Other Asia Pacific

Crypto / Digital Assets

PNG Completes CBDC Trial with Japan’s METI and Soramitsu

By Editors | 10/02/2025

The PoC involved building a secure payment infrastructure that enabled real-time payments and P2P remittances through a mobile app.

ESG / Sustainability

Taxonomies in Southeast Asia Lack Ambition – Fitch

By ESG Investor | 06/02/2025

Sustainable Fitch says limited uptake could be attributed to the high benchmarks required for activities to qualify as transitional

Capital / Liquidity

Bangladesh Issues New Guidelines on Offshore Banking Business

By Editors | 03/02/2025

Banks must obtain a licence for each OBU. Existing OBUs are asked to submit their approval letters to Bangladesh Bank within two months.

Securities / Derivatives

HSBC to Wind Down Investment Banking Operations in Europe, US

By Nithya Subramanian | 02/02/2025

The bank said in an internal memo that it will retain more focused M&A and equity capital markets capabilities in Asia and the Middle East

Capital / Liquidity

Bangladesh Issues Roadmap for Implementing ECL-based Provisioning System

By Nithya Subramanian | 28/01/2025

Banks must establish IFRS 9 implementation teams by March 2025. Full implementation across all banks is targeted for December 2027.

Fintech / Regtech

ASEAN Ministers Commit to Boosting Digital Security, Cooperation

By Thisanka Siripala | 26/01/2025

Officials at the 5th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting discussed ongoing work to advance cybersecurity, anti-scam measures, cross-border data flows and AI governance.

AML / KYC

Bangladesh Enlists Big Four Auditors to Trace $17b Missing from Banks

By Mark Johnston | 26/01/2025

Bangladesh has enlisted the services of three major audit firms to conduct an asset quality review at six banks to determine where missing assets went.

Fintech / Regtech

ASEAN Releases Expanded Guide to Address Generative AI Risks

By Thisanka Siripala | 23/01/2025

The guide provides recommendations around shared AI accountability, data management, incident reporting, and regional collaboration on AI safety.

Capital / Liquidity

Vietnam Regulator Initiates Mandatory Transfers of Two More Banks

By Nithya Subramanian | 22/01/2025

To strengthen Vietnam’s banking sector, the SBV  has mandated the transfer of DongA Bank to HDBank and GPBank to VPBank