
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
PEPs & Sanctions
Russia Lays Out Three Exit Options for Foreign Firms
07/03/2022
One option is for foreign shareholders to transfer their shares to be managed by Russian partners until they return to the market at a later date.
PEPs & Sanctions
Singapore Sanctions Four Russian Banks, Imposes Other Restrictions
06/03/2022
FIs that have relationships with the four banks must freeze their assets. DPT service providers are prohibited from facilitating sanctions evasion with crypto and NFTs.
Anti-Money Laundering
FATF Plenary Finalises New Beneficial Ownership Requirements
06/03/2022
Plenary adopts amendments to Recommendation 24, approves revised methodology for mutual evaluations, publishes draft guidance for real estate sector.
Anti-Money Laundering
GCFFC Offers Recommendations on Improving FATF Mutual Evaluations
03/03/2022
Mutual evaluations also do not adequately take into account threat, materiality, and contextual factors. The FATF should promote the use of PPPs and data sharing.
PEPs & Sanctions
SWIFT Ban Spares Russian Banks Facilitating EU Energy Trade
03/03/2022
Sberbank and Gazprombank not included in ban; Global banks demonstrating “extreme caution”; Crypto exchanges under pressure to Russia-linked transactions.
PEPs & Sanctions
Russia SWIFT Ban Still Being Finalised; China Urges Dialogue
02/03/2022
Seven Russian banks will likely be cut off from SWIFT; Japan will freeze Russia’s yen reserves; Korea will suspend transactions with seven Russian banks and their subsidiaries.
Anti-Money Laundering
MAS Issues New AML/CFT Notices for Financial Institutions
02/03/2022
The Notices cover activities involving precious stones and metals, services and transactions involving digital payment tokens, and risk assessments on shell companies.
PEPs & Sanctions
UK Fast-Tracks Property Ownership Transparency Bill
01/03/2022
The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill first promised in 2016 has been introduced in Parliament and will be fast-tracked through the legislature.
PEPs & Sanctions
Singapore, Korea, Switzerland Announce Sanctions Against Russia
01/03/2022
Singapore will block certain Russian banks and financial transactions connected to Russia. Major Singapore banks are already restricting trade financing for Russian commodities.
Cryptocurrency
The SFC Approach to Virtual Assets Prioritises Investor Protection
28/02/2022
Since 2018, the steps taken by the SFC to regulate the virtual asset space have prioritised investor protection, first and foremost.
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