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The Fintech Innovation hub

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The ACPR Fintech Innovation hub and you

 

Our approach

The ACPR-FinTech Innovation Unit is the ACPR team dedicated to Fintech and to innovative project initiators.

 

This team depends on the General Secretary of the ACPR. It provides an interface between project initiators and the involved ACPR Directorates, as well as the Bank of France (for projects regarding payment services) and the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (for projects regarding investment services).

 

With the AMF, the ACPR-FinTech Innovation Unit leads the FinTech Forum, which gathers together professionals several times a year, in order to discuss regulatory and supervisory subjects related to Fintech and innovation.

 

The ACPR-FinTech Innovation Unit also analyses more cross-sectional innovations and monitors the digitalization of the French financial companies.

 

Why this dedicated Unit?

The ACPR has decided to create this dedicated Unit for the following reasons:

  • The number of applications submitted to the ACPR and involving innovative projects has noticeably increased 
  • Innovative projects require specific support:
    • to understand the regulation;
    • to understand the different status offered by the regulation that could be applicable to the planned activities;
    • to facilitate the approval or authorization.
  • Some projects require a close coordination between the ACPR and the AMF. The AMF also has a FinTech Innovation and Competitiveness Unit, as the entry point for the projects sponsors.  

 

 What are our missions ?

  • To receive innovative financial project initiators
  • To discuss with Fintech professionals, especially through FinTech Forum but also in bilateral settings.
  • To study new challenges to financial regulators and supervisors that arise from sectorial (payment, bank, insurance) or cross-sectorial (blockchain, innovative data use, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, digital identity) innovations.
  • To contribute to international studies regarding FinTech and innovation, especially those performed within European and international financial regulation groups (Financial Stability Forum, Basel Committee, International Association of Insurance Supervisors, the European Banking Authority, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority…)
  • Fostering innovation across the supervisory authority and for the benefit of its staff, by using technology (SupTech approach). 
Do you have an innovative financial project ?

What is an innovative financial project?

Generally, an innovative financial project consists of the creation of a company (“start-up” style) with (i) a strong level of innovation and (ii) exercising on one or several financial fields coming within the competency of the ACPR.  

The innovation may be news technologies applied to the product, the procedure, the commercialization or the organization resulting in some innovative form of the aforementioned categories.

The ACPR has competence with regard to payment services and electronic money, banking activities (credits, deposits), investment services (with the AMF), insurance services. The ACPR has competence also regarding intermediation activities related to these different areas especially in relation to consumer protection. 

Note that credit institutions are authorized by the European Central Bank as part of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), further to an opinion from the ACPR


What is our mission towards innovative project initiators?

To inform you in a reactive manner on the applicable regulation for your project. You can send your questions or ask for an appointment at the following mailbox :

 

fintech-innovation@acpr.banque-france.fr

 

To guide you in your formalities to other directorates of the SGACPR and/or the Bank of France, with close cooperation with AMF when some aspects of investment services are included in the projects.
 

To ensure the follow-up of your formalities during the accreditation or authorization phase if your project requires a regulated status by ACPR and leads to your filing an application for the related license with the Authorization Directorate.
 

Nota Bene: Filing an application is entirely of your responsibility, consulting is not part of the ACPR’s missions. Regardless, we may answer your questions and doubts regarding the documents and analysis you need to provide in your license and authorization files in order to ease your path to license.

Updated on: 07/15/2020 14:39