by Colin Baines | May 2014 | Comments
Bitcoins are a peer to peer payment system and digital currency. They are created by a process called ‘mining’ in which computer network participants verify and record payments into a public ledger in exchange for transaction fees and newly minted Bitcoins. Bitcoins...
by Colin Baines | Apr 2014 | Comments
When the Treasury Select Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie asked FCA CEO Martin Wheatley “do you believe that financial advice can be delivered online without human intervention?” he was probably surprised, in view of recent experience, to receive a straightforward and...
by Colin Baines | Mar 2014 | Comments
The FCA has published its final guidance on inducements. There is nothing earth shaking in it and it is rather long for what it is, but it should actually give reassurance rather than cause angst. Principle of Business 8, ‘conflicts of interest’ is quoted extensively,...
by Colin Baines | Feb 2014 | Comments
Currently there are 10 million people over 65 in this country which is 1 in 6 of the population. In 20 years time, this is expected to have risen to 15 million or 1 in 4 of the population. Of the 10 million, around 3 million are over 80 and this is expected to double...
by Colin Baines | Jan 2014 | Comments
Last July the Government rejected an amendment to the Care Bill that would have forced local authorities to refer people who are in need of long term care to regulated financial advisers. Instead of being required to refer to well qualified and rigorously regulated...
by Colin Baines | Dec 2013 | Comments
The UK is bidding to become a world hub for Islamic finance with the launch of a £200 million Sharia bond early next year. The government hopes that this will encourage Islamic investment into all sorts of British enterprises. There are also plans for an Islamic index...
