Australia Proposals to Regulate BNPL Gains Widespread Support

17/02/2023

AFCA has received more than 3,300 complaints against BNPL providers since 2018. ASIC supports regulating BNPL under the National Credit Act.

Sanctions

China Sanctions US Defence Firms Over Taiwan Weapons Sales

17/02/2023

Lockheed Martin and a unit of Raytheon Technologies were added to China’s “Unreliable Entity List”. The notice requires both to pay fines.

Crypto / Digital Assets

Crypto Crime Rose to Over $20b in 2022: Chainalysis

17/02/2023

Overall, Chainalysis says illicit activity in cryptocurrency remains a small share of total volume at less than 1 percent.

Crypto / Digital Assets

CFTC Charges California Firm for ‘Ponzi-like’ Crypto Fraud

17/02/2023

Vista Network Technologies and its CEO advertised to customers that it would trade their digital assets using “robot traders” which did not exist.

Big Picture

Some APAC Regulators Not Fully Operationally Independent: IOSCO

17/02/2023

Government officials in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and India have some ability to direct or influence securities regulators’ day-to-day operations.

Enforcement

Court Issues Australia’s Largest Ever Fine for Disclosure Failures

17/02/2023

Former ASX-listed GetSwift was ordered to pay A$15mn. Three former directors were also penalised.

Securities / Derivatives

CFTC to Require UPIs in Swaps Reporting Starting Jan 2024

17/02/2023

UPIs issued by the DSB will be required in reporting credit, equity, foreign exchange, and interest rate swaps from 24 Jan 2024.

Crypto / Digital Assets

US SEC Files Securities Fraud Charges Over Terra Collapse

17/02/2023

The Terraform ecosystem was ‘simply a fraud propped up by a so-called algorithmic stablecoin’, says Gurbir Grewal.

Crypto / Digital Assets

Hong Kong Issues First-of-its-kind Tokenised Green Bond

17/02/2023

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the issuance demonstrates Hong Kong’s strengths in combining bond market, green and sustainable finance, and fintech.