Malaysia

KYC & CDD

Malaysia to Table New Bill This Year Tighten Oversight of Trust Companies

By Nithya Subramanian | 04/03/2026

Proposed bill will expand oversight of trust firms, strengthen governance, mandate reporting, enhance enforcement powers, and address regulatory gaps in investments.

Structural Regulation

New Consumer Credit Law Comes into Force in Malaysia

By Nithya Subramanian | 03/03/2026

The new law creates a new Consumer Credit Commission to license and regulate BNPL, leasing, and other credit providers, to ensure responsible lending practices.

Fraud, Scams & Cybercrime

Malaysia Imposes New Rules on SIM Registration to Curb Fraud & Scams

By Nithya Subramanian | 02/03/2026

The MCMC has introduced a stricter prepaid SIM registration framework, limiting individuals to five cards per telco, enforcing biometric verification, and tightening rules for minors and tourists.

Capital Adequacy

BNM Fines 13 Money Changers for Inadequate Funds, Weak Controls

By Nithya Subramanian | 02/03/2026

BNM has imposed penalties on 13 licensed money changers, underscoring the regulator’s focus on financial integrity and consumer protection.

Cloud & Infrastructure

ASEAN Endorses Malaysia-Led Cross-Border Cloud Computing Framework

By Nithya Subramanian | 27/02/2026

The new regional framework sets standards for secure cloud data flows, boosts investor confidence and supports AI-driven digital growth across ASEAN.

Tokenisation

Kenanga Launches Malaysia’s First Tokenised Money Market Funds

By Manesh Samtani | 27/02/2026

The move, part of a collaboration with the Stellar Development Foundation, aims to expand retail access and improve operational efficiency.

Stablecoins

Malaysian Conglomerate DRB-Hicom to Explore Ringgit Stablecoin

By Nithya Subramanian | 27/02/2026

DRB-Hicom’s partnership with Geno will assess a ringgit-backed stablecoin and enterprise blockchain use cases, in line with BNM’s digital asset framework.

Supervision & Enforcement

BNM Fines KAF Investment Bank Over Foreign Exchange Breach

By Nithya Subramanian | 27/02/2026

KAF IB failed to obtain approvals for foreign currency transactions exceeding regulatory limits, highlighting the importance of compliance with foreign exchange rules.

Trading & Investment

Bursa Malaysia to Enhance Transparency of Trading Participation Data

By Nithya Subramanian | 24/02/2026

The exchange will distinguish between institutional and retail nominee accounts and reclassify certain foreign-owned company flows to improve data transparency.