The Financial Markets Authority - Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko (FMA) has today released a key report designed to provide clarity to the financial sector on what to expect from the regulator.
The Financial Conduct Report will be an annual publication for the financial industry, including banks, insurers, investment managers, capital markets and financial advisers.
FMA chief executive Samantha Barrass said: "We are responding to the clear desire for transparency, certainty and improved engagement with the sector, by setting out our priorities and the drivers behind what we're doing.
"Importantly, our report provides context and reasoning for these priorities by outlining key conduct risks and opportunities on the FMA's radar over the next 12 months and how we plan to address them.
"We are publishing this FCR in the context of an uncertain economic outlook, geopolitical changes, financial pressure on households and businesses, and an expanding regulatory remit for the FMA. This underscores the importance of engaging with the industry and stakeholders, to identify and respond to emerging risks.
"We encourage boards, executives and leaders to use the FCR to understand the FMA's regulatory priorities for the coming year and consider how these insights can help their business ensure better outcomes for consumers and markets.
"We have a number of priorities across the sectors we regulate.
"Examples of our priorities as a regulator, providing licensing, monitoring and guidance to the industry and enforcing current laws to bolster confidence in our financial sector include:
- We want to ensure consumers know how to complain and we'd like industry to take swift action to stop further harm and provide timely remediation when issues arise.
- We are actively working with other agencies and business to disrupt scam activity that originates within New Zealand to protect consumers from investment scams, which are increasingly affecting New Zealand consumers, and are growing in complexity and volume. We will continue to issue public warnings that highlight the high incidence of these misconduct cases.
- In addition, safekeeping of client money and property is fundamental for confidence in financial markets. So we'll be working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to improve protections for assets held in custody. Strong custody is not just important to protect against fraud. Robust client asset protection provides confidence in our regulatory environment.
"Examples of our aim to support innovation and growth in financial markets - include:
- Implementing a single conduct licence
- Supporting market access through our regulatory sandbox pilot for a small group of fintech companies. By supporting firms to test new products and services in a controlled environment, we can improve our understanding of where our laws may impede innovation or drive firms to find ways to operate outside the regulatory perimeter.
"The report also demonstrates how we are readying ourselves for emerging risks and opportunities such as virtual assets, tokenisation, and industry readiness for operational resilience.
"We anticipate the FCR will become an annual go-to reference point for the FMA, stakeholders and media to understand where it is focused, and what it aims to achieve for the year ahead."
"Overall, this report is a roadmap that sets out over the next 12 months why and how we are working towards achieving our statutory objective: to promote and facilitate the development of fair, efficient and transparent financial markets, and to promote the confident and informed participation of businesses, investors and consumer in financial markets."
Download the Financial Conduct Report 2025
