The Central Bank of Libya said its governor met Visa executives as part of ongoing engagements to promote financial inclusion by expanding electronic payment services and strengthening transaction oversight in line with international anti-money laundering and terrorist financing standards.
The Central Bank of Libya said its governor used a meeting with the U.S. Department of State to present progress on economic reforms, compliance, AML/CFT and payments infrastructure. The release framed those measures as supporting monetary and financial stability and aligning the bank with international standards. A senior U.S. official also stressed support for the central bank's independence.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Telecommunications to enable regular data and information sharing to combat fraud in the securities market. The arrangement leverages the Department of Telecommunications’ Digital Intelligence Platform for secure, real-time intelligence sharing and coordination against misuse of telecom resources linked to cybercrime and financial fraud.
The U.S. Treasury outlined priorities for the IMF and World Bank ahead of the Spring Meetings, urging both to narrow agendas to core mandates, strengthen accountability, and restrain budgets. For the IMF, Treasury calls for reversing “mission creep,” sharpening surveillance on external imbalances and spillovers, tightening conditionality and debt sustainability analysis, improving debt data and management, and advancing a quota-based 16th General Review of Quotas under a new formula. For the World Bank, it urges stronger focus on poverty reduction and country self-reliance, stricter graduation of better-off borrowers, greater IFC commitments to the poorest and most fragile countries, an “all-of-the-above” energy financing approach including gas and nuclear, rapid implementation of the critical minerals strategy, more competitive procurement, and dropping the 45% climate finance target.
Luxembourg’s Council of Government has adopted a draft grand-ducal regulation to complement transposition of the EU Consumer Credit Directive (EU) 2023/2225 by establishing a statutory medical “right to be forgotten” in the Consumer Code, expanding the insurer–state convention and improving consumer conditions through shorter time limits and caps on premium surcharges. For cancers, the core rule is a five-year period from the end of treatment without relapse after which the condition need not be declared, with shorter deadlines and specific conditions for certain pathologies such as HIV and chronic myeloid leukaemia. An expert committee including state, insurance, patient and scientific representatives will advise on adding further conditions and setting coverage caps.
The U.S. House Financial Services Committee’s Capital Markets Subcommittee held a hearing on securities fraud and financial exploitation, assessing enforcement tools and gaps that could threaten market integrity and investor confidence. Subcommittee Chairman Ann Wagner cited a 24% year-on-year rise in U.S. financial exploitation losses to USD 12 billion in 2024, driven largely by investment scams, account takeovers, social media and encrypted messaging fraud, spoofed broker-dealer websites, AI-enabled fakes, and overseas scam centers. She also noted the SEC’s use of its Cross-Border Task Force to pursue foreign actors.
The European Central Bank published a keynote speech by Executive Board member Piero Cipollone on how tokenisation and distributed ledger technology could reshape financial market infrastructure and how the Eurosystem will support this transition. The speech confirmed that under the Pontes project the Eurosystem will provide tokenised central bank money settlement for distributed ledger technology-based transactions from September 2026 and has begun accepting certain distributed ledger technology-issued securities as collateral in Eurosystem credit operations. Cipollone also highlighted the Appia roadmap to develop by 2028 a blueprint for a European tokenised financial ecosystem and indicated further work on expanding collateral eligibility.
The Reserve Bank of India has amended its 2025 branch authorisation directions for non-banking financial companies to provide greater operational flexibility for branch expansion while maintaining compliance expectations. Deposit-taking NBFCs entitled to accept public deposits may now expand on a tiered basis: entities below ₹50 crore in net owned funds or rated below AA are restricted to their home state, while those above ₹50 crore and rated AA or higher may expand nationwide. The amendments also refine applicability across NBFC categories, adjust provisions for core investment companies and housing finance companies, and streamline section headings and cross-references.
The National Bank of Serbia published results of its March Inflation Expectations Survey, showing financial sector one-year expectations anchored at the central value of its inflation target for a third consecutive month and business one-year expectations stable at 4.0% within the target band. Financial sector expectations rose to 3.3% for two years ahead while remaining at 3.0% for three years, and business expectations stayed at 4.0% for two years ahead and declined to 4.1% for three years, the lowest since February.
The National Bank of Serbia published its weekly overview of global financial market developments for 6–10 April 2026, attributing much of the period’s moves to news of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The report highlights a stronger euro against the dollar, gains in major US equity indices, modest declines in US Treasury yields, a sharp fall in Brent crude and higher gold prices, alongside unchanged policy rates in Romania and Poland and Poland’s USD 6.0bn triple-tranche Eurobond issuance.
The U.S. Department of Justice sentenced U.S. nationals Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang to 108 and 92 months in prison for facilitating North Korean remote IT workers who used stolen U.S. identities to secure jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, generating over USD 5 million for the DPRK. Each received three years of supervised release, forfeiture totaling USD 600,000, and restitution of USD 29,236.03. Court documents describe “laptop farms,” shell companies, and access to sensitive employer data, including information controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Eight co-defendants remain at large, with the U.S. offering rewards of up to USD 5 million under the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative.
The Bank of Greece announced that Governor Yannis Stournaras has been nominated by the Prime Minister and government for a third consecutive term, with the Bank’s General Council to convene shortly to formulate its proposal to the Cabinet under the Bank’s Statute. Stournaras reiterated his commitment to the Bank’s primary mandate of safeguarding monetary and financial stability, and the statement noted that the institution will mark its centenary in 2028.
