The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultationon proposals to create a consolidated tape for UK equities. Last month, theregulator proposed changesto short‑selling disclosure, moving from naming individualholders to publishing aggregated, anonymized net positions with faster filings.JoinIG, CMC, and Robinhood in London’s leading trading industry event!According to the regulator, both initiatives aim to enhancemarket oversight and improve liquidity visibility.FCA Proposes UK Equity Consolidated TapeEquity trading in the UK occurs across multiple venues.While this promotes competition and innovation, it can make it difficult toassess overall liquidity. A consolidated tape would compile data from differentvenues, providing a more complete picture of market activity.The FCA says the initiative is part of its strategic goal tosupport growth and maintain the UK’s position as a major financial centre. Theframework is designed to provide a consistent view of trading volumes andprices, support UK listings, and encourage investor participation througheasier access to market data. The tape is also expected to help compare UKliquidity with other financial centres, including the US and EU.Regulator Plans Two-Year Tape ReviewSimon Walls, Interim Executive Director of Markets at theFCA, said the tape will make data from multiple venues more accessible. Henoted that diverse trading options in “UK markets can make overall liquidityharder to assess”.The consultation seeks feedback on a tape that would includepost-trade data and the attributed best bid and offer prices. The design aimsto balance market benefits with timely implementation and risk management.The FCA expects the tape to begin operating in 2027. Theregulator plans to review its effectiveness after two years, including whetheradjustments to pre-trade data levels are required.This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.