In a parliamentary reply, Monetary Authority of Singapore Chairman Gan Kim Yong addressed a question on whether the Government has a timeline to decide on making cash acceptance mandatory by law. He referred to Minister Chee Hong Tat’s Committee of Supply response of 26 February 2026 for the Government’s position.
The National Bank of Hungary, through remarks by Governor Mihály Varga, announced it will transfer its approximately 1,400-piece art collection from central bank premises into museum exhibition spaces as part of a broader effort by the new management to focus on the Bank’s statutory primary objectives. An initial tranche of 101 works by 51 artists is being moved to Miskolc, with the collection to be made publicly accessible via one museum in Budapest and 29 museums outside Budapest, including existing loans to museums in Budapest, Debrecen, Székesfehérvár, Karcag and Veszprém.
The National Bank of Denmark’s March 2026 data show foreign-exchange reserves fell DKK 0.5 billion to DKK 686.8 billion, driven by net FX sales and central government net foreign borrowing, with no FX market intervention. Liquidity figures showed a central government net financing requirement of DKK -47.3 billion and a DKK 46.3 billion drop in banks’ and mortgage-credit institutes’ net position vis-à-vis the central bank to DKK 276.9 billion, mainly due to central government liquidity effects. Policy rates have been unchanged since June 2025, with the balance sheet showing lower monetary-policy deposits and higher central government deposits at end-March.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Central Africa said a first group of new commissioners has been sworn in before the CEMAC Community Court of Justice in N'Djamena. The oath formalizes their mandate to protect public savings, support market transparency and uphold credible regional financial regulation. The authority also linked the ceremony to stronger governance and deeper regional market integration.
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has published a new edition of IQ reviewing where the post-crisis derivatives regulatory framework may require recalibration, including in light of central clearing, non-cleared margining and higher capital requirements. It highlights recent Basel III implementation developments in the United States and United Kingdom, recommends prudential changes for securities financing transaction exposures, and flags persistent trade reporting data quality issues amid EU and UK efforts to simplify reporting and ISDA’s Digital Regulatory Reporting initiative.
The National Credit Union Administration has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking under the ninth round of its Deregulation Project to reduce regulatory burden in rules on credit union chartering and field of membership eligibility. The proposal would amend 12 CFR Part 701, Appendix B to remove the automatic disqualification of associational groups that require purchase of a product or service as a condition of membership, enabling a more holistic eligibility assessment and regulatory relief for associational groups and multiple common bond federal credit unions.
The European Central Bank published an Occasional Paper finding that banks’ internal probability of default estimates for listed corporates do not consistently incorporate earnings manipulation signals, as proxied by the Beneish M-Score, and may reflect them only with delay. The analysis shows default probabilities rise meaningfully only when manipulation signals are strong, with higher exposure-weighted probabilities of default in certain countries and sectors. The paper highlights potential supervisory needs for qualitative overrides and introduces a manipulation-adjusted indicator, PD+, to show how fraud risk can amplify default risk.
The European Central Bank’s Working Paper No. 3215 analyses crypto-asset ownership and payment use in the euro area using microdata from its 2022 payment survey of 39,507 adults in 17 countries. It finds that while crypto ownership is relatively higher, actual payment use is very low and concentrated in a small, cash‑centric “crypto payer” subgroup, and that cash and crypto appear complementary in normal times but act as substitutes under uncertainty. Instrumenting cash‑reserve behaviour with COVID‑19‑era payment shocks, the study shows that building cash buffers reduced the probability of crypto ownership by around 10 percentage points, with implications for central bank digital currency design around cash‑like privacy, simplicity and resilience.
The Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a consultation on additional principles for identifying major shareholders of securities and digital asset business operators to prevent technology-related crimes and money laundering. The proposal would treat certain funding providers or financial supporters of major shareholders as major shareholders requiring approval, with “significant funding” defined to capture guarantees and substantive financing arrangements while excluding ordinary business transactions, and with a simplified approach where the major shareholder is a specified government-related entity.