The National Bank of Georgia reported on discussions with the International Monetary Fund on Georgia’s fiscal and monetary policy stance, macroeconomic conditions and future cooperation at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings. The update noted that as of March 2026 annual inflation was 4.3%, core inflation 2.4% and services inflation 3.3%, with inflation expectations well anchored, and that international reserves reached a historic high in 2025, exceeding the 100% adequacy threshold for the first time since 2022, while warning that a prolonged Middle East conflict could affect forecasts.
The Luxembourg Commissariat aux Assurances has published Information Note 26/3 on a one-off additional control of Digital Operational Resilience Act reporting relating to the Register of Information. The note sets out supervisory expectations for this specific DORA reporting exercise.
HM Treasury published a joint statement by finance ministers from 12 countries welcoming the ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran, warning that renewed hostilities or disruption in the Strait of Hormuz would heighten risks to global energy security, supply chains and financial stability. The ministers committed to a coordinated, fiscally responsible response, support for open, rules-based energy trade and accelerated diversification, and called on the IMF, World Bank and IEA to assess global impacts and prepare emergency support. They also reaffirmed support for Ukraine and pledged to keep increasing economic pressure on Russia without worsening supply chain and energy price disruptions.
Vice Governors Ekaterine Galdava and Nino Jeladze represented the National Bank of Georgia at a joint European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and J.P. Morgan conference in Washington, D.C. during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Spring Meetings. The event focused on market index reform, derivative financial instruments, and the integration of new market indices into financial systems in advanced and emerging economies.
The National Bank of Georgia published an interactive press release presenting money transfer statistics for March 2026. The data are available in the statistics section of its website.
The World Federation of Exchanges has published a paper arguing that network effects are a defining feature of public markets and underpin their effectiveness, with implications for public policy. It highlights how exchanges’ “all-to-all” networks and central counterparties support liquidity, price discovery, investor protection, innovation and resilience, while warning that fragmented and less transparent market structures can erode these benefits and harm overall market quality.
The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency of Türkiye has revoked Magdeburger Sigorta AŞ’s authority to enter into new insurance contracts and renew existing contracts in all lines of business. The measure, adopted via Board decision No. 1693, takes effect on 16 April 2026.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo reported on Governor Ahmet Ismaili’s meeting with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance at the 2026 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, reaffirming cooperation and exploring expanded support. Discussions covered ongoing and new cooperation on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and counter-proliferation financing, plus initial support for capital market infrastructure and operational frameworks, with U.S. officials signalling readiness to launch a new technical assistance programme and explore a project on technical infrastructure for capital market development.
The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on proposed perimeter guidance to clarify how firms may be affected by the UK’s forthcoming cryptoasset regulatory regime, due to apply from October 2027. It covers the FCA’s interpretation of regulated activities such as issuing qualifying stablecoin, operating trading platforms, dealing and arranging deals in qualifying cryptoassets, safeguarding cryptoassets, and staking, and outlines planned authorisation support ahead of the gateway opening in September 2026. The FCA also signals further 2026 consultations on decentralised finance guidance, operational resilience for distributed ledger technology, and updates to its Financial Crime Guide.
The Ministry of Finance (Ghana) used the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings to present Ghana’s post-crisis “turnaround experience”, attributing macro-fiscal improvements since 2025 to policy measures and reforms. It reported real GDP growth of 6% in 2025, disinflation to 3.2% by March 2026, cedi appreciation of more than 40% against the USD in 2025, a shift in the primary balance from a 2.9% of GDP deficit to a 2.6% surplus, a decline in public debt-to-GDP from 61.8% to 45.3%, and international reserves of 5.8 months of import cover.
The Bank of Botswana has issued a cease-and-desist order to Women’s Finance House Botswana (Thusang Basadi) for conducting banking business without a valid licence, in breach of the Banking Act, 2023 and its exemption conditions. The institution had been accepting deposits and using them for lending and investments, activities reserved for licensed entities, and its Board has been ordered to halt all operations, with potential penalties of up to BWP 1,000,000 and imprisonment for illegal banking and up to BWP 500,000 for non-compliance.
The Central Bank of Colombia published the first edition of its 2025 Electronic Payment Services Survey, assessing usage, acceptance and perceptions of electronic payments ahead of the interoperable instant payments system Bre-B. The survey finds high adoption of intra-bank transfers among adults and micro and small merchants, while interoperable instant transfers and interoperable QR payments show lower current use but significant growth potential. Users and merchants generally view electronic payments positively but express concerns over data privacy, costs (including the 4x1000), trust, and the functioning and implementation of interoperable QR codes.
The Central Bank of Chile published its first-quarter 2026 bank credit survey, indicating tighter consumer lending conditions, unchanged housing loan standards, and more flexible criteria for real estate and construction firms. Banks reported broadly weaker credit demand across consumer, housing, small and medium-sized enterprise and large corporate segments, with the latter partly attributed to substitution toward other funding sources and lower working capital needs.
The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina met senior International Monetary Fund and World Bank officials during the Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C. to discuss macroeconomic trends, financial and monetary stability, and institutional cooperation. Talks covered Bosnia and Herzegovina’s prospective role in the planned South East Europe Technical Assistance Center in Rome, continued World Bank support for development and reform projects, and capacity-building and financial sector modernisation linked to joining the Single Euro Payments Area.
