Alternative Markets

Japan Greenlights New Platform for Unlisted Share Trading

28/08/2026

The platform aims to provide liquidity for pre-IPO companies, improve corporate governance, and ultimately strengthen Japan's pipeline of public companies.

KYC & CDD

Sri Lanka to Impose Tougher Due Diligence Rules on Banks

28/08/2026

New regulations will require continuous monitoring and introduce "event-driven" reviews, backed by a hundred-fold increase in maximum penalties for non-compliance.

Structural Regulation

Bangladesh Launches Unified Agency to Streamline Foreign Investment

27/08/2026

New 'Invest Bangladesh' authority merges three key bodies to create a single front office for domestic and foreign investors.

Structural Regulation

Bangladesh to Overhaul Merchant Banking Rules After 30 Years

27/08/2026

A committee has been given 30 working days to propose amendments covering licensing, financial capacity, risk management, and merchant bankers’ responsibilities to investors.

Stablecoins

Japan FSA to Propose Tax Changes for High-Value Stablecoin Payments

27/08/2026

The FSA will seek to remove procedural tax hurdles that have effectively capped trust-type stablecoin transactions at JPY 1 million.

Tokenisation

Shinhan Pilots Korean Won Tokenised Fund on Solana

27/08/2026

The PoC with Solana, Etherfuse and Orca tests a non-dollar RWA model ahead of the new security token framework taking effect in 2027.

Payments & Settlements

Korea FSS Launches Taskforce to Overhaul Pension Transfer Rules

27/08/2026

A new task force will address limitations in the in-kind pension transfer system, including enabling cross-scheme transfers, as assets increasingly move to securities firms.

Tokenisation

Maybank Pilots Malaysia's First Tokenised Supply Chain Finance Deal

27/08/2026

The MYR 1 million pilot transaction, conducted with a regulatory sandbox participant, aims to improve SME financing and lay the groundwork for cross-border tokenised trade.

Credit Risk

Thailand's Clicx Bank Resumes Lending With Stricter Controls

27/08/2026

Thailand’s first virtual bank has tightened its loan approval process using alternative data after a temporary halt prompted by regulator discussions.