New Zealand Eases ‘Golden Visa’ Rules for Investors

30/09/2025

New Zealand will allow 'golden visa' holders to buy luxury homes, following a surge in applications for the revamped scheme, and will add two new skilled residency pathways.

Market Infrastructure

ACCC Authorises Coordinated Payments System Security Upgrade

30/09/2025

The eight-year authorisation allows financial institutions to jointly manage the industry-wide migration to the advanced encryption standard (AES) to counter future cyber threats.

Crypto / Digital Assets

Thai SEC Proposes to Widen 'Institutional Investor' Definition to Cover Crypto Firms

30/09/2025

Proposed amendments would also expand the definition of 'investments' to include digital tokens and indirect holdings for investor classification.

Enforcement

Hong Kong SFC Fines Brokerage Over Client Money Failures

30/09/2025

The SFC reprimanded Roofer Securities for 12 incidents of improper client money segregation, including using client funds to meet its own margin calls.

Hong Kong LegCo Approves First Phase of MPF 'Full Portability'

30/09/2025

New employees from May 2025 will be able to transfer employer contributions to a scheme of their choice annually.

Securities / Derivatives

SFC, HKMA to Probe Sales of Complex Debt Securities

30/09/2025

The SFC and HKMA will launch a joint review of intermediaries' due diligence and disclosure practices, focusing on perpetual and other complex bonds.

Securities / Derivatives

Korea to Ban Discriminatory Interest Rates on Investor Deposits

29/09/2025

The FSS and KOFIA have revised rules to ensure securities firms offer fair and transparent interest rates on customer deposits, ending differential treatment between investors.

Securities / Derivatives

Korea Mandates External Valuation for Alternative Investment Funds

26/09/2025

The new rules, effective from 19 September, require annual fair value assessments and the use of external valuers for real estate and special asset funds.

Enforcement

ASIC Rescinds Plan to Publish Firm-Level Breach Data

26/09/2025

ASIC has reversed plans to publish firm-level compliance breach data after industry feedback, but will proceed with publishing individual firms' complaints data.