The KWAP eFishery investment has prompted Malaysia's Retirement Fund Inc to pursue legal action and seek recovery of invested capital after the Finance Ministry described the Indonesian aquaculture company's collapse as the result of a "well-planned fraud". In a parliamentary reply, the ministry said KWAP and other investors had begun legal proceedings while reviewing governance, monitoring and investment oversight procedures. Officials stressed that the pension fund had foll

Japan cryptocurrency regulation is entering a new phase after parliament approved legislation recognising cryptocurrencies as financial assets and bringing them under a stricter regulatory framework. Previously governed primarily under the Payment Services Act, crypto assets will now become subject to broader financial market rules, including restrictions on insider trading and significantly stronger penalties for unregistered operators. Public broadcaster NHK reported that t

China global reputation has improved significantly, with the country now viewed more favourably than the United States across most surveyed markets, according to a new Pew Research Center study. Among 20 countries with comparable historical data, a median 48% of respondents expressed favourable views of China in 2026, compared with 36% for the United States. This represents a sharp reversal from 2023, when the corresponding figures were 32% and 58%, respectively. China achiev

Family office digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of investment portfolios, although regulatory compliance and reporting remain major obstacles for many wealth managers, according to a survey by Ocorian. The study covered 200 family members and senior executives representing family offices with combined assets of approximately USD119.37bn. The survey found that 86% of respondents already include cryptocurrencies and other digital assets within thei

GPIF asset allocation is unlikely to undergo a major overhaul despite recent government calls for Japan's state pension funds to increase investment in domestic assets, according to people familiar with the matter. The comments ease speculation that the Government Pension Investment Fund could significantly redirect capital into Japanese financial markets. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama recently suggested pension funds should substantially increase investment in domestic a

Singapore AML guidance has been refined to clarify that property developers should apply enhanced anti-money laundering checks only to higher-risk home buyers, reinforcing a risk-based approach to customer due diligence rather than blanket scrutiny across all property transactions. In a circular, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said standard identity verification and database screening would generally be sufficient for most purchasers. Additional due diligence, includ

Taiwan's financial sector is set for further consolidation after the Financial Supervisory Commission approved two significant transactions involving banking and insurance groups. The approvals cover the merger of Bank SinoPac and King's Town Bank, together with E.Sun Financial Holding's acquisition of Mercuries Life Insurance. Bank SinoPac will become the surviving entity when the merger takes effect on 1 January next year, creating a lender with 189 branches, the second-lar

Indonesia is considering sweeping tax incentives to support a proposed international financial centre as the government seeks to attract global capital, financial institutions and family offices. The Indonesia financial hub proposal includes extensive fiscal incentives aimed at strengthening the country's competitiveness as a regional investment destination. Lawmakers discussed legislation that would provide a 100% corporate income tax reduction for qualifying businesses and

Bond Connect will receive significant policy support after China's central bank announced measures to increase mainland investment into Hong Kong's bond market and broaden the programme's product offering. The Bond Connect enhancements form part of Beijing's continuing efforts to strengthen Hong Kong's role as an international financial centre. People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng said the annual net investment quota for the southbound segment will increase to RMB800

China refinancing rules could become more flexible after the China Securities Regulatory Commission proposed changes designed to help listed companies raise capital more efficiently while strengthening investor protection. The proposed reforms form part of Beijing's broader efforts to improve financing channels for high-quality companies pursuing innovation and business expansion. Under the draft measures, eligible companies would be allowed to conduct multiple share issuance

Singapore China capital markets cooperation has been reinforced after the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the China Securities Regulatory Commission reaffirmed their commitment to closer supervisory and regulatory collaboration during their 10th annual supervisory roundtable held in Singapore on June 29. Officials reviewed developments in both equity markets, including Singapore's Equity Market Development Programme and reforms to China's STAR Market and ChiNext exchanges

The APAC banking outlook remains broadly stable despite growing geopolitical risks, although Asia-Pacific banks could face an additional USD180bn in credit losses if conflict in the Middle East persists, according to S&P Global Ratings. The warning forms part of the agency's latest midyear assessment of regional banking conditions. S&P said that 92% of Asia-Pacific bank ratings continue to carry stable outlooks, reflecting expectations that credit ratings will remain largely

Thailand's newly licensed virtual banks are expected to expand cautiously during their initial years of operation as regulators prioritise financial stability and prudent risk management, according to market analysts. The Thailand virtual banks framework requires institutions to undergo a restricted operating phase lasting between three and five years before receiving full licences. Under regulations issued by the Bank of Thailand, new virtual banks must maintain paid-up capi

China's new outbound investment rules, effective from July 1, are expected to reshape rather than reduce overseas expansion by Chinese companies using Singapore as their regional base, according to entrepreneurs, investors and advisers. The China outbound investment rules introduce more comprehensive supervision while maintaining support for international business expansion. The regulations establish "full-process supervision" over outbound investments and extend national sec

Singapore is establishing a Future of Finance Institute to accelerate financial innovation through greater adoption of artificial intelligence, tokenisation and emerging financial technologies, the Monetary Authority of Singapore announced. The Singapore financial innovation initiative is intended to help transform successful pilot projects into large-scale commercial deployment. The institute will bring together financial institutions, fintech firms, technology companies and

Hong Kong is preparing further legal and regulatory enhancements to support wider adoption of distributed ledger technology within its fixed-income markets following completion of the first phase of a government-led review. The Hong Kong tokenised bonds initiative aims to strengthen the city's position as a leading digital capital-markets centre. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority concluded that the existing legal framework is

China’s National Audit Office has identified significant China financial irregularities involving several leading state-backed financial institutions, reinforcing Beijing’s campaign to strengthen governance and reduce systemic financial risks. The findings involve Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China and China Everbright Group. According to the audit, Bank of China used affiliated financial institutions and nominal employee investors to classify 11 private investment fun

South Korea will continue pursuing inclusion in MSCI’s developed-market index after the country remained classified as an emerging market because of unresolved foreign-exchange restrictions. The South Korea MSCI decision highlights continuing concerns among international investors over market accessibility despite ongoing regulatory reforms. MSCI said limited offshore convertibility of the Korean won and insufficient onshore liquidity during extended foreign-exchange trading

China is proposing significantly tougher sanctions for accounting firms involved in fraudulent corporate reporting as regulators intensify efforts to improve market integrity and investor confidence. The proposed China auditor penalties form part of a wider campaign targeting financial misconduct among listed companies and market intermediaries. Under draft amendments to the Certified Public Accountants Law, the maximum fine for issuing false audit reports would increase from

Hong Kong’s securities regulator has called on investment firms to strengthen asset manager stewardship practices, arguing that active engagement with investee companies is essential to maintaining the city’s competitiveness as a global wealth-management centre. Securities and Futures Commission chairman Kelvin Wong Tin-yau said stewardship should be regarded as a professional responsibility rather than an optional activity. Wong noted that Hong Kong has overtaken Switzerland