Nikhil Rathi, FCA chief executive, said the regulator will probe Big Tech firms’ access to financial data to question how it could improve outcomes for consumers and business.

Currently, Big Tech firms can access financial services data through open banking but are not required to share their data with the financial industry.   

In a speech today, Mr Rathi said the FCA will examine how Big Tech firms’ unique access to large sets of data could unlock better products, more competitive prices and wider choice.

If the FCA’s analysis finds Big Tech data is valuable in financial services, it will look to incentivise more data sharing between Big Tech and financial firms through its open banking and broader open finance work.

If it finds potential risk or harms from non-sharing of data it will look to develop proposals for the Competition and Markets Authority to consider when they are given powers to regulate designated firms’ digital and data conduct, expected via the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Bill. 

Nikhil Rathi, said: “Big Tech’s growing emergence in financial services has already made life easier for consumers, but it is still unclear how valuable their data will become in financial markets. “‘That’s why we want to work with Big Tech to examine how their data could be most helpful for financial firms and their customers in future, and to ensure competition evolves effectively.”

He made the speech at a Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum.

The FCA’s big tech plans are published today in a feedback statement to its call for input on data sharing between Big Tech and financial services firms.

It also said it will continue joint work with the Bank of England and the Prudential Regulation Authority on the role of critical third parties and artificial intelligence (AI).  

Today the DRCF also launched the AI and Digital Hub, a collaboration between regulators that allows innovators to get advice on issues that cross more than one DRCF regulator’s remit.