FCA Launches Supercharged Sandbox with NVIDIA to Accelerate AI Innovation in Financial Services

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today unveiled its Supercharged Sandbox, a transformative new initiative designed to help financial services firms safely explore and develop artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Launched in partnership with technology leader NVIDIA, the programme offers access to cutting-edge tools and regulatory guidance, positioning the UK at the forefront of AI innovation in financial services.

A New Era of Safe AI Experimentation

The Supercharged Sandbox builds on the FCA’s long-standing commitment to responsible innovation. It provides a secure environment for firms to trial early-stage AI models and applications with regulatory support, technical expertise, and improved access to datasets. Through this initiative, companies can address key challenges such as governance, bias, explainability and operational resilience, all while navigating evolving regulatory expectations.

Unlike the FCA’s existing AI Live Testing service, which targets more mature solutions, the Supercharged Sandbox is tailored for firms still in the discovery and experimentation phase. It is open to any organisation across the financial services sector looking to trial innovative AI ideas.

Powering Innovation with NVIDIA Technology

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the FCA will work alongside NVIDIA to deliver advanced AI capabilities through the latter’s accelerated computing platform and AI Enterprise Software. This strategic alignment brings industrial-grade AI infrastructure within reach for smaller firms that may otherwise lack the technical means to experiment.

Dr Jochen Papenbrock, NVIDIA’s EMEA Head of Financial Technology, emphasised the transformative potential of this partnership:

AI is fundamentally reshaping the financial sector by automating processes, enhancing data analysis, and improving decision-making, which leads to greater efficiency, accuracy, and risk management across a wide range of financial activities.

Supporting Growth & Consumer Protection

Jessica Rusu, the FCA’s Chief Data, Intelligence and Information Officer, underscored the regulator’s ambition to balance innovation with market integrity:

This collaboration will help those that want to test AI ideas but who lack the capabilities to do so. We’ll help firms harness AI to benefit our markets and consumers, while supporting economic growth.

The Supercharged Sandbox forms part of the FCA’s broader strategy to stimulate economic growth through technology adoption, while maintaining a robust framework for oversight and consumer protection.

Applications Open Now

Firms interested in participating can apply through the FCA’s website. Selected applicants will gain access to the sandbox in October 2025, giving them several months to prepare experimental use cases and align internal teams.

This initiative signals a significant shift in how the UK approaches AI in finance—encouraging responsible experimentation, levelling the technological playing field, and laying the groundwork for safe and scalable innovation.

Read the press release here.