Cameroon's National Economic and Financial Committee said it adopted its 2026 activity program and a budget of XAF 2,250,213,603 after reviewing 2025 execution reports. It also reviewed progress on the financial sector development strategy and the digital transformation agenda, and called for continued implementation.
The World Bank Group has imposed a 21‑month debarment with conditional release on Roger Bokandenga for corrupt practices related to the World Bank-financed Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development and Growth Project (PADMPME), rendering him ineligible to participate in its financed projects. The reduced sanction reflects his admission of wrongdoing and remorse, is eligible for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the 2010 Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, and requires ethics training, continued cooperation, and integrity compliance measures.
The World Bank Group’s Reserve Advisory & Management Partnership signed a Cooperation Agreement with CFA Institute to collaborate on asset management education, professional training, and research for public-sector and institutional investment professionals globally. The non-exclusive, two-year partnership aims to combine RAMP’s advisory and capacity-building platform with CFA Institute’s education and ethics focus to strengthen ethical standards, professional excellence, and technical capacity in asset management.
The IMF reached a staff-level agreement with Jordan on the fifth review of its Extended Fund Facility and the second review of its Resilience and Sustainability Facility, which, pending management and Executive Board approval, would provide SDR 97.784 million (about USD 140 million) under the EFF and SDR 39.588 million (about USD 57 million) under the RSF. All quantitative performance criteria for the fifth EFF review were met, structural benchmarks are on track, and the RSF reform measure for the second review was implemented on time. Jordan continues gradual fiscal consolidation and structural reforms amid regional spillovers, including RSF-related reforms in water, electricity and health-shock preparedness. The Central Bank of Jordan has also issued secondary regulations on climate disclosures aligned with Basel Committee and International Sustainability Standards Board guidance.
The Italian Institute for Insurance Supervision (IVASS) issued a consumer warning after detecting a counterfeit draft surety bond policy falsely presented in the name of KLPP Insurance & Reinsurance Company Ltd, which the insurer has disowned. IVASS urged consumers to verify that insurance quotes and contracts are attributable to duly authorised insurers and intermediaries by consulting its online lists and registers, including those on surety insurers, intermediaries, and warnings on counterfeiting.
Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance, represented by Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis as Eurogroup President, warned that prolonged disruption of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger the largest energy crisis on record, with oil and gas supply losses exceeding the 1970s and 2022 shocks and a persistent risk premium in energy prices. He noted that Europe remains exposed despite diversification and higher renewables, with potential for lower growth and higher inflation but not stagflation. On fiscal policy, he called for a European response coordinated with monetary policy and aligned with the European Commission’s framework that support measures be temporary, targeted and focused on the most vulnerable.
The European Banking Federation has responded to two European Commission consultations on EU Taxonomy Delegated Acts, supporting simplification and harmonisation of technical screening criteria but warning the proposals are not ambitious enough to materially improve usability. It calls for a more pragmatic, legislation-based approach to taxonomy alignment, including targeted exemptions from do no significant harm and minimum social safeguards assessments, greater reliance on recognised certifications and credible estimates, improved data availability, and clearer, EU-wide consistent guidance on evidence and third-country assessments.
The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism is developing a common methodology for assessing money laundering and terrorist financing risks in the EU non-financial sector. It will be used by all EU non-financial sector AML/CFT supervisors to support risk-based allocation of supervisory resources and inform decisions on the frequency and intensity of inspections, with early stakeholder input gathered via an online roundtable.
The Single Resolution Board has responded to the European Commission’s consultation on EU banking competitiveness, outlining how the resolution framework could better support financial stability and competitiveness. It identifies four priorities: a more integrated European deposit protection framework, stronger liquidity-in-resolution arrangements, improved cross-border allocation of capital and liquidity within banking groups with resolvability safeguards, and targeted simplification through more coherent frameworks and streamlined MREL processes.
The Supervisory Authority of Insurance and Social Welfare (ACAPS) used the 12th Rendez-vous de Casablanca de l'assurance to underline how emerging risks and more diverse coverage needs are reshaping Morocco’s insurance sector, urging a shift beyond traditional risk transfer toward greater service, prevention and policyholder support. ACAPS President Abderrahim Chaffai outlined priorities to strengthen the regulatory framework, expand access, and adapt business models to new market realities, calling for coordinated stakeholder action to foster innovation and resilience.
The European Central Bank has updated its guidance for payment service providers on the planned digital euro pilot, a limited exercise to test how a “beta digital euro” functions in everyday payments without pre-empting any issuance decision. Run on-site at the ECB and euro area national central banks, it will involve Eurosystem staff and selected merchants, cover four online and offline P2P and P2B use cases, and require PSPs to participate via national central bank agreements under parameters including holding limits, waterfall mechanisms and a ban on end-user charges. The ECB sets development from the third quarter of 2026 and a 12‑month operational phase starting in the second half of 2027.
