This expansion supports the regulator’s new five-year strategy focused on deepening trust, supporting growth, and improving consumer protection throughout the UK.

FCA chair Ashley Alder said: “We want to deepen trust in financial services and shift our collective attitude across financial services to risk.

“Too often the focus has been on the risks of a decision taken rather than the lost opportunity of taking none. We want to change that so we can spur growth and improve lives.”

The plan builds on recent FCA achievements, including simplified capital raising rules, the introduction of the Consumer Duty, and stricter market entry controls for potentially harmful firms.

Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA, added: “Our last strategy set high standards and bolstered our operational effectiveness. We are committed to going much further, delivering at pace to meet the scale of change we are facing over the next five years.

“This strategy sets out our priorities, how we’ll become more efficient and effective and make the choices that shape the financial system.

“Our four priorities reinforce one another and we look forward to collaborating with our partners as we become a smarter regulator, support growth, help consumers and fight crime. We are ambitious for the future and committed to enabling a fair and thriving financial services market for the good of consumers and the economy.”