FCA to regulate Binary Options in 2018

Blue Sky Binary

Dear all,

Our team was at the annual LAC event in London last Friday which is a decent source of information on the binary options industry. We understand that the FCA will be officially beginning to regulate binary options in January 2018. While this is most likely subject to delays, it is a positive step after this recent, ongoing consolidation. We are going to be posting more information as we receive it (with sources).

Please let us know your thoughts and comments,
Team BSB

Okane

That's good news. Thanks for sharing.

TobiasRobinson

FCA regulation probably became less likely after the Brexit vote.

The European MiFID II regulation almost compelled the FCA to take control of binaries when that comes into force (currently binaries are reluctantly regulated by the UK Gambling commission). But the Brexit vote means the UK may not sign up to MiFID II and therefore the status quo may remain for a while. As a minimum it delayed things. Overall that is a real shame - and I hope the FCA do step in.

I hope you are right, and thanks for sharing - please do keep us updated! It is interesting that UK based IG Group recently started distancing themselves from the term "binary options" - even though they continue to make them available to their customers (even if they call them something else !!)

Blue Sky Binary

TobiasRobinson said:

FCA regulation probably became less likely after the Brexit vote.

The European MiFID II regulation almost compelled the FCA to take control of binaries when that comes into force (currently binaries are reluctantly regulated by the UK Gambling commission). But the Brexit vote means the UK may not sign up to MiFID II and therefore the status quo may remain for a while. As a minimum it delayed things. Overall that is a real shame - and I hope the FCA do step in.

I hope you are right, and thanks for sharing - please do keep us updated! It is interesting that UK based IG Group recently started distancing themselves from the term "binary options" - even though they continue to make them available to their customers (even if they call them something else !!)

Hi Tobias,

You are 100% right. Which is why we were also surprised when ETX Capital said based on their discussions with the FCA, it will happening in Jan 2018. Time will tell we suppose.

Team BSB