The National Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan published the results of a foreign exchange purchase auction held on 15 April 2026, reporting a weighted-average exchange rate of 9.4891 TJS per USD. Nine participants had bids satisfied, ranging from USD 260,000 to USD 7,500,000, according to the Department of International Reserves Management and Exchange Rate Policy.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority issued an alert on scams involving fraudulent websites, fake internet banking login screens and phishing instant messages affecting Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited, Chong Hing Bank Limited and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. It reiterated that banks do not send embedded hyperlinks for transactions or request sensitive information such as login passwords or One-Time Passwords via phone, email or SMS, and advised affected customers to contact their bank and report cases to the Hong Kong Police.
The Bank of Israel and the Ministry of Finance published the 2025 Annual Report of the Citizens of Israel Fund, noting continued build-out of management infrastructure, expansion into additional asset classes and further asset growth in the Fund’s third full year. As of 31 December 2025, assets under management were about USD 2.8 billion, with a nominal return of 18.4% and a real return of 15.4% in U.S. dollars, deposits of USD 350.7 million and an allocation of USD 51.7 million to the State Treasury. The report expects continued growth and broader exposure, including gradual expansion of private investments supported by infrastructure for non-liquid assets and enhanced real-time analytical capabilities.
The Central Bank of Chile’s first-quarter 2026 Bank Credit Survey reports continued tightening in consumer lending standards, unchanged mortgage conditions, and broadly stable supply for small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporates, with more flexible criteria for real estate firms. Banks perceived weaker credit demand across most portfolios, notably for large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises, and softer household demand for both consumer loans and mortgages.
The Central Bank of Russia’s April Regional Economy report finds that consumer demand declined across most macroregions in February–March and that overall economic activity slowed in most industries, while price growth in March was little changed from February and remained elevated. The report highlights weaker sales in several goods categories and reduced output in some manufacturing segments, alongside stronger demand for new cars in some regions and improved short-term demand expectations.
The Vietnam State Securities Commission issued Notice No. 58/TB-UBCK requesting 12 named individuals to pay the statutory fee of VND 1,000,000 each for the issuance of securities practice certificates under the Ministry of Finance’s Circular 25/2022/TT-BTC. Payment may be made by bank transfer or in person, and failure to complete certificate collection procedures within one year of the fee-payment notice will result in cancellation of the issued certificate.
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic reported that its Chair met the Swiss National Bank Chair in Washington to discuss deepening their strategic partnership. Both central banks reaffirmed their readiness to strengthen cooperation through expert knowledge exchange and joint training programmes, noting the effectiveness of their long-running collaboration in monetary policy implementation and monetary operations infrastructure.
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic held a bilateral meeting with International Monetary Fund officials in Washington to discuss measures to support macroeconomic stability, including recent Article IV consultation findings. Chair Almaz Baketaev reaffirmed the central bank’s focus on price stability and financial sector resilience, and both sides explored broader cooperation through expanded participation in the IMF’s CCAMTAC and related capacity-building programmes for public authorities.
The Brazil Securities Commission (CVM), in partnership with Fenasbac, will host LEAP Connect 2026 at its Rio de Janeiro headquarters to present outcomes from the first cycle of its Laboratory for Experimentation, Learning and Prototyping (LEAP). The event will showcase 2025 LEAP prototypes in areas including regulatory automation, AI for market supervision, sustainability reporting, carbon market infrastructure and secondary crowdfunding markets, launch the inaugural LEAP Report, and open the LEAP 2026 cycle with new challenge themes.
The Brazil Securities Commission (CVM) Board accepted a term of commitment in a sanctioning proceeding involving Housi Serviços Digitais S.A. and CEO Alexandre Lafer Frankel, diverging from the CVM’s Term of Commitment Committee, which had opposed the settlement. The respondents will pay BRL 200,000 to the CVM over alleged irregularities in the company’s 2021–2023 financial statements, including possible recurring breaches of Article 33 of CVM Resolution 86 and Article 31 of former CVM Instruction 602.
The Thailand Office of Insurance Commission reported that its Secretary-General led a field visit to Krabi during the Songkran travel period to oversee public service points and support integrated road and marine accident prevention operations, focusing on timely access to insurance protection and guidance. A meeting with OIC Region 8 and the Krabi office set local policyholder-protection priorities around improving access to insurance benefits, service quality and confidence in the insurance system, and reiterated the government’s target to cut Songkran accidents, injuries and fatalities by at least 5% year-on-year.
The Central Bank of the UAE has launched development of a nationwide unified electronic Know Your Customer platform as a core component of its Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme, in technical partnership with Norbloc AB. The platform will automate and streamline KYC and Know Your Business processes, integrate with trusted data sources to support anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism, and enable privacy-by-design data sharing based on explicit customer consent. It is intended to reduce duplication in due diligence, lower compliance and operational costs, accelerate digital onboarding, and be expanded in future phases to deepen integration with stakeholders.
The National Bank of Romania published provisional balance of payments and external debt data for January–February 2026, reporting a current account deficit of EUR 3,191 million, down from EUR 3,638 million a year earlier, and non-resident direct investment of EUR 1,128 million. Total external debt increased by EUR 1,500 million to EUR 229,963 million, with long-term debt at EUR 182,519 million (79.4% of total) and short-term debt at EUR 47,444 million (20.6%). Reserve-based indicators improved to 6.7 months of import cover and 107.3% coverage of short-term external debt.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan published the results of an insurance-sector attestation held on 14 April 2026, disclosing candidate scores for insurance intermediaries. Under the applicable rules, candidates pass by correctly answering 70 test tasks, while the published table shows ten candidates, with seven scoring between 34 and 64 points and no score displayed for three.