The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets has published research finding that artificial intelligence use in the Dutch asset management sector is increasing faster than firms’ policies and internal arrangements, with associated risks growing. Asset managers mainly use AI for analysis, price forecasting and trading strategies, but many lack budgets, AI-specific governance, policies on employee and generative AI use, and ethics frameworks. The authority urges firms to strengthen governance, including clear policies, data quality controls, supplier due diligence and explainable, controllable models.
The White House issued a National Financial Literacy Month message urging Americans to improve financial literacy and highlighting policies to increase household resources and access to financial education. The statement referenced the One Big Beautiful Bill’s middle-class tax cuts, creation of “Trump Accounts” providing USD 1,000 to eligible newborns for long-term savings, support for blockchain and digital finance, and US Department of the Treasury initiatives such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Money Smart programme.
The Central Bank of Iraq has announced a 14-day Central Bank remittance auction (B348) for conventional banks and a 14-day Islamic certificate of deposit auction (ICD165) for Islamic banks, both to be executed on 12 April 2026. For both auctions, the investment size will be set at 50% of private sector deposits as of 26 March 2026, based on data submitted via the Banking Statistical Reporting System, excluding current-type accounts from the deposit base.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance, via Deputy Finance Minister Juda Agung, set priorities for the National Committee for Islamic Economy and Finance (KNEKS), urging it to move beyond a formal role and operate more effectively and agilely. The remarks called for stronger cross-sector coordination across sharia MSMEs and halal industries, renewed impetus for sharia banks and non-bank Islamic financial institutions including sharia fintech, and faster digitalisation for online donations, endowments and halal traceability to support exports.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance, via Deputy Minister Suahasil Nazara, stressed the need for a consistent development strategy to avoid the middle-income trap amid global uncertainty, citing solid fundamentals: growth above 5 percent, inflation around 3 percent, a 70‑month trade surplus, adequate foreign exchange reserves, and an expanding manufacturing sector. Nazara outlined five priority agendas: human capital and labour productivity, infrastructure and basic services, institutional and regulatory reform, adaptive macroeconomic policy, and political and security stability, underpinned by the credibility of the State Budget, monetary policy, and investment policy.
Romania’s National Bank kept its key rate at 6.50 % (lending 7.50 %, deposit 5.50 %) on 7 April, extending an unchanged stance since April 2025. Citing stubborn but easing inflation and weak growth, it flagged upside risks from higher energy prices that may lift inflation above projections in H1 2026 before a Q3 drop, and affirmed readiness to act to safeguard stability.
The Central Bank of Estonia reported that consumer prices in March were 3.6% higher year on year and flat month on month, with Estonia the only euro area country to record a monthly fall in energy prices as lower electricity prices offset higher motor fuel costs. Food and services inflation both slowed, though the bank expects higher energy prices to feed into food and transport, and forecasts overall inflation of 3.8% in 2026, peaking at year-end under current energy market assumptions.
The Securities Scientific Research and Training Center, in cooperation with SSI Securities Corporation, held a conference on “New thinking in stock investment” to enhance securities knowledge, analytical skills, risk management and legal compliance among young and prospective investors. Vietnam State Securities Commission Vice Chairman Ha Duy Tung underscored the stock market’s role as a medium and long-term funding channel and the growing participation of retail and younger investors, while experts discussed market fundamentals, investment strategies, risk cautions and opportunities and challenges as the market is upgraded.
The Brazil Securities Commission has suspended the registration of publicly held company Cia Industrial Schlosser S.A. for failing for more than a year to provide information required under CVM Resolution 80. While suspended, the company’s securities cannot be traded on regulated markets, and the measure does not affect liability for any prior violations by the company, its controlling shareholders, or its officers.
The Bank of Finland will discontinue its separate data collection on crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending, citing the marginal size of Finland-registered crowdfunding intermediation and limited statistical coverage that excludes foreign providers. In 2024, Finland-registered platforms mediated EUR 23.8 million in financing, down 66.3% from 2023 and the lowest level since 2017. Peer-to-peer lending will instead be monitored via data reported to the Tax Administration’s Positive Credit Register.
