Remember when the UK was the cool kid in fintech? Back in 2008, we pioneered instant bank transfers while everyone else was still writing cheques. Fast forward to today, and countries like Brazil and Sweden are eating our lunch with sleeker, faster payment systems. Sarah Breeden, the Bank of England’s deputy governor for financial stability, just issued a wake-up call: if we don’t pick up the pace on digital innovation, we’ll be watching from the sidelines whilst others build the future of money. Here’s what’s at stake — and why the Bank is finally changing its tune on stablecoins.

The UK’s economic growth is about to hit the brakes. New forecasts from EY predict UK GDP growth will slow to just 0.9% in 2026—down from 1.4% last year—as last autumn’s £26bn tax hikes start filtering through the economy.

Two-thirds of UK consumers don’t trust their insurers. That’s not just bad PR—it’s a systemic problem that’s putting the entire insurance sector in the Financial Conduct Authority’s crosshairs.

Hong Kong’s about to make history. In March 2026, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) will approve its first stablecoin licenses—a milestone seven months in the making. After rolling out one of the world’s toughest stablecoin frameworks in August 2025, regulators are finally ready to hand out the golden tickets. But here’s the catch: only a handful of carefully vetted applicants will make the cut. Think rigorous risk checks, bulletproof anti-money laundering (AML) protocols, and rock-solid reserve backing. If you’re expecting a free-for-all, think again.

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Q: What caused the Rolls-Royce share bounce back?

Elon Musk just pulled off his biggest corporate shuffle yet. SpaceX has swallowed xAI in an all-stock deal that values the combined beast at roughly $1.25 trillion (£910 billion). Translation? The world’s most valuable private company just got created, and it’s gearing up for what could be the mother of all IPOs later this year.

The move isn’t just about empire-building. It’s Musk betting big on space-based AI infrastructure whilst packaging his rocket business, chatbot tech, and satellite internet under one roof for public investors.

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Last week’s top story

Here’s a stat that’ll make you think twice: three quarters of UK investors say they’d pump more money into British shares if stamp duty disappeared. That’s not a small nudge—that’s a seismic shift waiting to happen. While the Chancellor threw newly listed companies a three-year stamp duty holiday last autumn, investors are calling for the whole tax to vanish. Why? Because when you’re competing against the US market (zero stamp duty, thank you very much), every basis point counts. Let’s break down why this tax might be holding back Britain’s capital markets—and what it means for your portfolio.

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