The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of Kazakhstan has submitted draft legislation to Parliament to regulate credit rating agencies, setting independence, transparency and accountability requirements and a national rating system. It would establish the Kazakhstan Rating Agency as an independent national institution, introduce a recognition regime for foreign agencies, and empower the Agency to recognise, monitor and withdraw recognition. The draft also regulates methodologies, conflicts of interest, separation of activities and disclosure, including online publication of methodologies and default data.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan will hold a mobile public reception in the city of Sheki as part of its initiatives to strengthen the protection of financial services consumers’ and investors’ rights. The event will serve citizens in the administrative districts of Qakh, Zagatala, Gabala, Oguz, Balakan and Sheki, with Central Bank representatives reviewing and responding to financial services-related enquiries and providing support.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan has approved lower caps on interchange fees between payment system participants and aligned interchange tariffs for payments via the Instant Payments System (AÖS), reducing upper limits for payment card interchange by 0.25 percentage points across relevant merchant sectors. The measures aim to cut acquirers’ costs, support lower merchant fees for cashless and QR code-based payments via AÖS, and promote wider use of account-based payments.
The Central Bank of the Philippines’ 2025 Consumer Finance and Inclusion Survey reports improved financial inclusion among young adults and women, a shift from informal to formal borrowing, and higher financial literacy, despite a decline in overall adult account ownership. It notes increased account ownership for 15–19 year olds and women, reduced borrowing but greater use of formal lenders, stronger consumer cyber-hygiene, and expanding household-level account access and digital channel use. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas links the findings to its National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2022–2028, emphasizing digitalization, financial literacy, consumer protection, and trust in the formal financial system.
The National Bank of Moldova reported that Governor Anca Dragu met IMF Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamura at the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings to discuss Moldova’s macroeconomic framework and transition to a non-financial cooperation framework with the IMF. Talks covered recent macroeconomic developments, European integration, implementation of Financial Sector Assessment Program recommendations and continued IMF technical assistance, with recent IMF and World Bank assessments confirming a resilient financial sector, well-managed risks and a prompt monetary policy response.
The National Bank of Moldova met senior International Monetary Fund officials during the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings to discuss Moldova’s macroeconomic outlook, a prospective new IMF programme, and the central bank’s reform agenda linked to European integration and financial stability. Discussions focused on cooperation under the Moldova Growth Plan 2025–2027, alignment of national legislation with the European Union acquis and international standards, governance strengthening, implementation of Financial Sector Assessment Program recommendations, and accession to the Single Euro Payments Area.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India announced that K.V.R. Murty has assumed office as a Whole Time Member in Mumbai, joining from the Ministry of Defence where he was Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts. SEBI highlighted his three decades of experience in national security, corporate law and public-sector financial advisory, including senior roles in defence finance, corporate law administration and ease of doing business reforms, as well as prior service as a government nominee on the SEBI Board and other regulatory bodies.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance of South Korea reported sustained foreign inflows into Korean Treasury bonds and declines in benchmark yields following South Korea’s inclusion in the World Government Bond Index. Foreign investors recorded net purchases of KRW 7.7 trillion between 30 March and 13 April, including KRW 2.8 trillion by Japan-based investors, while three- and ten-year bond yields fell about 20–23 basis points. The government will keep monitoring inflows through its taskforce and hold investor relations meetings in Tokyo with major Japan-based investors.
South Korea’s Ministry of Economy & Finance reported on Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol’s meetings in New York with senior executives from Apollo Global Management, BlackRock and PIMCO on foreign exchange and capital market reforms and the government’s “physical AI” policy. The firms signalled interest in expanding investment and cooperation in AI and data infrastructure, energy transition, and Korean government and foreign-currency bonds, while BlackRock and PIMCO highlighted Korea’s progress toward MSCI Developed Market Index and World Government Bond Index inclusion. The ministry said it would swiftly address any additional improvements needed for post-inclusion investment procedures and maintain engagement with global investors.
The Central Bank of Syria reported that Governor Dr. Abdulkader Husrieh participated in the Friends of Syria roundtable on World Bank initiatives and multilateral donor cooperation to address Syria’s financing and technical support needs in line with national strategies. Discussions highlighted the Central Bank of Syria as a priority recipient of support, given its role in delivering monetary stability and facilitating the integration of Syria’s financial sector into the global banking system.
The Central Bank of Syria reported that Governor Abdul Qader Al-Husriya participated in an Atlantic Council roundtable on developments in Syria’s banking sector, co-sponsored with the U.S.-Syria Business Council. He highlighted progress on banking sector reform, strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems, and cooperation with American partners aimed at reopening the Syrian Arab Republic’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The Bank of Albania’s Second Deputy Governor Natasha Ahmetaj highlighted at the Albanian Diaspora Summit the central bank’s reforms to formalise and improve remittance channels, develop a low-value payments strategy, implement a legal framework for payment services and support fintech-driven financial inclusion. She underscored the diaspora’s role as a key source of human and financial capital and noted that Albania’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area is expected to reduce transfer costs and enhance cross-border payment efficiency.
