
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
Nasdaq Seeks Approval for 23/5 Trading to Meet Global Demand
16/12/2025
Proposal for 23-hour weekday trading aims to meet international investor demand but has raised concerns over liquidity and market volatility.

Securities / Derivatives
MAS Clarifies Licensing Rules for Investment Platforms, Angel Networks
15/12/2025
The regulator has provided new illustrative examples and updated guidance to clarify when a Capital Markets Services licence is required.

Crypto / Digital Assets
StanChart to Explore MYR Stablecoin in BNM Regulatory Sandbox
15/12/2025
The bank will act as issuer while Capital A Bhd, the parent company of AirAsia, tests wholesale use cases within BNM's innovation hub.

Crypto / Digital Assets
Pakistan Explores Tokenisation with Binance, Grants Initial Crypto Approvals
15/12/2025
Government signs non-binding MoU while the new virtual asset regulator grants initial approvals to Binance and HTX.

Enforcement
AML Status Quo 'Broken', Requires 'Unthinkable' Change, Says Author
15/12/2025
Author Jeffrey Robinson argues that decades of AML policy have failed and calls for jailing 'gatekeeper' professionals.

Market Infrastructure
Rules vs Principles: New Research Quantifies Impact on Economic Stability
15/12/2025
A new quantitative study shows rules-based regulation dampens volatility, but implementation quality matters more than the label for mature hubs.

Securities / Derivatives
BCBS, IOSCO Publishes Assessment of Global UMR Implementation
15/12/2025
The assessment finds no material issues with the rules, highlights success in increasing collateralisation, and provides insights into current market practices.

Crypto / Digital Assets
US Court Sentences Crypto Founder Do Kwon to 15 Years in Prison
13/12/2025
The South Korean national faces separate charges in his home country, with a potential prison transfer after serving half his US term.

Fintech / Regtech
BIS Bulletin Calls for Regulatory Action on Cross-Border Payments
13/12/2025
The bulletin says inconsistent jurisdictional implementation is slowing progress, urging action on standards and non-bank access.

Capital / Liquidity
Japan FSA Proposes to Extend Regional Bank Support, Tighten Governance Rules
12/12/2025
Proposals include extending capital injection schemes and easing investment rules, while tightening governance requirements in the wake of a recent scandal.
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