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
Enforcement
KRX Proposes Individual-Based Monitoring to Curb Illegal Trading
20/08/2025
The bourse operator plans a new data submission requirement for members to better detect links between accounts held by individuals.
Fintech / Regtech
FSS Korea to Build Surveillance System for New ATS Nextrade
20/08/2025
FSS Korea is developing a direct monitoring system for Nextrade amid rising volumes and unfair trading concerns.
Capital / Liquidity
Vietnam Proposes Overhaul of Overseas Investment Rules
19/08/2025
Shifting oversight to the central bank, the move aims to cut red tape for investors and enhance state management through foreign exchange and AML controls.
Sanctions
Vietnamese Banks Increase Scrutiny of Russian Transactions
19/08/2025
Banks in Vietnam are imposing stringent new documentation requirements for payments linked to Russian entities to mitigate the risk of secondary sanctions.
ESG / Sustainability
Korea to Launch New Exchange to Revitalise Voluntary Carbon Market
18/08/2025
The government will announce a plan in H2 2025 to establish a new trading platform and issue guidelines to boost transparency.
Securities / Derivatives
SEBI Flags Surge in Enforcement, Difficult Dues in Annual Report
18/08/2025
SEBI's annual report reveals a spike in settlement pleas and inspections amid record capital raising and mounting unrecovered penalties.
AML / KYC
Nepal Mandates Immediate Sanctions Freezing for Payment Firms
18/08/2025
New guidelines require immediate freezing of assets and daily screening, with financial penalties up to NPR 2 million for non-compliance.
Securities / Derivatives
Bangladesh Approves Draft Rules to Overhaul Equity Margin Lending
18/08/2025
New draft rules will restrict margin loans to top-tier stocks, set minimum investor equity thresholds, and impose new risk management obligations on lenders.
Securities / Derivatives
KRX Issues Proposed Rules for New Security Token Market
18/08/2025
Strict new rules on issuer capital, lock-ups, and trading raise questions about whether any products will actually be listed.
Korea Mandates Lower Credit Card Fees for Over 3 Million Merchants
15/08/2025
The move, affecting 93.2% of all businesses, requires credit card firms to apply preferential rates to ease the financial burden on small enterprises.
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