The FCA has opened a consultation (CP26/20) proposing clearer, more consistent due-diligence standards for self-invested personal pension operators, alongside tighter rules on how firms safeguard scheme money and assets, with the consultation period closing on 24 August 2026.
For retail forex and CFD traders, the direct impact is limited: SIPPs are tax-advantaged pension wrappers, not leveraged trading accounts, and these proposals touch SIPP operators rather than CFD brokers. There is no change here to leverage caps, CFD product rules, or broker authorisation, so readers weighing which trading firm to open with should not expect this consultation to alter their shortlist. The relevance is indirect but worth noting: the FCA frames the measures as complementing its Consumer Duty, the same conduct framework that already governs how CFD providers must treat retail clients and disclose risk. The clearest practical angle is for traders who also hold a SIPP — stronger requirements around the handling of pension money and assets are intended to reduce consumer harm should a provider fail or wind down, improving protection on the long-term-savings side of a trader's finances.