AUSTRALIA

ESG / Sustainability

Australia Consults on Product Labels to Combat Greenwashing

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 21/07/2025

Australia's government is seeking feedback on potential rules for the implementation of sustainable investment product labels to curb misleading claims.

New Zealand KiwiSaver Funds See 'Dramatic' Shift to Higher Risk: FMA

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 21/07/2025

The FMA says the proportion of retirement funds in high-volatility category have quadrupled to over 40 percent since 2021, driven by multiple factors.

Market Infrastructure

Australia Grants Clearing and Settlement Facility Licence to Clearstream

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 21/07/2025

ASIC granted the licence and the RBA has set out expectations for Clearstream to improve settlement arrangements and stakeholder engagement in the Australian market.

Fintech / Regtech

Australia Sees Launch of First Bitcoin-Backed Mortgage Product

By Editors | 18/07/2025

Fintech firm Block Earner has launched the product after a federal court found its crypto loans did not require a financial services licence, a decision now being appealed by ASIC.

AML / KYC

AUSTRAC Publishes Regulatory Priorities for 2025-26

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 17/07/2025

AUSTRAC has outlined its 2025-26 priorities, saying it will focus on bringing 'Tranche 2' professions into the regulatory net and cracking down on crypto and cash risks.

Capital / Liquidity

RBNZ Announces Updated Timeline for New Deposit Taker Standards

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 17/07/2025

The RBNZ said the new DTA standards will be issued by May 2027 and take effect on 1 December 2028 instead of July 2028.

Securities / Derivatives

ASX Proposes New Clearing Liquidity Rules After Settlement Disruption

By Editors | 17/07/2025

ASX has proposed new contingency planning rules following a 2024 settlement delay and expanded exemptions for G-10 banks.

AML / KYC

Australia Sets December Deadline for Mandatory Use of SMS Sender IDs

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 16/07/2025

The ACMA says the new rules require all organisations to register alphanumeric sender IDs by 15 December 2025 to prevent customer messages being blocked or relabelled.

Market Infrastructure

Australia Proposes Sweeping Reforms to Card Payments and Surcharges

By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 15/07/2025

The RBA has unveiled plans to ban most card surcharges and slash domestic and cross-border interchange fees in a major industry shake-up.