, and insurance and pension fund sectors, and was briefed on the progress of the International Monetary Fund’s Financial Sector Assessment Program for Portugal after the first mission ran from 27 October to 14 November 2025. Technical work is set to continue ahead of a second mission expected to start in late January 2026, alongside 2026 work on risk identification, assessment of Banco de Portugal macroprudential measures, and monitoring of European Systemic Risk Board discussions.