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
Liquidity Risk
China Lengthens Approval Times for Offshore Debt Issuance - Report
29/04/2026
China's state planner is extending approval times for foreign borrowings, creating refinancing uncertainty as around USD 100 billion of offshore bonds come due.
Trade Based Money Laundering
China Tax Crackdown on Metals Traders Disrupts Market
29/04/2026
An intensified probe into fraudulent invoicing has led to severe quota cuts, a sharp drop in trading volumes, and operational pauses for many firms.
AI Risk & Governance
China to Require Approval for US Investment in Tech Firms - Reports
29/04/2026
Regulators will restrict US capital in sensitive tech sectors without explicit government approval, a policy prompted by Meta’s now-blocked acquisition of AI startup Manus.
Credit Risk
China to Meet Credit Rating Firms Over Quality Concerns
28/04/2026
Regulators have urged rating agencies to address inflated ratings and weak risk warnings, highlighting systemic issues in the domestic bond market.
Trading & Investment
China Expands Southbound ETF Connect with Eight New Funds
28/04/2026
The expansion brings the total number of eligible ETFs to 31 and introduces the first fund offering mainland investors access to Korean technology stocks.
Supervision & Enforcement
Korea Unveils Plan to ‘Expel’ Repeat Cartel Offenders
28/04/2026
The KFTC announced a plan to combat corporate collusion with tougher sanctions, including business suspensions, executive ousters, and significantly increased fines.
Structural Regulation
Taiwan Mandates Digital Filing for Share Buybacks, Issues New Forms
28/04/2026
The FSC is streamlining corporate reporting by mandating electronic filings for treasury stock programmes and issuing revised templates, effective from 1 May.
Anti-Money Laundering
Philippines Convicts Compliance Officer in Bangladesh Bank Heist Case
28/04/2026
A compliance officer at a remittance firm has been found guilty of record-keeping failures linked to the USD 81 million cyber theft.
Market Risk
China Promotes Floating-Rate Bonds to Manage Market Risks
28/04/2026
NAFMII is encouraging greater issuance and trading of floating-rate instruments to manage interest rate volatility and improve policy transmission.
Structural Regulation
China Drafts Rules to Curb Client Control Over Family Trusts
27/04/2026
New regulations would ban wealthy clients and their advisors from directing investments, aiming to shift power from private banks to trust companies.
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