The Financial Conduct Authority has issued Warning Notice Statements outlining proposed enforcement action against Hartley Pensions Limited and an individual at the firm. The FCA alleges the firm provided false and misleading information and that substantial amounts of customers’ pension funds were dishonestly withdrawn and invested without consent for the benefit of the individual and a company they owned, with attempts to mislead the FCA to conceal the misconduct. The notices are not final decisions and may lead to a Decision Notice and ultimately a Final Notice with published findings.
The Palestine Monetary Authority, with the Ministry of Labor, has launched the second phase of the “Bader” programme, providing up to ILS 40 million in cost- and interest-free financing to workers who lost jobs inside the Green Line, in settlements, and in the West Bank to establish or expand businesses. This phase adds to an initial ILS 30 million, bringing the total lending portfolio to ILS 70 million with potential for expansion, and is supported by training and capacity-building via the “Monshati” platform and Ministry of Labor offices.
The Ukraine National Commission on Securities and Stock Market reported staff participation in training webinars delivered by the Ontario Securities Commission on investor engagement, financial literacy, and regulatory responses to misconduct. The programme covered communication of complex information, use of digital channels and investor enquiries to identify market issues, approaches to investor warnings and verification tools, and enforcement practices including case selection, digital tools, and whistleblower programmes.
Bank of Indonesia reported external debt rose to USD437.9 billion in February 2026, up 2.5% year-on-year, driven mainly by higher public sector borrowing and foreign inflows into Rupiah securities, while private external debt declined. Government external debt reached USD215.9 billion, was almost entirely long term, and concentrated in health, public administration, education, construction, and transport, while private external debt stood at USD193.7 billion with 76.0% in long-term maturities. Bank of Indonesia assessed the structure as stable, citing an external-debt-to-GDP ratio of 29.8% and long-term debt at 84.9% of the total.
The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency of Türkiye has revoked Magdeburger Sigorta AŞ’s authority to enter into new insurance contracts and renewals in all branches. The decision, adopted by Board Decision No. 1693 on 15 April 2026, takes effect from 16 April 2026.
The General Pension and Social Security Authority has launched a Pension Advisory Service on the Ma’ashi digital platform to provide legal and technical guidance on UAE Pension Law and GPSSA regulations. Customers can book consultations with a specialized team to clarify their pension position, review rights and responsibilities, and calculate current or future pension entitlements, with final decisions remaining the customer’s responsibility.
Moldova’s National Commission for Financial Markets adopted a draft law on consumer credit contracts extending regulation to additional lending forms, including interest-free credit, and introducing clear limits on consumer costs. It also approved standardised insurance product information documents for compulsory motor third party liability insurance, authorised the reorganisation of ELAT into a limited liability company, removed BASWOOL SA shares from the securities issuers register following liquidation, and again ordered TRANSELIT SA to regularise a claims file and pay an insurance indemnity, warning of a new coercive fine of MDL 12,000 after a prior MDL 4,000 fine failed to secure compliance.
The National Commission for Financial Markets has drafted a new law to replace Moldova’s consumer credit framework, aligning it with the EU acquis and developments such as digitisation and online lending. The proposal broadens the scope of regulated credit, tightens rules on advertising, pre-contractual information, tying and consent, and introduces caps on most credit-related costs and arrears penalties, while adjusting interest-rate ceilings. It also sets clearer registration, transparency and conduct requirements for credit intermediaries and treats advisory services as a distinct, consumer-focused activity, with the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization expected to advance the bill.
The Central Bank of the Republic of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange have adjusted banks’ overseas lending rules, raising prudential ceilings and refining indirect lending via overseas banks. The overseas lending leverage ratio for foreign-funded banks operating domestically is increased to 1.5 from 0.5, the Export-Import Bank’s ratio to 3.5 from 3, and the minimum approved ceiling to CNY 100 billion. For indirectly extended overseas loans of more than one year, overseas banks may lend under local laws while domestic banks must strengthen internal controls and specify fund-use conditions in contracts.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has opened consultation on an exposure draft bill to amend the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2010, seeking technical feedback to ensure the changes are workable and reflect prior Cabinet policy decisions. The bill would modernise insurance regulation, align it more closely with international practice, expand the standards the Reserve Bank can issue, and introduce a proportionality principle requiring publication of a framework for tailoring regulation to insurers’ size and nature.
The Chile Financial Market Commission published updated biannual statistics on insured motor vehicle repair times for July to December 2025, reporting an average of 52.3 days from claim filing to vehicle pickup and 29 days to workshop entry, extending the downward trend since 2023. The Commission also refreshed its public comparison platform and reported 89,084 insured vehicles involved in accidents in the first half of 2025, 2,227,842 vehicles with current insurance coverage, and 4,705 reported workshop agreements in the second half.
The Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (Colombia) published a commentary on the debate over the Banco de la República’s role and autonomy, drawing on an academic forum on central banks’ functions. The note contrasts a narrow focus on inflation control with broader mandates including employment, growth and financial stability, and examines how autonomy balances insulation from political pressures with coordination of government economic policy, including distributional and macroeconomic trade-offs from higher interest rates.
The Central Bank of Estonia announced that Governor Madis Müller will join an Estonian government delegation to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, focusing on coordinating economic policy amid geopolitical tensions, trade frictions and tighter financing conditions. Key themes include central banks’ role in price stability, IMF guidance on targeted, fiscally sustainable support, World Bank priorities on job creation and private investment in developing countries, and climate policy. The delegation will also hold bilateral meetings with IMF and World Bank leadership, and Estonia’s Tax and Customs Board will present digital and artificial intelligence solutions for revenue collection.
