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The ninth edition of the UK’s Regulatory Initiatives Grid, published in December 2025, sets out the country’s financial services regulatory agenda for the next two years. In this piece, Vixio examines what the regulators have outlined in the investment sections of the latest grid, explains the likely impact of developments on financial institutions and suggests what the regulators’ stated priorities tell us about the direction of travel in the UK.

Directive (EU) 2023/2225 (Consumer Credit Directive 2 – CCD2) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on October 30, 2023. It repeals Directive 2008/48/EC (Consumer Credit Directive – CCD) and lays down a common framework for the harmonisation of certain aspects of the laws, regulations and administrative provision of member states concerning credit agreements for consumers. This Mapping EU Legislation: CCD2 page will be updated in line with any CCD2 update.

The ninth edition of the UK’s Regulatory Initiatives Grid, published in December 2025, sets out the country’s financial services regulatory agenda for the next two years. In this piece, Vixio examines what the regulators have outlined in the payments section of the latest grid, explains the likely impact of developments on financial institutions and suggests what the regulators’ stated priorities tell us about the direction of travel in the UK.

On January 12, 2026, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) implemented significant amendments to its crypto token regime, shifting suitability assessments from the regulator to firms operating in or from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai’s special economic zone.

In addition to the much-discussed objective of payments sovereignty, a domestic alternative could lead to greater operational resilience and a decrease in the complexity of remaining compliant.

Brazil’s Pix instant payments system has evolved into one of the world’s most advanced and widely used instant payments systems, transforming the financial landscape of Latin America's largest economy. Since its launch in 2020 by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB), Pix has streamlined and digitised payments at scale, fundamentally changing how individuals and businesses move money in Brazil.

The US banking landscape is shifting as firms that once operated outside traditional banking rails increasingly move inside the regulatory guardrails. Federal regulators, led by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), are playing a central role in this transition through the reinvigoration of de novo bank chartering, particularly via the national trust bank charter. In December 2025, the OCC granted conditional approval to five national trust bank charter applications from firms focused on digital asset-related business models.

The retail giant’s launch of Pay by Bank in the UK is a significant step in the evolution of open banking from regulatory concept to mainstream retail infrastructure.

Plans for the central bank digital currency (CBDC) are still being refined, but look set to create significant data, governance and interoperability responsibilities for payments firms operating in the EU.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa’s (COMESA) Digital Retail Payments Platform (DRPP) is a landmark step for regional financial integration, enabling payment service providers and banks to expand cross-border services, reduce transaction costs and capture emerging opportunities in 2026 and beyond.