Securities and Futures Commission

Crypto / Digital Assets

SFC Details Rules for Virtual Asset Fund Managers

By Manesh Samtani | 07/10/2019

The SFC has published new requirements for virtual asset fund managers, relating to capital, best execution, liquidity and custody, among other areas.

Enforcement

SFC Fines SEAVI Advent Ocean Private Equity HK$1mn

By Editors | 07/10/2019

The SFC has reprimanded and fined SEAVI Advent Ocean Private Equity for allowing unlicensed individuals to perform regulated functions, in breach of the Code of Conduct.

Securities / Derivatives

IOSCO Publishes Updates on MMF, Securitisation Regulation

By Editors | 03/10/2019

The reports describe progress by IOSCO members to adopt legislation, regulation and other policies covering MMF and securitisation, considered priority reform areas by the G20.

Capital / Liquidity

SFC Offers Additional Guidance on New Margin Financing Rules

By Editors | 02/10/2019

New FAQs make clear that deviations from the new rules after 4 October will not automatically be seen as noncompliance or result in disciplinary action.

Securities / Derivatives

Hong Kong to Regulate Fund Trustees, Custodians

By Editors | 30/09/2019

Fund trustees and custodians in Hong Kong are not subject to any licensing regime or ongoing supervision. The SFC proposes to regulate them under a new type of regulated activity, RA 13.

Capital / Liquidity

SFC to Push Ahead with New Cap on Margin Financing

By Editors | 30/09/2019

From 4 October, margin loans will be capped at five times capital, despite appeals from brokerage firms to postpone the new rules by one year.

Securities / Derivatives

SFC Imposes Lifetime Ban on Former BoCom Banker

By Editors | 24/09/2019

The ban follows an August 2018 conviction, where the former banker was found guilty of soliciting illegal commission payments from a client for stock trading profits.

Enforcement

SFC Fines HSBC HK$2.1m for Phone Recording Failures

By Editors | 11/09/2019

Voice recording was inadvertently not enabled on some private banking service lines, resulting in over 5,800 client order instructions not being tape-recorded.

AML / KYC

SFC Asks Licensed Firms to Bolster AML/CTF Compliance

By Editors | 09/09/2019

Following the release of the FATF mutual evaluation report for Hong Kong, the SFC has highlighted key work areas for licensed firms and their associated entities.