A branch of law that is concerned with banking and finance and all facets of financial activity, financial markets and institutions, financial transactions and contracts. It is the broader sphere of laws, regulations, policies and rules relating to financial activity at large including areas as diverse as commercial banking, insurance, capital markets, investment management, derivatives and financial instruments, and so on. In this sense, financial law can be deemed as a distinct part of commercial law which, as a body of law, revolves mainly around the rights, relations, and conduct of market participants (persons and businesses), all in relation to commerce, trade, sales, and merchandising.

In terms of composition, financial law consists of subsets each relating to a specific niche area. Examples include banking laws, securities laws, antitrust laws, bankruptcy laws, and finance laws.

The pillars of financial law, i.e., the basis on which financial law is formed are: market practices, regulation and legislation, and case law.