Page last updated: 16 September 2024

Financial Institutions

The CoFI Act creates a new market service of “acting as a financial institution." We refer to this market service as the “financial institution service”. The licence for this new market service will be known as a “financial institution licence”. 

For more information on the legislation, please visit our CoFI page 

Do you have a question or concern about CoFI? Talk to us

Image relating to financial institutions in New Zealand .

Latest

Fair conduct programmes – information for smaller firms  

This information sheet provides information and examples to help smaller Financial Institutions (FIs) establish, implement and maintain their fair conduct programme. It complements our other resources relating to FI licensing. It will be useful for smaller firms holding or applying for a licence to act as an FI under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. 

Download the Fair conduct programmes information sheet

 

Any registered bank, licensed insurer, or licensed non-bank deposit taker in the business of providing one or more relevant services will need to hold a financial institution licence to continue operating, if that service is received by a consumer in New Zealand.  

View our financial institution licensing page for more information

Our team has fielded a number of questions from various financial insititutions about licensing. Please take a moment to read through the licensing FAQs ahead of applying for your licence.

View the financial insitutions licensing FAQs page

A fair conduct programme (FCP) means policies, processes, systems and controls that are designed to ensure the financial institution’s compliance with the fair conduct principle. A financial institution’s FCP must be in writing and must meet the minimum requirements set out in the CoFI Act.

View our fair conduct programme page for more information

Also known as the Conduct of Financial Institutions regime (CoFI), it introduces a new regulatory regime to ensure registered banks, licensed insurers and licensed non-bank deposit takers comply with the fair conduct principle when providing relevant services to consumers. The fair conduct principle is the overarching principle of CoFI that a financial institution must treat consumers fairly. 

Read more about the legislation on the CoFI page

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