Digital Assets

CBDCs

China Proposes Major Overhaul of Central Bank Law

By Mark Johnston | 01/07/2026

The draft law, the first major revision in over two decades, would grant legal status to the digital yuan and formalise a ‘dual-pillar’ policy framework.

Structural Regulation

Firms Increasingly Plan Expansion in APAC, but Selectively, ASIFMA Finds

By Manesh Samtani | 30/06/2026

New report finds two-thirds of firms plan to expand in APAC, prioritising markets with regulatory clarity and established infrastructure.

Anti-Money Laundering

Bangladesh Proposes Sweeping Law to Combat Online Gambling

By Nithya Subramanian | 30/06/2026

The bill introduces stringent financial surveillance measures, AI-powered monitoring, and harsh penalties for operators, payment providers, and technology firms.

Data Privacy

Korea Fines Bithumb for Cross-Border Data Violations

By Mark Johnston | 30/06/2026

The KRW 210 million penalty comes with new privacy guidelines for the blockchain industry, signalling heightened scrutiny of data handling practices.

AI Risk & Governance

MAS to Launch Finance Institute to Scale AI and Tokenisation

By Nithya Subramanian | 29/06/2026

MAS will establish a new institute to accelerate technology adoption, providing industry toolkits, sandboxes, and a knowledge hub.

Anti-Money Laundering

Korean Banks Review Partnerships With Domestic Crypto Exchanges

By Mark Johnston | 29/06/2026

Lenders are conducting AML audits as mandatory real-name account contracts come up for renewal, with market leader Upbit's partnership undecided.

Cryptocurrency

DL Securities Wins SFC Approval for Retail Virtual Asset Trading

By Editors | 28/06/2026

The SFC has permitted DL Holdings' subsidiary to amend its licence to offer virtual asset dealing services to retail clients.

Payments & Settlements

China Expands Yuan-Based Financial Channels to Counter Sanctions

By Manesh Samtani | 26/06/2026

Beijing is building an alternative financial infrastructure, helping countries like Russia and Iran reduce their reliance on the US dollar for trade.

Stablecoins

Banks in Europe and Korea Launch Project Pangea for T+0 FX Settlement

By Manesh Samtani | 26/06/2026

The initiative aims to enable real-time, atomic settlement of foreign exchange trades using regulated stablecoins.