The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority has released its Financial Conduct Report 2025, setting out what regulated firms can expect from the regulator over the next 12 months and positioning the report as an annual publication. The report is framed as a cross-sector roadmap for banks, insurers, investment managers, capital markets participants and financial advisers, linking supervisory priorities to identified conduct risks and opportunities. Key priorities include improving how consumers can complain and expecting firms to act quickly to stop harm and deliver timely remediation when issues arise. The FMA also highlights work with other agencies and businesses to disrupt investment scam activity originating within New Zealand, alongside continued public warnings, and a focus on safekeeping of client money and property through work with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to improve custody protections. On market development, the report points to implementation of a single conduct licence and support for market access via a regulatory sandbox pilot for a small group of fintech firms, while also flagging supervisory attention on virtual assets, tokenisation and operational resilience readiness. The FMA expects the Financial Conduct Report to be issued annually as a reference point for its priorities and planned regulatory activities.
New Zealand Financial Markets Authority 2025-06-25
New Zealand Financial Markets Authority publishes Financial Conduct Report outlining 12-month focus on complaints, scams, custody protections and conduct licensing
The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority released its Financial Conduct Report 2025, outlining supervisory priorities for the next 12 months, including consumer complaint improvements, investment scam disruption, and custody protection enhancements. The report also addresses market development through a single conduct licence, a regulatory sandbox for fintech, and focuses on virtual assets and operational resilience.