The EU is on a well-publicised mission to boost competitiveness. Guided by its 2025 "competitiveness compass", which sets an ambitious course, growth and innovation are at the heart of this mission, and venture capital and start-up businesses are key to its success.

Travers Smith has advised a consortium of lenders on the financing arrangements supporting Arcus Infrastructure Partners’ acquisition of 100% of WCCTV, a leading provider of rapidly deployed, temporary & mobile CCTV systems in the UK and United States.

Welcome to our series of podcasts focusing on international employment law.

Institutions and others wishing to invest in or use (whether for collateral, payments or other commercial purposes) digital assets should take note of a recent decision of the English High Court in Yuen v Li [2026] EWHC 532. The case considered the causes of action (and related remedies) available under English law to someone arguing that their Bitcoin has been stolen.

Earlier this month, the Government published a draft set of regulations laying out the framework for a new register of contractual controls (authorised by section 221 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023) along with some Government guidance.

The UK Government has now confirmed that it will lay secondary legislation before Parliament later this year to implement the anticipated reforms to the UK's National Security and Investment Act 2021 ("NSI Act") regime.

The UK Government has confirmed plans to proceed with reforms that will give the UK one of the toughest late payment regimes in the world. This will include fines for persistent late payers, mandatory late payment interest of 8% above base, maximum 60 day payment terms (with some exceptions), a time limit for disputing invoices and a new low cost adjudication process.  But as we explain below, the devil will be in the detail.

The way in which the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) communicates its supervisory expectations to firms has recently changed. Back in April 2025, the regulator announced that it would stop publishing its traditional portfolio letters for different sectors and instead committed to issuing a smaller number of what it terms "market reports", setting out key priorities and insights from its supervisory work for particular types of firms.

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry 

The Employment Rights Bill has received Royal Assent, becoming the Employment Rights Act 2025. The Act paves the way for significant reforms to UK employment law, with the key changes to be phased in starting from April 2026.

Travers Smith LLP has advised Investec Bank plc as Sponsor, Global Co-ordinator and Sole Bookrunner to Videndum plc on its £85m oversubscribed equity raise.

Travers Smith has advised Allegro Finance Limited, a specialist lender for the media sector, on the establishment of a first-of-its-kind securitised warehouse facility and the related senior and junior secured financing arrangements. The facility was established through a strategic joint venture and senior funding arrangement with entities advised by Elliott Advisors.