
Manesh Samtani is the Editor at Regulation Asia, where he leads the regional news desk from Hong Kong, directing coverage of critical regulatory developments impacting financial services across APAC. Manesh specialises in analysing how new rules and technologies are reshaping banking, capital markets, and the fight against financial crime, providing finance professionals, compliance leaders, and policymakers with the intelligence they need to navigate risk and understand the impact of regulatory change in the region. manesh@regulationasia.com

Securities / Derivatives
US Regulators Expand Treasury Cross-Margining to Clients
20/04/2026
A move to allow client cross-margining for US Treasuries aims to boost market liquidity, enhance resilience, and provide capital efficiencies for participants.

AML / KYC
FATF Ministers Agree New Priorities on Fraud, Virtual Assets
20/04/2026
FATF outlined its strategic priorities, emphasising a risk-based approach and the rapid implementation of virtual asset standards.

Crypto / Digital Assets
UK Regulator Details Global Scope of New Crypto Regime
20/04/2026
The FCA is consulting on guidance clarifying its new cryptoasset rules, which will have a broad territorial reach affecting many overseas firms.

Securities / Derivatives
Hong Kong Hub Ambitions Take Centre Stage at HSBC Summit
20/04/2026
Hong Kong leaders and global finance chiefs touted the city's resilience and growth ambitions amid discussions on geopolitical risk and the future of digital assets.

Market Infrastructure
Majority of Banks Globally Building Digital Asset Infrastructure - Report
19/04/2026
Fireblocks survey finds banks are spending heavily on digital asset infrastructure, viewing regulation as a build specification rather than a barrier.

Securities / Derivatives
Nasdaq Receives Regulatory Approval for 23-Hour Trading Day
19/04/2026
The move aims to meet growing overnight trading demand from investors in regions like Asia, pending crucial upgrades to market data infrastructure.

Market Infrastructure
BIS Paper Outlines Key Approaches for Bank Cyber Stress Tests
19/04/2026
New FSI Brief details two distinct approaches for supervisors designing and implementing cyber resilience stress testing exercises for banks.

Market Infrastructure
GBBC Expands Blockchain Risk Framework to Layer 2 Systems
17/04/2026
Global working group released an updated framework to help FIs manage the non-financial risks of using public blockchains.

Crypto / Digital Assets
Taiwan Details Plans to Create Specific Law to Govern CBDC
17/04/2026
New central bank report details a two–tier architecture, tiered wallet limits, and a preference for a dedicated CBDC law.

Sanctions
US Warns APAC Banks of Sanctions Risk Over Iran Transactions
17/04/2026
US Treasury warns banks in China, Hong Kong and the UAE they risk secondary sanctions for handling illicit Iranian funds.
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