Tech innovation remains a key theme in our July edition of The Agenda. In the midst of continuing turmoil both in the traditional financial markets and for cryptocurrencies, we take a look at the potential benefits of, and the challenges involved in, the Bank of England's ambition to control its own private blockchain and create a centralised digital currency: the UK Central Bank Digital Currency (or "Britcoin"). We also consider how corporate dealmaking might evolve in the metaverse, including both the efficiencies and risks that that might entail.
In our May edition, we provided a detailed overview of the requirements of the UK's new National Security and Investment Act. With the publication of the Government's annual report on the Act, we look now at how the new regime has bedded in so far and reflect on our own experience of making national security filings on deals.
We explore the reshaping that has occurred across the London boutique fitness industry since the pandemic.
Finally, we summarise some law reform. We explain the Government's bill to implement wide-ranging reforms of corporate governance and audit. In the corporate transparency sphere, as we await implementation of the UK's new register of UK entities holding UK property, we consider in this issue how the new register compares and overlaps with the UK's other two existing beneficial ownership registers: the PSC register and the Trusts Registration Service.
We hope you find this issue of The Agenda insightful.