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Compliance & Ethics

FCA Warns of Clone Firm Impersonating Authorized Pension Provider NEST Invest Limited

The FCA has issued a warning identifying "investnestglobal.com" as a clone firm fraudulently impersonating NEST Invest Limited, an FCA-authorized firm (FRN 913207). Compliance teams should note this as a reminder of ongoing clone firm risks targeting consumers and should ensure customer-facing staff and fraud monitoring systems are updated accordingly.

FCA Issues Clone Firm Warning Over allenbygroup.com Impersonating Allenby Capital Limited

The FCA has identified a clone firm fraudulently using the details of authorized firm Allenby Capital Limited to deceive consumers and investors. Compliance teams should note this as part of the ongoing trend of clone firm scams, which carry significant consumer protection and reputational risk implications for authorized firms and the broader financial services sector.

FCA Issues Warning Against Unauthorized Firm FalconStockMarkets

The Financial Conduct Authority has added FalconStocksMarkets to its Warning List, confirming the firm operates without UK authorization while potentially targeting UK consumers. Compliance teams should note this listing as part of ongoing due diligence screening and ensure customer-facing staff are aware of the heightened fraud risk associated with this entity.

FCA Issues Warning Against Unauthorized Firm Bridge Marks Limited

The FCA has publicly warned UK consumers that Bridge Marks Limited is conducting or promoting financial services without proper authorization. Firms dealing with UK clients that appear on this Warning List pose direct counterparty and reputational risk, and compliance teams should ensure this entity and its associated digital properties are screened against onboarding, transaction monitoring, and third-party risk systems.

Fed Research Note Clarifies Gold's True Role Versus Treasuries as Reserve Asset

A Federal Reserve FEDS Note challenges the narrative that gold has overtaken U.S. Treasury securities as the world's preferred reserve asset, attributing the apparent shift primarily to gold price valuation gains and concentrated legacy holdings rather than active central bank reallocation. For compliance teams at financial institutions, this informational analysis is relevant context for geopolitical risk assessments, sanctions-related monitoring of gold accumulation patterns, and messaging around de-dollarization trends—though it imposes no new regulatory requirements.

SEC Commissioner Peirce Backs Proposed Rescission of Investment Adviser Pay-to-Play Rule

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce issued a statement supporting the Commission's proposal to fully rescind Investment Advisers Act Rule 206(4)-5, the "Pay-to-Play Rule," citing First Amendment concerns over restrictions on political speech. Compliance teams at investment advisers should monitor this rulemaking closely, as elimination of the rule would remove a significant compliance burden while leaving pay-to-play conduct subject to existing antifraud provisions and other regulatory regimes (MSRB, FINRA, SEC swap dealer rules).

Fed Research Note Cautions Against Over-Reliance on Commodity Futures as Price Forecasts

A new Federal Reserve Board FEDS Note finds that while commodity futures prices outperform simple statistical forecasting models when the futures curve is steeply sloped, futures remain biased and unreliable predictors of future spot prices, particularly during periods of market stress. For institutions that rely on futures curves to inform risk models, stress testing, valuation assumptions, or market commentary, this research underscores the need to treat futures-implied price signals with appropriate skepticism and corroborating analysis.