HMT’s Payments Forward Plan 2026 sets a 3-year roadmap to modernise payments with Open Banking, a potential Digital Pound, and stronger fraud safeguards, helping firms innovate while tackling FC

It aims to streamline regulation such as consolidating the Payment Systems Regulator into the FCA and updating the Payment Services and E‑Money Regulations while enhancing competition, transparency, and consumer protections. The Plan also prioritises fraud prevention, APP scam mitigation, digital verification, and alignment with AML frameworks, giving firms clarity and capacity to innovate, plan, and manage financial crime risks across the payments ecosystem…