Colombia’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit will lead an international economic forum in Bogotá to reassess Latin American monetary policy and the role of central banks amid supply shocks, geopolitical tensions and social pressures. Discussions will address whether monetary policy should move beyond price stability toward broader development, exchange-rate and employment objectives, the balance between central bank autonomy and accountability, and the implications of the Banco de la República board’s recent interest-rate increases and possible mitigation measures for vulnerable households.
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan held discussions with former Croatian National Bank Governor and IMF consultant Marko Skreb on medium-term priorities to strengthen its analytical function and research capacity. The agenda focused on clarifying the role of research, systematising processes, improving its use in decision-making, and expanding cooperation with external experts and academic institutions. The visit includes lectures, presentations and working sessions with the Research Department to support capacity-building and knowledge exchange.
The Central Bank of the UAE is developing a nationwide unified electronic Know Your Customer platform under its Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme, in partnership with Norbloc AB, to streamline KYC/Know Your Business processes and lower compliance and operational costs. The platform will automate workflows, integrate trusted data sources, and support anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism frameworks using a privacy-by-design, consent-based data-sharing model for financial institutions and fintech companies, with future phases to expand capabilities.
The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of Kazakhstan outlined its consolidated supervision framework for financial conglomerates, detailing 2025 requirements for group-wide risk management, internal controls, stress testing, and a capital adequacy methodology that limits reliance on intra-group investments. It is also developing internal risk assessment models for insurance and securities and preparing legislative reforms, including a new Law on Banks and Banking Activities and updates to insurance and securities legislation.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has eased Social Stock Exchange requirements to facilitate participation and fundraising by not-for-profit organizations. Key changes extend the period an NPO may remain registered without raising funds from two to three years and allow the minimum subscription for zero coupon zero principal instruments to be reduced from 75% to 50% in specified circumstances, subject to Social Stock Exchange due diligence. SEBI has also tightened under-subscription disclosures, requiring explanations of alternative capital-raising plans and mandatory refunds where the minimum subscription is not achieved.
South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance briefed senior executives from 13 major global financial institutions in New York on its foreign exchange and capital market reform agenda, AI strategy, and energy-price risk measures. It highlighted corporate governance and investor-protection reforms, Korea’s inclusion in the World Government Bond Index, and its goal of joining the MSCI developed-market index through measures such as 24-hour FX trading, offshore won settlement, and eased account-opening and KYC rules. The ministry pledged to accelerate reforms and keep engaging investors to address frictions and “unreasonable” regulations.
The Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan reported that senior officials met IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li at the Spring Meetings to discuss Tajikistan’s economic situation and the outcomes of the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI), with the IMF signalling continued engagement and support for priority reforms. The ministry highlighted the successful completion of the PCI, linking it to stronger macroeconomic foundations, improved budget transparency, development of the domestic government securities market, and progress on tax, budget and institutional reforms, while the IMF stressed the need to prepare for risks under different global outlook scenarios and reinforce macroeconomic stability. An additional IMF mission to Tajikistan is planned.
The Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan held talks in Washington with the World Bank on expanding cooperation in financial sector development, private sector access to financing, domestic capital market development, economic digitalisation and strengthening the investment climate. Both sides expressed readiness to deepen collaboration in these areas.
The Bank of Korea reported its February 2026 monetary and liquidity aggregates, showing marginal month-on-month growth in narrow money and flat broad money on a seasonally adjusted, period-average basis, with M1 up 0.1% and M2 unchanged. Liquidity of financial institutions (Lf) rose 0.8% and period-end liquidity (L) increased 0.9%, while year-on-year growth in the original series reached 7.6% for M1, 4.9% for M2, 6.9% for Lf, and 8.0% for L.
The Central Bank of the Philippines reported that ASEAN finance ministers and central bank governors endorsed measures to deepen capital markets, expand regional payments connectivity, promote financial health, and adopted the ASEAN Finance Sectoral Plan 2026–2030. The meeting underscored vigilance over risks from volatile capital flows, climate-related shocks, and geoeconomic fragmentation, and committed to enhanced cooperation in sustainable finance, disaster risk financing, regulatory alignment, and digital financial innovation, including completion of the ASEAN Taxonomy’s technical screening criteria and launch of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum Action Plan.
The Central Bank of the Philippines reported Overseas Filipino cash remittances of USD 2.79 billion in February 2026, bringing year-to-date flows to USD 5.81 billion, up 3.1%. Personal remittances reached USD 3.10 billion in February and USD 6.46 billion year to date, also up 3.1%, with the United States recorded as the top source, followed by Singapore and Saudi Arabia, though the bank cautioned that routing through correspondent banks can distort source-country data.
The Central Bank of Colombia published its April 2026 quarterly Financial Stability Report update, highlighting key vulnerabilities amid stronger economic activity, higher inflation expectations, and persistent fiscal risks. It flags risks from tighter local financial conditions, higher funding costs, potential valuation losses in collective investment funds, increased market risk from greater exposure to local public debt, and possible abrupt Colombian peso depreciation, while noting generally moderate risk indicators and existing mitigants. The update also cites uncertainty around potential regulatory initiatives as an additional source of risk for financial markets and intermediaries.
