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
Structural Regulation
FSC Korea Designates Brokerage Firms for 'Productive Finance' Initiative
21/11/2025
The FSC has authorised three new comprehensive financial investment entities while enforcing stricter venture funding quotas and real estate caps.
Cryptocurrency
FSC Korea Plans Organisational Review to Bolster Crypto Oversight
21/11/2025
FSC study will explore options for optimising its structure to enhance its oversight of virtual assets and capital markets, and better manage other national priorities.
Tokenisation
Taiwan FSC Concludes That RWA Tokenisation is Technically Feasible
21/11/2025
The FSC is now establishing a new digital assets committee to focus on RWA tokenisation and stablecoins, while also initiating work to form an RWA token trading platform.
Data Privacy
Korea Mandates In-Branch Access for Open Banking and MyData Services
21/11/2025
The FSC aims to bridge the digital divide by requiring major banks to offer face-to-face support for open finance services, effective 19 November.
CBDCs
Indonesia Tax Authority to Expand Data Access to e-Wallets and CBDCs
20/11/2025
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Taxes will access electronic money and digital currency data from 2026 to align with international reporting standards.
Structural Regulation
Pakistan Amends Non-Bank Lending Rules to Boost Fintech, Inclusion
20/11/2025
The securities regulator has introduced credit guarantee institutions, raised microfinance loan limits, and revamped peer-to-peer lending frameworks.
Structural Regulation
India Moves to Permit Multi-Disciplinary Firms and Strengthen Audit Regulator
20/11/2025
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has finalised plans to enable cross-profession partnerships and segregate the financial regulator’s investigative and disciplinary functions.
Structural Regulation
Bangladesh to Require Global Card Networks to Incorporate Locally
20/11/2025
Draft regulation mandates Visa and Mastercard register as local companies for tax purposes, prompting industry warnings over business continuity.
Sustainable Finance
Major Banks Endorse ICC Sustainable Trade Finance Principles
20/11/2025
UOB, BNP Paribas and SocGen are among the new cohort of firms adopting the ICC Principles for Sustainable Trade Finance.
Trading & Investment
India: NSE Chief Urges Regulators to Overhaul Derivatives Counting and Ease FPI Norms
20/11/2025
Ashish Chauhan warns against policy-making based on 'random statistics' and calls for less intrusive foreign investor rules to attract capital.
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