Financial Crime

Cryptocurrency

Vietnam to Ban Offshore Crypto Trading Under New Licensing Regime

By Nithya Subramanian | 19/03/2026

Five entities have passed an initial licence qualification stage. A limited number of exchanges will be allowed to operate during the trial period.

Market Abuse

Singapore’s Appeals Court Upholds Jail Terms in Stock Manipulation Case

By Nithya Subramanian | 19/03/2026

The court rejected the appeals , ruling that the multi-year jail sentences for the S$8 billion penny stock crash over a decade ago were justified given the scale of market harm.

Anti-Bribery & Corruption

China Probe Into Conglomerate’s Collapse Ensnares More Former Regulators

By Manesh Samtani | 19/03/2026

The investigation found illegal fundraising and questionable ties between officials and the now-bankrupt conglomerate.

Structural Regulation

India’s IFSCA Proposes New Rules to Build Aircraft Leasing Hub

By Nithya Subramanian | 18/03/2026

Consultation outlines a dedicated regulatory framework for Trust and Company Service Providers and SPVs to develop a leasing ecosystem in GIFT City.

Anti-Money Laundering

Korea Launches AML Crackdown Targeting VCs, Cross-Border Payments

By Manesh Samtani | 18/03/2026

Regulators have announced coordinated inspection plans and a new public-private partnership to combat money laundering through emerging financial channels.

KYC & CDD

Standard Chartered Settles SEBI Case Over FPI Lapses

By Nithya Subramanian | 18/03/2026

The settlement resolves alleged disclosure delays and due diligence lapses in the bank’s role as a depository participant, without admission of guilt.

Anti-Money Laundering

MAS Bans Ex-Bankers Over Roles in S$3bn Money Laundering Case

By Nithya Subramanian | 18/03/2026

Two former relationship managers who were convicted last year have received multi-year bans for offences including forgery and money laundering.

Supervision & Enforcement

China Introduces Rating System for Wealth Management Firms

By Mark Johnston | 18/03/2026

The new system will link ratings to market access and regulatory intensity, aiming to curb a focus on scale over quality.

Fraud, Scams & Cybercrime

Global Fraud Summit Launches Taskforce Targeting Southeast Asian Scam Hubs

By Manesh Samtani | 18/03/2026

New INTERPOL taskforce and public-private partnerships aim to disrupt transnational fraud networks, with a focus on the APAC region.