United States

Emerging Prudential Risks

Central Banks Act to Mitigate Covid-19 Economic Threat

By Editors | 04/03/2020

The HKMA has responded to the US rate cut with a cut of its own. The RBA and BNM have also cut their key policy rates, while the BOJ focuses on asset purchases.

PEPs & Sanctions

OFAC Sanctions Two Chinese Nationals Over Stolen Cryptocurrency

By Editors | 03/03/2020

OFAC has linked two Chinese nationals to the 2018 theft of $250mn in cryptocurrency by the Lazarus Group, a US-designated North Korean cybercrime group.

Anti-Money Laundering

Financial Secrecy Index Ranks Hong Kong, Singapore in Top Five

By Manesh Samtani | 02/03/2020

The Tax Justice Network has released its 2020 rankings of jurisdictions according to their secrecy and the scale of their offshore financial activities.

Reporting & Disclosures

Thailand SEC Sets Out Three Year Strategic Plan for Capital Market

By Editors | 28/02/2020

The strategic plan includes greater integration of ESG factors in the market, enhancing SME and startup access to capital, promoting the use of digital and e-KYC technologies, among others.

Clearing & Post-Trade

Indonesia CSD Goes Live with Nasdaq Technology

By Editors | 28/02/2020

The new CSD platform operates at a rate 40 times faster than the previous system, with the ability to manage up to 80,000 settlement instructions per minute.

Structural Regulation

Japan: New Foreign Investment Rule to Impact Up to 500 Listed Firms

By Editors | 24/02/2020

Proposed ministry orders currently being finalised will reportedly exempt a wide range of foreign financial institutions and hedge funds from the reporting requirement.

PEPs & Sanctions

Huawei Alleges HSBC Continued Evading Sanctions After 2012 DPA

By Editors | 20/02/2020

HSBC continued to evade Iran sanctions after its 2012 deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice, Huawei lawyers say in a letter to a New York District Court.

Trading & Investment

Korea to Strengthen Regulatory Framework for Hedge Funds

By Manesh Samtani | 15/02/2020

The FSC will cap illiquid investments at 50% for open-ended funds, require them to conduct regular stress tests, raise transparency of complex fund structures, and enhance supervisory monitoring.

PEPs & Sanctions

OFAC Quietly Blocks Payments with Indirect Links to North Korea – Report

By Editors | 14/02/2020

In private communications with banks, OFAC has been blocking usually-permissible payments with any overseas account that officials believe separately handled funds for North Korea.