Mark Johnston

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    Based in Singapore, Mark is an experienced journalist and editor with over a decade of experience reporting on technology and business trends throughout Asia. Mark got his start as an engineer, graduating from the UK's Queen's University of Belfast with a Master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. As senior reporter for Regulation Asia, Mark focuses on regulatory changes impacting financial markets, with particular interest in fintech, cybersecurity and crypto markets.

    Articles by Mark Johnston

    Supervision & Enforcement

    China Forms Special Task Forces to Tax Offshore Wealth

    05/10/2026

    China has established specialist squads to track and tax ultra-high-net-worth individuals as the deadline for offshore trust declarations approaches.

    Structural Regulation

    China Revises Audit Regulations to Strengthen Oversight

    05/10/2026

    China has promulgated revised implementation regulations for its Audit Law, introducing stricter compliance and data requirements for state-owned financial institutions.

    Payments & Settlements

    China Issues Guidelines to Boost Financing for Service Sector

    02/10/2026

    China's central bank and seven other government agencies have introduced new guidelines urging financial institutions to expand funding for asset-light service enterprises.

    Structural Regulation

    New Online Marketing Rules for Financial Products Take Effect in China

    02/10/2026

    China has implemented new regulations restricting the online marketing of financial products to curb misleading advertisements and the improper use of bank loans.

    Payments & Settlements

    Rwanda’s Bank Of Kigali Becomes First East African Bank to Join China's CIPS

    01/10/2026

    Rwanda’s Bank of Kigali has become the first financial institution in East and Central Africa to directly connect to China’s cross-border payment network.

    Trading & Investment

    China Expands QFI Access to 23 Additional Commodity Derivatives

    01/10/2026

    China has widened foreign investor access to its commodity markets, adding 23 futures and options contracts across three major exchanges.

    Liquidity Risk

    China Adjusts Monetary Policy Tools to Direct Targeted Lending

    30/09/2026

    The PBOC has lowered its pledged supplementary lending rate and expanded relending quotas to support targeted sectors.

    Credit Risk

    Beijing Overhauls Property Sales Rules With New Lead Bank System

    30/09/2026

    Beijing has introduced sweeping property market reforms, mandating a lead bank system and tightening mortgage issuance to regulate developer funding.

    Tokenisation

    Taiwan to Ease Offshore Fund Limits In Wealth Hub Push

    30/09/2026

    Taiwan's FSC plans to relax investor caps for offshore private funds and introduce new virtual asset rules.

    AI Risk & Governance

    China Proposes Digital and Intelligent Accounting Transformation

    30/09/2026

    China's MOF has issued draft guidelines to accelerate the digital and intelligent transformation of the accounting sector.

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