The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled its new five-year outcomes and metrics framework for 2025 to 2030, outlining the strategic direction and performance indicators that will shape its regulatory focus. As we step further into a decade defined by rapid innovation, economic volatility, and evolving consumer needs, this roadmap aims to deliver measurable improvements in financial services for consumers, markets, and the broader UK economy.
Aligning with Strategy: Four Pillars of Progress
At the heart of the FCA’s framework are four strategic themes that reflect the regulator’s long-term priorities:
- A Smarter Regulator – More Efficient and Effective
- Supporting Growth
- Helping Consumers Navigate Their Financial Lives
- Fighting Financial Crime
For each theme, the FCA has defined 2 to 4 key outcomes, backed by transparent metrics to track progress. These are aspirational goals, not guarantees, and many depend on collaboration across industry and government, as well as on external economic conditions.
1. A Smarter Regulator
The FCA is determined to become a data-driven, agile, and tech-savvy regulator. Metrics under this theme include measures of internal efficiency, response times to firms and consumers, and the adoption of digital regulatory tools. Improving regulatory outcomes while reducing friction and cost for compliant firms remains a key target.
Focus areas:
- Enhanced operational effectiveness
- Better data use and analytics
- Streamlined regulatory processes
Explore the full outcomes for “A Smarter Regulator”
2. Supporting Growth
Encouraging innovation and competition without compromising integrity is a delicate balance. The FCA aims to support the sustainable growth of financial services by reducing barriers to entry, promoting fair competition, and fostering innovation—especially among fintechs and new market entrants.
Key metrics include:
- Number of new firms entering the market
- Speed of regulatory approvals
- Levels of investment and consumer trust in new financial products
Explore outcomes for “Supporting Growth”
3. Helping Consumers Navigate Their Financial Lives
Consumer protection is central to the FCA’s purpose. The 2025–2030 strategy emphasizes financial literacy, access to quality advice, and reduced harm from poor products or practices. Metrics focus on consumer understanding, confidence in financial decisions, and reduction in incidents of financial detriment.
Example outcome metrics:
- Percentage of consumers who feel confident managing money
- Number of complaints about mis-selling
- Access to affordable and fair financial products
Explore outcomes for “Helping Consumers”
4. Fighting Financial Crime
Financial crime continues to evolve in complexity and scale. The FCA’s metrics in this space track industry compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) standards, volume and quality of suspicious activity reports (SARs), and overall reduction in fraud-related losses.
Strategic goals:
- Increase in effective reporting by firms
- Better detection and disruption of criminal networks
- More prosecutions and regulatory actions where appropriate
Explore outcomes for “Fighting Financial Crime”
Towards Transparency
This metrics-driven approach is designed to create accountability and transparency. It also commits to updating its data annually to reflect real-world progress.
The FCA’s outcomes and metrics framework from 2025 to 2030 is a positive step toward shaping a healthier, more resilient financial ecosystem. By focusing on long-term goals and embedding measurable performance indicators, the FCA aims to ensure financial services work well for everyone—from tech innovators and institutions to everyday consumers.
FCA Outcomes and Metrics 2025–2030 page.
References
Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Outcomes and Metrics 2025 to 2030. March 25, 2025. https://www.fca.org.uk/data/fca-outcomes-metrics-2025-2030/printable/print
Financial Conduct Authority. How We Work – Our Strategy. Accessed March 25, 2025. https://www.fca.org.uk/about/how-we-wor
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