ESG / Sustainability

Korea FSS to Conduct Bank Inspections with Consumer Protection Focus

23/02/2026

A new dedicated team focusing on consumer protection and governance will be deployed for inspections of KB Kookmin, Jeonbuk, and K-Bank.

Australia Details New Superannuation Retirement Reporting Rules

22/02/2026

New framework mandates data collection from 2027, with public reporting by APRA to begin in 2028, detailing member outcomes and product uptake.

Enforcement

Korea FSS to Toughen Enforcement Against Disclosure Violations

20/02/2026

The FSS found a surge in disclosure violations by non-listed firms planning IPOs and outlined areas of focus for annual reports.

Sanctions

New Zealand Pushes Cook Islands for Quicker Action on Sanctioned Vessels

20/02/2026

New Zealand has been pressuring the Cook Islands over the slow removal from its ship registry of 'shadow fleet' vessels linked to Russia and Iran.

AML / KYC

Philippines Mandates Development of New National AML Strategy

20/02/2026

A presidential directive orders all government agencies to help draft a new national strategy for 2026-2030 and prepare for the next mutual evaluation in 2027.

Crypto / Digital Assets

HK Lawmaker Proposes to Uses Stablecoin for Stimulus Payments

20/02/2026

A policy proposal links government consumption vouchers to Hong Kong's new stablecoin licensing regime, aiming to boost Web3 adoption and the economy.

Enforcement

ASIC Probes Lead Generation Arrangements That May Harm Consumers

19/02/2026

ASIC has launched a review into high-risk sales tactics used to switch super funds, publicly listing lead generators and advice licensees.

Securities / Derivatives

Hong Kong AFRC Pushes for Audit Transparency to Bolster Market Confidence

18/02/2026

The AFRC calls on public interest entity auditors to proactively publish transparency reports, while highlighting inconsistencies and gaps in the reports already being published.

Crypto / Digital Assets

SFC Issues First Virtual Assets Licence in Almost Eight Months

17/02/2026

Victory Fintech and VDX Custody secure licences for trading and custody, with the group