Financial Crime

Anti-Money Laundering

ICBC’s US Securities Unit Fined $5.3mn for AML Failures

By Garima Chitkara | 17/05/2018

US regulator FINRA has fined ICBC Financial Services for failing to have an AML program in place; ICBC FS also settled a case with the US SEC, paying $860,000 for failing to report suspicious transactions in its penny stock trading business.

Anti-Money Laundering

Singapore Releases AML/CTF Best Practice Papers

By Karen Chiu | 17/05/2018

MAS-CAD industry partnership on AML/CFT released best practices papers to help financial institutions guard against trade-based money laundering and the misuse of company structures for illicit purposes.

Cryptocurrency

South Korea to Ease Cryptocurrency Policy

By JP Reimann | 17/05/2018

South Korea to soften cryptocurrency policy, apply FATF standards; central bank to release recommendations by end of June.

Market Abuse

CSRC Hands Out $1.2bn in Penalties in Bumper Year

By Manesh Samtani | 15/05/2018

Regulator handed out penalties amounting to $1.19bn in 2017, an 80% increase from 2016; market bans involved 44 persons, the highest in recent years.

Anti-Money Laundering

UPDATED – S.Korea Expands Probe into Crypto Exchanges

By JP Reimann | 14/05/2018

South Korean prosecutors have raided the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange UPbit, seizing hard drives and accounting books; second largest exchange Bithumb also on FSC radar.

Resolution & Recovery

FSB Asia Members Consider Financial System Vulnerabilities

By JP Reimann | 13/05/2018

Members discussed bank resolution regimes, the use of tech to mitigate AML/CTF risk, governance frameworks to reduce misconduct.

Supervision & Enforcement

SFC Signs Enhanced MoU on Cross Border Enforcement Cooperation

By JP Reimann | 13/05/2018

Enhanced IOSCO framework enables securities regulators to obtain and share audit working papers, telephone, internet records; compel attendance at interviews; provide guidance on freezing of assets.

Capital Adequacy

S.Korea to Tighten Supervision on Financial Conglomerates

By Manesh Samtani | 11/05/2018

Tighter regulations will apply to financial affiliates of five major conglomerates Samsung, Hyundai Motor, Hanwha, Lotte and DB, as well as affiliates of Kyobo Life Insurance and Mirae Asset Daewoo.

Supervision & Enforcement

China Fines Three Banks a Combined CNY180 million

By Editors | 10/05/2018

China’s banking and insurance regulator has imposed fines on China Merchants Bank, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Industrial Bank for various violations.