Mark Johnston
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
Capital / Liquidity
Korea Moves to Make Foreign Property Curbs Permanent
01/09/2025
Lawmakers are fast-tracking legislation to curb speculative foreign investment in real estate and address claims of reverse discrimination against locals.
Securities / Derivatives
China FIs Tighten Credit, Leverage as Stock Rally Sparks Bubble Fears
01/09/2025
Lenders clamp down on credit card-funded trades while brokers raise margin requirements amid a USD 1 trillion market surge.
Capital / Liquidity
Korea Passes Bill to Create KRW 100 Trillion KDB Fund for Tech Investments
01/09/2025
New law establishes advanced industries fund via Korea Development Bank, easing capital rules to scale support for strategic tech sectors.
Enforcement
S. Korea Regulators Raid MBK Partners in Homeplus Probe
29/08/2025
Financial authorities have widened an investigation into the private equity firm over its debt-laden 2015 takeover of the troubled discount retailer, Homeplus.
S. Korea Eyes Major Overhaul of State Policy Finance Institutions
29/08/2025
President Lee Jae-myung’s administration is considering a significant restructuring to consolidate financial institutions and address long-standing functional overlaps.
Securities / Derivatives
Korean Lawmakers Propose Bill on Mandatory Treasury Share Cancellation
27/08/2025
Proposed amendments to the Commercial Act could force listed firms to cancel treasury shares, raising fears of unintended tax burdens and investor losses.
Capital / Liquidity
India Moves to Codify Cross-Border Insolvency Framework
27/08/2025
New law aims to provide certainty for foreign creditors and courts, drawing lessons from the high-profile Jet Airways insolvency case.
Fintech / Regtech
S. Korea Considers E-commerce Sales, User Reviews for SME Credit Scoring
26/08/2025
The FSC is planning to create a new model incorporating alternative data from platforms like Naver and Coupang to improve lending access for small firms.
Enforcement
Taiwan Court Quashes Ex-Mega Financial Chairman’s Forgery Conviction
26/08/2025
Mckinney Tsai’s conviction, linked to a 2016 AML penalty against Mega's New York branch, was overturned due to a lack of evidence.
AML / KYC
Taiwan Prosecutors Charge 14 in Crypto Laundering Case
25/08/2025
Prosecutors have charged individuals linked to the CoinW and BitShine exchanges in Taiwan's largest-ever crypto laundering and fraud case.
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