BIG PICTURE

Big Picture

ESG Bond Issuance to Quadruple by 2025

By ESG Investor | 27/01/2022

New Pictet-IIF report says inconsistent disclosures are limiting growth, with ‘climate-aligned’ bonds meeting the supply shortfall.

Big Picture

BIS Paper Offers Guidance on Regulating Tech Firms

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 26/01/2022

The paper offers guidance for prudential authorities in deciding whether to allow tech firms to enter into banking, and what requirements to impose on them.

Big Picture

IMF Commends Hong Kong Efforts to Safeguard Stability

By Manesh Samtani | 23/01/2022

Hong Kong banks’ exposures to the mainland property market warrant continued close monitoring and periodic stress testing.

Fintech / Regtech

OECD Examines Policy Implications of DeFi in New Report

By Mark Johnston | 22/01/2022

An increased use of stablecoins constitutes “one of the greatest points of vulnerability of the DeFi market” and a potential channel of risk transmission to the traditional financial markets.

Big Picture

Quantitative Easing Ineffective at Driving Firms to Invest

By Mark Johnston | 18/01/2022

Weaker firms respond to lower long-term yields by refinancing debt. Healthier firms tend to increase cash holdings and share buybacks.

AML / KYC

Crime Becoming Smaller Part of Crypto Ecosystem: Report

By Manesh Samtani | 17/01/2022

Chainalysis estimates that illicit wallet addresses received $14bn throughout 2021, but this represented just 0.15% of total transaction volumes in crypto during the year.

Big Picture

IOSCO Outlines Pandemic Lessons on Operational Resilience

By Editors | 14/01/2022

The pandemic highlighted that greater automation of compliance and supervisory processes may better accommodate a remote workforce.

Big Picture

FRTB Will Turn Banks Away from Fund Investment Activity

By Manesh Samtani | 13/01/2022

The FRTB treatment of equity investments in funds is “excessively conservative” and could prompt banks to reduce their activity in the sector, ultimately weakening the market.

Big Picture

Policy Reforms Needed for Platform-based Financial Services: BIS

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 13/01/2022

A BIS paper says platform-based business models can lower costs and aid financial inclusion, but they can also give rise to digital monopolies and oligopolies.