Supervision & Enforcement

Australian Court Fines Insurer in First-Ever Good Faith Penalty

13/10/2026

The Federal Court has penalised Hollard Insurance Partners for severe claim-handling delays that left a family's home uninhabitable.

Payments & Settlements

Australian Banks Defends Payment Costs Over Surcharging Ban

13/10/2026

The ABA has highlighted that banks are absorbing AUD 900 million in fee reductions amid the new surcharging reforms.

Capital Adequacy

Vietnam Secures First Investment-Grade Rating From Japan’s R&I

13/10/2026

Japan’s R&I has upgraded Vietnam to BBB-, lowering risk weights for qualifying banks and supporting Hanoi's broader capital market and regulatory ambitions.

PEPs & Sanctions

OFAC Penalises Logistics Firm for China-Linked Sanctions Breaches

13/10/2026

Pegasus Worldwide Logistics has agreed to pay $175,015 for violating counter-narcotics sanctions involving a designated Chinese supplier.

PEPs & Sanctions

US Sanctions ICC, Raising Risks for Banking and Technology Access

13/10/2026

US exemptions provide a six-month reprieve for certain transactions, as Japan, Canada and European governments reaffirm support for the court and consider countermeasures.

Market Data & Technology

Hong Kong: Hang Seng Tech Index Undergoes Major Overhaul

13/10/2026

The index compiler will expand its technology benchmark to 50 constituents, introducing new selection criteria and broader themes.

PEPs & Sanctions

UK Expands Russia Sanctions to Crypto, Shadow Fleet

13/10/2026

The latest measures designate three crypto platforms and a Russian financial institution, while expanding restrictions on oil operations and military suppliers.

Structural Regulation

Philippines Set to Adopt Global Bond Pricing Standards

13/10/2026

The Philippines will implement international bond pricing conventions in January 2027, ahead of its inclusion in a key JP Morgan index.

Stablecoins

Tether, Kazakhstan Central Bank Explore Tenge-Backed Stablecoin

13/10/2026

The partnership will examine stablecoin issuance, RWA tokenisation and decentralised finance, with pilot proposals subject to further study.