Things To Know About WhatsApp FCA 
                     THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT 
WHATSAPP FCA 
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WHATSAPP FCA 
• Before the implementation of Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II), a lot of financial 
firms in the United Kingdom allowed their employees to use their own devices for business purposes, 
with the most common use being sending messages on instant messaging apps like WhatsApp. But the 
number of financial firms with such a practice has since diminished after the Financial Conduct 
Authority (FCA) released their final version of the European Union MiFID Directive concerning the 
use of personal devices at work. Right now, all financial firms in the United Kingdom with employee 
mobile BYOD policies must record such devices.
• The reason why MIFID II was implemented is to enforce the prohibition of the bring-your-own-device 
approach within investment firms only. However, FCA chose to go above and beyond what the 
directive intends rather than contradicting it. This unexpected ruling raised questions about how 
financial service firms will manage their employee communications, especially the WhatsApp FCA 
messages. 
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WHATSAPP FCA 
• Instant messaging is increasingly becoming the norm in the financial services sector these days. The 
FCA’s blanket ban on bring-your-own-device that firms are not able to capture and record exposed 
many financial organizations in the UK to severe compliance risk.
• Consumer-grade encrypted messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, have become increasingly prevalent in 
the financial sector. Even though these apps are known for helping financial companies communicate 
with their clients more efficiently and effectively, there are cases where they have also been used in 
ways that violated the market protection and transparency standards of the FCA. Non-compliant usage 
of WhatsApp on a personal device could be what caused the FCA to change the original MiFID II 
regulation about the BYOD policies. But this final ruling does not mean that financial organizations are 
no longer allowed to use WhatsApp and other apps in their day-to-day operations.
• For more information on WhatsApp FCA, visit our website at https://www.telemessage.com/
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT 
WHATSAPP FCA