Financial regulation defines regulation or supervision which subjects financial entities to specified requirements, restrictions and/or guidelines, aiming to maintain the integrity of the financial system.  For the UK, financial regulation is governed by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

The Financial Services and Markets Act gives the FSA four statutory objectives to achieve financial regulation:

• market confidence: maintaining confidence in the financial system;
• public awareness: promoting public understanding of the financial system;
• consumer protection: securing the appropriate degree of protection for consumers;
• the reduction of financial crime: reducing the extent to which it is possible for a business to be used for a purpose connected with financial crime.