INTERNATIONAL

Crypto / Digital Assets

Tokenised Government Bonds Show Higher Liquidity - BIS Bulletin

By Editors | 14/07/2025

Early-stage tokenised government bonds exhibit tighter bid-ask spreads than conventional debt, but regulatory uncertainty remains a key hurdle for wider adoption.

ESG / Sustainability

HSBC Quits Net-Zero Banking Alliance, Following US Lenders

By Editors | 14/07/2025

HSBC has become the first major UK bank to depart the UN-convened climate group, citing the maturity of its own transition planning amid investor scrutiny.

ESG / Sustainability

IFRS Foundation Clarifies Use of Industry Guidance for ISSB Standards

By Mark Johnston | 14/07/2025

The IFRS Foundation has published new guidance to support global firms implementing sustainability disclosure rules tailored to their industries.

AML / KYC

FATF Establishes New Procedure to Address Harm to NPOs

By Manesh Samtani | 14/07/2025

The new process allows countries and international bodies to report when the misapplication of anti-terror financing standards disrupts legitimate charitable work.

Big Picture

Regulatory Fragmentation Undermines Financial System Resilience - Report

By Manesh Samtani | 12/07/2025

Joint paper by BPI, GFMA and IIF calls for coordinated action to address the proliferation of "localisation policies", such as ring-fencing and forced subsidiarisation.

Big Picture

Asset Servicing Firms Face Spiralling Costs by Delaying ISO 20022 - Report

By Manesh Samtani | 12/07/2025

New report by The ValueExchange and SmartStream Technologies highlights that slow adoption of ISO 20022 is costing firms up to USD 21 million annually.

Fintech / Regtech

BRICS Advances SWIFT Alternative Plan, Taps Indonesia’s QRIS for Pilot

By Manesh Samtani | 11/07/2025

The BRICS group has tasked finance ministers with developing a cross-border payment system, but analysts point to significant technical and geopolitical hurdles.

AML / KYC

GLEIF Approves Singapore's TradeGo as Qualified vLEI Issuer

By Editors | 11/07/2025

The integration of verifiable digital identities into TradeGo's blockchain platform is expected to cut compliance costs and streamline cross-border commodity finance.

Capital / Liquidity

BCBS Flags Bank-NBFI Risks, Puts Synthetic Risk Transfers Under Scrutiny

By Manesh Samtani | 11/07/2025

New BIS report warns of growing interconnections and mutual dependence, highlighting the need for better data and signalling a probe into complex risk instruments.