Structural Regulation

New Zealand to Allow All Licensed Deposit Takers to Use ‘Bank’ Title

04/06/2026

RBNZ to permit all licensed deposit takers, including non-bank entities, to call themselves ‘banks’ under a new, unified regulatory regime.

Payments & Settlements

New Zealand Proposes Interchange Fee Caps for Commercial Cards

04/06/2026

The Commerce Commission has released draft proposals to cap commercial credit card interchange fees, aiming to save businesses an estimated NZD 40 million annually.

Cybersecurity

Anthropic Extends Access to Powerful AI Cyber Tool in APAC

04/06/2026

US AI firm Anthropic is giving select organisations in Australia, India, Japan and other APAC nations access to its powerful cyber-defence model.

Credit Risk

APRA Finalises More Flexible Pathway to IRB for Mid-Sized Banks

04/06/2026

APRA has finalised a new, more flexible pathway to internal ratings-based accreditation, including capital concessions to incentivise uptake by medium-sized banks.

Tokenisation

Hong Kong Launches First Tokenised Money Market Fund

04/06/2026

Hong Kong’s largest ETF issuer has partnered with HSBC and OSL to launch an unlisted, tokenised class for its money market ETF.

KYC & CDD

New Zealand Finalises New AML Identity Verification Code

04/06/2026

The updated code introduces digital identity pathways and a more risk-based approach, aiming to reduce compliance burdens for low-risk customers and modernise verification methods.

Fraud, Scams & Cybercrime

FBI Has Seized $8 Billion in Crypto Dismantling Asian Scam Networks

04/06/2026

Record US forfeiture of 127,000 bitcoin is linked to organised crime and human trafficking hubs in Cambodia and Myanmar.

Fraud, Scams & Cybercrime

Australia Responds to Senate Inquiry on New Scams Framework

04/06/2026

The government has outlined its position on recommendations for its Scams Prevention Framework, noting calls for greater clarity on regulator roles, dispute resolution, and expanded industry coverage.

Cybersecurity

SFC Issues New Rules for Firms on AI-Enabled Cyber Threats

04/06/2026

The regulator has issued a circular detailing enhanced cybersecurity measures for licensed firms to combat fast-evolving AI-driven threats.