Conduct of financial institutions regime
MBIE is responsible for administering legislation relating to conduct in New Zealand’s financial sector.
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Financial conduct regime
The Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022 was passed into law on 29 June 2022. The legislation introduces a new regime regulating the conduct of financial institutions that will come fully into force on 31 March 2025.
Once it comes into force, the new regime will:
- Require banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers (together, financial institutions) to be licensed in respect of their general conduct towards consumers. The licensing regime will be monitored and enforced by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA).
- Require financial institutions to establish, implement and maintain effective fair conduct programmes throughout their businesses that ensure they meet the requirement to treat consumers fairly.
- Require financial institutions to comply with their fair conduct programme.
- Require financial institutions and intermediaries involved in the chain of distribution to comply with regulations that regulate incentives. These regulations will be able to prohibit sales incentives based on volume or value targets, e.g. soft commissions such as overseas trips, bonuses for selling a certain number of financial products, or leader boards.
Read the Act
Visit the New Zealand Legislation website to read the Act
Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022(external link) – New Zealand Legislation
Visit the New Zealand Parliament website to view the history of the Act
Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill(external link) – New Zealand Parliament
Supporting regulations
In June 2023, regulations were made to support the new regime. These include regulations prohibiting financial institutions and their intermediaries from offering sales incentives based on volume or value targets, regulations setting the licensing fee for financial institutions, and other details.
More details about these regulations, and consultation carried out on them, are available at the following pages:
Sales incentives and other regulations under the new conduct regime
Financial institution licensing fees under the new conduct regime
Next steps
The FMA is working with financial institutions to ensure they are prepared for the new regime, with licensing applications opening on 25 July 2023.
The regime will come into force on 31 March 2025.
Background
2022 consultation on regulations
In October and November 2022, MBIE sought additional feedback on the supporting regulations for this new regime and the proposed fees, through 2 consultations. You can find more information about these consultations at:
Sales incentives and other regulations under the new conduct regime
Financial institution licensing fees under the new conduct regime
2021 consultation on discussion documents
In April to June 2021, MBIE consulted on 2 discussion documents relating to the regime. The first asked for feedback regarding the treatment of intermediaries, and the second covered the development of regulations to support the regime.
The feedback received from consultation was used to advise the Government on amendments made to the Bill via Supplementary Order Paper, and regulations that were made to support the new regime.
You can find these discussion documents here:
Conduct of financial institutions treatment of intermediaries
Read the submissions made in response to the consultation
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NZAA submission on the conduct of financial institutions regulations discussion document [PDF 275KB]
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NZBA submission on conduct of financial institutions intermediaries discussion document [PDF 304KB]
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NZBA submission on the conduct of financial institutions regulations discussion document [PDF 303KB]
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NZUA submission on conduct of financial institutions intermediaries discussion document [PDF 770KB]
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NZUA submission on the conduct of financial institutions regulations discussion document [PDF 440KB]
Change in control provisions
Once the new regime comes into force, financial institutions will need to hold both a conduct and prudential licence to operate in New Zealand. Provisions within prudential legislation, administered by the Reserve Bank, require a licensed financial institution to obtain regulatory consent from the Reserve Bank prior to any change in control (ownership) of the institution (and, in the case of licensed insurers, a transfer, amalgamation or change in corporate form).
The Act does not contain similar provisions requiring financial institutions to obtain a regulatory consent from the FMA from a conduct perspective ahead of any change in control. In its report on a petition by Mr Andrew Body, the Finance and Expenditure Committee recommended that the Government consider amending the Bill to include a conduct assessment at the point of sale.
Petition of Andrew Body: Protection of the interests of AMP Life's policyholders(external link) — New Zealand Parliament
Although the Government does see potential merit in this option, change in control provisions would require further consultation, policy work and time to develop and are not core to the new conduct regime. They were therefore not pursued through this legislation although they may be considered as part of future work programmes.
Feedback or questions welcome
We welcome feedback or questions at any time about our work on the conduct of financial institutions. If you would like to contact us, you can email:
Related documents and information
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Regulations and commencement order to support the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022: Authorisation for submission to the Executive Council [PDF 181KB]
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Regulations and Commencement Order to Support the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022 – Minute of Decision [PDF 165KB]
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Regulatory Impact Statement: Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act: Regulations for market services licences [PDF 313KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022: Consultation on regulations [PDF 146KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022: Consultation on regulations – Minute of Decision [PDF 168KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill: Supplementary Order Paper [PDF 132KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill: Supplementary Order Paper – Minute of Decision [PDF 144KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Financial Institutions) Amendment Bill: Further Policy decisions and regulations [PDF 130KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Financial Institutions) Amendment Bill: Further Policy decisions and regulations – Minute of Decision [PDF 184KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill – Further policy decisions: Regulatory impact statement [PDF 576KB]
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Approval to release discussion documents: Amendments and regulations to support the new regime for the conduct of financial institutions [PDF 403KB]
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Supporting the New Regime for the Conduct of Financial Institutions: Release of discussion documents – Minute of Decision [PDF 205KB]
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Conduct of financial institutions: Introduction of a new conduct regime [PDF 199KB]
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Conduct of financial institutions: Introduction of a new conduct regime - Minute of Decision [PDF 214KB]
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Regulatory Impact Statement: Regulatory regime to govern the conduct of financial institutions – December 2019 [PDF 704KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill: Approval for introduction [PDF 356KB]
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Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill: Approval for introduction - Minute of Decision [PDF 168KB]
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