The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority published a report on KiwiSaver providers’ investments in private assets, noting current exposures in retail funds average less than 5 percent of assets under management but are expected to rise. While most providers follow international valuation standards, the FMA identified weaknesses including infrequent valuations, limited oversight of external valuers, conflicts of interest in related-party situations, and unclear investor communications, and it encouraged stronger valuation governance and disclosure. The FMA will continue engaging with providers and supervisors to support appropriate valuation standards.
The Capital Markets Tribunal approved a settlement between the Ontario Securities Commission and Liquidnet Canada Inc. over breaches of National Instrument 21-101 relating to confidentiality on its fixed income and equities alternative trading systems. Certain trade and order information was improperly visible to employees of foreign affiliates, and the firm was not sufficiently forthcoming with the regulator when the issue arose. Liquidnet Canada Inc. will pay a CAD 600,000 administrative penalty, cover investigation costs, and retain an independent consultant to review its practices.
The Reserve Bank of Fiji plans a single, standardised QR code for all payment apps to streamline QR payments and reduce failures. It confirmed that QR payment and digital wallet providers must be licensed under the National Payment System Act 2021 and 2022 Regulations, and reported that as of December 2025 there were 957,816 registered e-money users, with 2025 wallet transactions totalling 116.4 million valued at FJD 7.3 billion, QR payments reaching FJD 672.3 million, and inward mobile-money remittances FJD 742.3 million.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a conditional exemptive order permitting customer cross-margining between cleared cash market positions in U.S. Treasury securities and cleared U.S. Treasury futures by granting limited relief from the broker-dealer customer protection rule for certain dually registered broker-dealer futures commission merchants. The Commission also approved a Fixed Income Clearing Corporation rule change adopting a Third Amended and Restated Cross-Margining Agreement with Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc., extending cross-margining from proprietary clearing members to eligible customer positions subject to specified margin, documentation, risk management and segregation conditions, including an 80% cap on margin reductions.
IMF staff and Argentine authorities reached a staff-level agreement on the second review of Argentina’s 48‑month Extended Fund Facility, which, pending Executive Board approval, would unlock about USD 1 billion (SDR 0.8 billion). The package maintains a zero-cash balance fiscal anchor consistent with a 1.4 percent of GDP primary surplus, tight monetary policy, and wider exchange rate bands. It targets an increase in net international reserves of at least USD 8 billion in 2026, supported by at least USD 10 billion in central bank FX purchases this year. The strategy also envisages refinancing FX obligations through dollar-denominated domestic-law issuance, state asset sales, central bank repos, external loans, and legislative measures including approval of the 2026 Budget.
Payments Canada issued its quarterly update on the Real-Time Rail programme, highlighting expanded membership eligibility and the onboarding of its first payment service provider members and first provincial credit union member. The update also notes completion of user acceptance testing in Q1 2026 and ongoing non-functional testing through Q2 focused on performance, resilience and security, alongside preparations for industry testing and operational readiness.
U.S. Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren has asked Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for all records produced or received by former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh from 2006–2011, including documents on the Fed’s 2008 crisis interventions and the ethics waiver allowing Warsh to deal directly with Morgan Stanley. The request, tied to the committee’s review of Warsh’s potential nomination as Fed Chair, cites concerns over his role in actions involving Bear Stearns, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, AIG, and previously unanswered questions.
Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren responded to reports that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will investigate “well-timed” oil futures trading ahead of Trump Administration announcements on the Iran conflict. She urged the CFTC and Securities and Exchange Commission to probe potential insider trading by Trump officials, brief Congress and the public on accountability measures, and noted an earlier request with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for an investigation into unusual oil futures trading patterns.
The Argentina Securities Commission (CNV) has adopted General Resolution No. 1129 to update and clarify rules for disseminating information on public offerings via prospectuses, supplements and other preliminary documents, including for automatic authorisation and regimes not requiring prior CNV approval. The resolution standardises the use and legends of preliminary documents, mandates their notification and submission through the TAD platform, reinforces issuer and governance responsibilities for information accuracy, and requires explanations of changes between preliminary and final versions, with preliminary information remaining valid for up to 20 business days if no placement occurs.
The World Bank Group announced that the Turkic Investment Fund has joined the Reserve Advisory & Management Partnership, expanding RAMP’s collaboration platform for public-sector asset managers. As a member, the Fund will access World Bank Group Treasury advisory services and executive training and join RAMP’s global network of central banks, sovereign institutions and international financial institutions focused on governance, risk management and long-term financial sustainability.
The Bank of Korea published preliminary March 2026 Export/Import Price and Trade Indexes, reporting sharp month-on-month increases in export and import prices in KRW terms and a strong year-on-year rise in export values. The Export Price Index rose 16.3% month on month and 28.7% year on year, and the Import Price Index increased 16.1% and 18.4% respectively, with price gains concentrated in manufacturing and mining products and the net barter and income terms of trade indexes up 22.8% and 50.9% year on year.
The Central Bank of Bahrain has issued directives to all retail banks and financing companies on deferring loan instalments and credit card payments under its loan deferral and liquidity support program. The three-month deferral covers both principal and interest for eligible individual and corporate customers, with firms required to communicate the deferral procedures to facilitate access and implementation.