FCA Imposes £8.96 Million Fine on Charles Schwab UK
- The regulator fined the broker for failing to protect the assets of retail customers.

The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the largest financial regulator for all financial markets in the United Kingdom (UK).The UK regulator is responsible for the conduct of firms authorized under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Moreover, the FCA is also responsible for the regulation of behavior in retail and wholesale financial markets, supervision of the trading infrastructure that supports those markets, and the prudential regulation of firms not regulated by the PRA. Its rol The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the largest financial regulator for all financial markets in the United Kingdom (UK).The UK regulator is responsible for the conduct of firms authorized under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Moreover, the FCA is also responsible for the regulation of behavior in retail and wholesale financial markets, supervision of the trading infrastructure that supports those markets, and the prudential regulation of firms not regulated by the PRA. Its rol Read this Term) announced today that it has imposed £8.96 million fine on the UK subsidiary of the American multinational broker, Charles Schwab. The regulator fined Charles Schwab UK for the company’s failure to protect client assets.
According to the official press release, the broker carried out a regulated activity without the authorization of the FCA. Additionally, Charles Schwab UK made a false statement to the regulator. All the affected clients were the retail customers of the broker.
The FCA outlined that Charles Schwab UK failed to receive relevant permissions from the regulatory authority and the mentioned breaches occurred between August 2017 and April 2019, when the broker changed its business model.
“Client Money Client Money Client money refers to the money or margin – which may be any currency in the form of cash, check, draft, or electronic transfer – that a firm receives or holds for a client. Money held by a firm in the form of a stakeholder, which is are not payable on demand or immediately due, also refers to client money. The definition of client money does not apply to money held by businesses that operate in its own name on behalf of a client. Although the client does have to be in agreement before this arr Client money refers to the money or margin – which may be any currency in the form of cash, check, draft, or electronic transfer – that a firm receives or holds for a client. Money held by a firm in the form of a stakeholder, which is are not payable on demand or immediately due, also refers to client money. The definition of client money does not apply to money held by businesses that operate in its own name on behalf of a client. Although the client does have to be in agreement before this arr Read this Term was swept across from CSUK to its affiliate Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&C), a firm based in the United States. The client assets, which were subject to UK rules, were held in CS&C’s general pool, which contained both firm and client money and which was held for both UK and non-UK clients,” the FCA mentioned in the official press release.
Client Protection
Moreover, the authority mentioned the importance of protection of client assets and stated that Charles Schwab UK has failed to keep the right records to protect the assets of its clients. The FCA gave the example of Lehman Brothers and said that the absence of a client asset protection framework in an organization is destructive for a financial firm.
“CSUK carried out a regulated activity without permission. The firm did not at all times have permission to safeguard and administer custody assets, and failed to notify the FCA of the breach when applying for the correct permission. CSUK made a false statement to the FCA. Without making adequate inquiries to check whether this was correct, the firm inaccurately informed the FCA that its auditors had confirmed that it had adequate systems and controls in place to protect client assets,” the regulatory authority mentioned in a statement.
The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the largest financial regulator for all financial markets in the United Kingdom (UK).The UK regulator is responsible for the conduct of firms authorized under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Moreover, the FCA is also responsible for the regulation of behavior in retail and wholesale financial markets, supervision of the trading infrastructure that supports those markets, and the prudential regulation of firms not regulated by the PRA. Its rol The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the largest financial regulator for all financial markets in the United Kingdom (UK).The UK regulator is responsible for the conduct of firms authorized under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Moreover, the FCA is also responsible for the regulation of behavior in retail and wholesale financial markets, supervision of the trading infrastructure that supports those markets, and the prudential regulation of firms not regulated by the PRA. Its rol Read this Term) announced today that it has imposed £8.96 million fine on the UK subsidiary of the American multinational broker, Charles Schwab. The regulator fined Charles Schwab UK for the company’s failure to protect client assets.
According to the official press release, the broker carried out a regulated activity without the authorization of the FCA. Additionally, Charles Schwab UK made a false statement to the regulator. All the affected clients were the retail customers of the broker.
The FCA outlined that Charles Schwab UK failed to receive relevant permissions from the regulatory authority and the mentioned breaches occurred between August 2017 and April 2019, when the broker changed its business model.
“Client Money Client Money Client money refers to the money or margin – which may be any currency in the form of cash, check, draft, or electronic transfer – that a firm receives or holds for a client. Money held by a firm in the form of a stakeholder, which is are not payable on demand or immediately due, also refers to client money. The definition of client money does not apply to money held by businesses that operate in its own name on behalf of a client. Although the client does have to be in agreement before this arr Client money refers to the money or margin – which may be any currency in the form of cash, check, draft, or electronic transfer – that a firm receives or holds for a client. Money held by a firm in the form of a stakeholder, which is are not payable on demand or immediately due, also refers to client money. The definition of client money does not apply to money held by businesses that operate in its own name on behalf of a client. Although the client does have to be in agreement before this arr Read this Term was swept across from CSUK to its affiliate Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&C), a firm based in the United States. The client assets, which were subject to UK rules, were held in CS&C’s general pool, which contained both firm and client money and which was held for both UK and non-UK clients,” the FCA mentioned in the official press release.
Client Protection
Moreover, the authority mentioned the importance of protection of client assets and stated that Charles Schwab UK has failed to keep the right records to protect the assets of its clients. The FCA gave the example of Lehman Brothers and said that the absence of a client asset protection framework in an organization is destructive for a financial firm.
“CSUK carried out a regulated activity without permission. The firm did not at all times have permission to safeguard and administer custody assets, and failed to notify the FCA of the breach when applying for the correct permission. CSUK made a false statement to the FCA. Without making adequate inquiries to check whether this was correct, the firm inaccurately informed the FCA that its auditors had confirmed that it had adequate systems and controls in place to protect client assets,” the regulatory authority mentioned in a statement.