Mark Johnston
Based in Singapore, Mark is an experienced journalist and editor with over a decade of experience reporting on technology and business trends throughout Asia. Mark got his start as an engineer, graduating from the UK's Queen's University of Belfast with a Master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. As senior reporter for Regulation Asia, Mark focuses on regulatory changes impacting financial markets, with particular interest in fintech, cybersecurity and crypto markets.
Articles by Mark Johnston
Structural Regulation
KOFIA Creates New Council for Smaller Brokerages
07/05/2026
The move aims to address concerns that a widening revenue gap and a fee-based voting structure have concentrated influence among larger securities firms.
Anti-Money Laundering
Korea Crypto Sector Warns AML Proposal Will Overwhelm Exchanges
06/05/2026
An industry alliance has warned that proposed AML rules could trigger an 85-fold surge in suspicious transaction reports and are legally questionable.
AI Risk & Governance
BOK Governor Puts AI, Digital Won at Centre of New Agenda
06/05/2026
The move is part of new governor Hyun Song Shin's broader push for a revamped financial stability framework, digital innovation, and structural reform.
Trading & Investment
China Kicks Off Fund Benchmark Overhaul with First Batch of 195 Funds
05/05/2026
The first of four planned waves sees twelve firms revise fund contracts, linking manager pay more closely to benchmark performance.
Anti-Money Laundering
South Korean Court Halts Bithumb's Six-Month Business Suspension
05/05/2026
A Seoul court has granted an injunction against a partial business ban, escalating a legal battle between regulators and major cryptocurrency exchanges over AML rules.
Conduct, Culture & Accountability
China Requiring Brokers to Defer Larger Proportion of Bonuses
05/05/2026
Regulators have instructed securities firms to withhold a larger portion of performance pay for senior staff, amid a crackdown on excessive short-term incentives.
Structural Regulation
Taiwan Relaxes Application Rules for Opening New Bank Branches
04/05/2026
Regulators have outlined the financial benchmarks and policy incentives for financial institutions seeking to expand their domestic branch networks this year.
Cryptocurrency
Taiwan Lawmaker Urges Government to Consider Bitcoin Reserves
04/05/2026
A report advocating for Bitcoin as a strategic asset has been formally presented to Taiwan’s premier and central bank governor.
Stablecoins
Woori Bank and MoonPay Partner on Won-Backed Stablecoin
04/05/2026
Crypto payments firm MoonPay signed an MOU with one of Korea’s largest banks to build global infrastructure for KRW-denominated stablecoins.
Cybersecurity
Korea's FSS to Intensify Cyber Drills, Introduce AI Red Teaming
04/05/2026
Regulators will double the frequency of unannounced mock hacking exercises and introduce new tests for vulnerabilities in generative AI services.
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
An exclusive weekly selection of top stories from the Regulation Asia editorial team.