Topic: Dubai and Saudi

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Basel Committee announces a review of recent market developments, advances work on climate-related financial risks, and review of Basel Core Principles

On 23 March 2023, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) announced a range of policy and supervisory initiatives, following a meeting on 14 March and 22-23 March to take stock of recent market developments and risks to the global banking system. Following the meeting, the Basel Committee announced the following:… Continue Reading

FATF updates Recommendations on international standards on combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorism proliferation

On 10 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published updated Recommendations which were adopted at its plenary on 15 February 2023. The FATF has reviewed and updated the FATF Recommendations, in close co-operation with the FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs) and the observer organisations, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the … Continue Reading

FATF publishes report on countering ransomware financing

On 14 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a report on countering ransomware financing. The report analyses the methods that criminals use to carry out their ransomware attacks and how payments are made and laundered. The report highlights that criminals are almost exclusively using crypto, or virtual assets and have easy access … Continue Reading

FATF updates Guidance on Beneficial Ownership of Legal Persons

On 10 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published updated guidance that focuses primarily on Recommendation 24 (beneficial ownership transparency of legal persons). In March 2022, the FATF agreed on tougher global beneficial ownership standards in its Recommendation 24 by requiring countries to ensure that competent authorities have access to adequate, accurate and … Continue Reading

Monthly Global FinTech regulatory updater

Every month we provide the Global Blockchain Business Council’s Post-Trade Distributed Ledger group with a global regulatory FinTech updater, the latest version of which can be found here. Post Trade Distributed Ledger (PTDL) Group is composed of over 40 prominent market infrastructure stakeholders whose shared vision of the use of distributed ledger technology has brought … Continue Reading

CPMI consultive report on the ISO 20022 harmonisation requirements for enhancing cross-border payments

On 1 March 2023, the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) published a consultive report on the ISO 20022 harmonisation requirements for enhancing cross-border payments. This consultive report presents the CPMI’s proposed requirements for harmonised use of ISO 20022 for cross-border payments. The proposed requirements are the result of earlier discussions by a joint … Continue Reading

FATF publishes Plenary outcomes

On 24 February 2023, the Financial Action Task Force(FATF) published the outcomes of its Plenary on 22-24 February 2023. On 24 February 2023, the second Plenary of the FATF under the Presidency of T. Raja Kumar of Singapore concluded. Delegates from over 200 jurisdictions of the global network participated in these discussions at the FATF … Continue Reading

FSB publishes G20 Roadmap for enhancing cross-border payments

On 23 February 2023, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) published a report on the G20 Roadmap for enhancing cross-border payments (the Roadmap). In October 2022, the FSB published a prioritisation plan and engagement model for taking the Roadmap forward. The plan showed that the Roadmap had reached an inflection point and needed to move to … Continue Reading

FSB report on the financial stability risks of decentralised finance

On 16 February 2023, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) published a report on the financial stability risks of decentralised finance (DeFi). The report describes DeFi as an umbrella term commonly used to describe a variety of services in crypto-asset markets that are intended to replicate some functions of the traditional financial system by seemingly disintermediating … Continue Reading

CPMI-IOSCO stocktake of industry progress on auctions

On 14 February 2023, the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and Committee on Payments and Markets Infrastructures (CPMI) issued a press release regarding the CPMI-IOSCO stocktake of industry progress on auctions. In the press release the CPMI and IOSCO take stock of the industry progress made since the publication of the CPMI-IOSCO report Central … Continue Reading

Wolfsberg Group publishes updated Correspondent Banking Due Diligence Questionnaire

On 10 February 2023, the Wolfsberg Group published version 1.4 of the Correspondent Banking Due Diligence Questionnaire (CBDDQ) and version 1.2 of the Financial Crime Compliance Questionnaire (FCCQ), along with updated supporting Guidance, Glossary and FAQs documents. The CBDDQ update includes a new section on fraud and additional questions related to whistleblower policy, virtual bank … Continue Reading

Dubai’s VARA publishes virtual asset marketing guidelines

On 16 January 2023, the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority overhauled its investment funds regime by issuing a number of important new regulations. The changes are extensive. We have published a briefing note which sets out the most important changes for foreign fund managers or distributors seeking to distribute foreign funds in the United Arab … Continue Reading

Regulation of crypto-tokens: Spolight on the DFSA’s feedback statement

In April we published a briefing note that reported on the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s (DFSA) consultation paper on the regulation of crypto-tokens (CP143). Despite being only 50 pages CP143 covered a wide range of issues including what a crypto-token is, how they can be marketed and the regulatory requirements applicable to them. The DFSA’s … Continue Reading

Buy now pay later: Regulation Around the World

Buy now pay later (BNPL) is a sort of short-term financing that allows consumers to make purchases and pay for them at a later date. There are a different models for BNPL products. Generally these are categorised into split pay, pay later, long-term financing at 0% annual percentage rate, longer-term financing with subsidized interest or … Continue Reading

The UAE issues a new Cabinet Resolution on the regulation of Virtual Assets

On 12 December 2022, the UAE Government issued Cabinet Resolution No.111 of 2022 on the regulation of Virtual Assets and Service Providers (the VA Resolution, published in issue no.741 of the UAE Federal Gazette dated 15 December 2022) which comes into force on 14 January 2023 (30 days after publication). The main aim of the … Continue Reading

Monthly Global FinTech regulatory updater

Every month we provide the Global Blockchain Business Council’s Post-Trade Distributed Ledger group with a global regulatory FinTech updater, the latest version of which can be found here. Post Trade Distributed Ledger (PTDL) Group is composed of over 40 prominent market infrastructure stakeholders whose shared vision of the use of distributed ledger technology has brought … Continue Reading

BIS publishes standards on the prudential treatment of cryptoasset exposures

The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS), the oversight body of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, met on 16 December to endorse its finalised prudential standard on banks’ cryptoasset exposures and the Committee’s work programme and strategic priorities for 2023-24. The standard provides that unbacked cryptoassets and stablecoins with ineffective … Continue Reading

Basel Committee clarifies how climate-related financial risks may be captured in the existing Basel Framework

On 8 December 2022, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issued responses to frequently asked questions to clarify how climate-related financial risks may be captured in existing Pillar 1 standards. The responses, which are consistent with the Basel Committee’s Principles for the effective management and supervision of climate-related financial risks, cover the calculation of risk … Continue Reading

The Wolfsberg Group publishes Principles for Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Financial Crime Compliance

On 1 December 2022, the Wolfsberg Group published Principles for Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) in Financial Crime Compliance. The Principles are intended to guide financial institutions and their financial crime compliance leaders and risk management teams in identifying and managing the operational and reputational risks that may arise from the use of … Continue Reading

The ADGM enhances its capital markets framework, with a focus on sustainable finance and commodities

The Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) has implemented a series of changes to its capital markets rules and regulations. These follow from the FSRA’s Consultation Paper 1 of 2022 dated 1 March 2022 and have a particular focus on environmental instruments and commodities. We have published a briefing note setting … Continue Reading
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