What is the FCA regulatory sandbox? Testing fintech with real customers
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
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The FCA regulatory sandbox lets firms test new financial products with real customers, for a limited time and with safeguards in place. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority opened it in 2016, and many regulators around the world have since copied the idea.
How the sandbox works
- A firm applies with a genuinely new idea that benefits consumers.
- The FCA accepts a group of firms and agrees the terms of each test.
- The firm tests its product with real customers, with limits and protections in place.
- At the end, the firm and FCA review the results before any wider launch.
What firms get
Access to FCA staff for guidance, a clearer path to authorisation where needed, and the chance to learn how customers really use a product before a full launch.
Try it
Name your platform and watch it come to life
Type a name, tap a colour and pick what it does. The phone changes as you go.
Colour
What it does
Design and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
What it isn't
The sandbox isn't a way round the rules. Firms still need the right permissions, customers keep their protections, and tests are closely watched.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay lets you launch your own branded platform with GBP, EUR and USD accounts, transfers and branded Visa cards, powered by licensed partners, so you can get to market without building everything yourself.
How it works
Your own money app- 1Name it and pick your colours
- 2Choose what it does
- 3Launch when you are ready
Why sign up
Create your free SendPay account
It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.
- 🪪A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
- 💳Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
- 🌐A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
- 🚀Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.
Questions people ask
What is an e-money agent?
A business that offers payment services through a licensed EMI.
EMI agents →What is a white-label fintech platform?
A ready-made platform you launch under your own brand.
White-label fintech →Read next
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.