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission issued an investor warning that titanledger.io, connectfinancials.com, meridian-experts.com, finxara.com and getleveraged.com are not authorised under Article 5 of Law 87(I)/2017 to provide investment services or perform investment activities. The authority urged investors to verify firms’ licensing status on its website before engaging in any investment services or activities.
The Australian Treasury has released an options paper on targeted reforms to the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort to support its long-term sustainability, amid projected costs of AUD 75.7 million in 2025–26 and over AUD 137 million in 2026–27. Proposals include enhanced recovery and subrogation powers, changes to payment and levy mechanics, recalibrated compensation for financial advice determinations, and a rules-based three-tier special levy waterfall with sub-sector and overall caps. Treasury stresses the options are not yet Government policy or law and notes the Shield Master Fund and First Guardian Master Fund matters remain before the Federal Court and under ASIC investigation.
The Australian Treasury has issued a consultation paper on options to curb high‑pressure sales practices linked to cold calling and lead generation for superannuation switching and other financial products, following the collapses of the Shield Master Fund and First Guardian Master Funds. Proposed reforms include increasing accountability for lead generators, strengthening the hawking prohibition, targeting conflicted remuneration, licensing lead generation, tightening consent rules for real‑time contact, and expanding ASIC stop order powers. Treasury stresses the options are not yet Government policy and that consultation feedback and enforcement outcomes will inform next steps.
The Department of the Treasury (Australia) has issued a consultation paper on policy options to strengthen member protections in the superannuation system following the collapse of the Shield and First Guardian Master Funds. Proposals include enhanced platform trustee governance, tighter controls on inter-fund switching and advice-fee deductions, higher civil penalties under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993, and new compensation mechanisms for member losses from fraud or theft.
The State Bank of Vietnam’s Deputy Governor Pham Tien Dung used a National Cybersecurity Association workshop in Hanoi to outline how artificial intelligence is reshaping banking operations and cyber risks, calling for closer coordination between authorities, businesses and experts. He highlighted AI applications in credit assessment, fraud detection, process automation and customer support, alongside emerging threats such as personalized scams, deepfake-enabled impersonation and adaptive malware, and referenced efforts to refine Vietnam’s cybersecurity and AI governance framework with a focus on safety, transparency and accountability.
The State Bank of Vietnam will host the Financial Stability Board’s Regional Consultative Group for Asia meeting in Hanoi on 8–9 April 2026, providing a forum for regional authorities to contribute to the 2026 work programme. Co-chaired by Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock and State Bank of Vietnam Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha, the meeting will gather senior officials and international institutions to discuss foreign exchange market stress, security in cross-border payments, and vulnerabilities from global stablecoin arrangements.
The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of the Republic of Kazakhstan published banking sector indicators as of 1 March 2026, showing a 0.1% monthly decline in assets to KZT 70.0tn, a 0.4% rise in credit to the economy to KZT 40.2tn, and a tenge loan share of 90.8%. NPL90+ were 3.9% of the loan portfolio with 61.6% provisioning coverage, while equity increased 2.2% to KZT 11.0tn and February net profit was KZT 389bn, with ROA at 4.0% and ROE at 26.9%.
The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of Kazakhstan reported insurance sector assets rose 1.1% in February 2026 to KZT 4.0 tn and net profit reached KZT 17.9 bn, while premium inflows and contract volumes declined, partly due to a new 10% cap on commissions for insurance linked to bank loans. As of 1 March, the sector comprised 25 insurers, with securities at 72.7% of assets, liabilities up 0.8% to KZT 2.9 tn and equity up 1.9% to KZT 1.1 tn. Gross written premiums fell month on month and year on year across voluntary personal and property lines, while insurance payouts rose 33.1% year on year to KZT 81.2 bn year to date.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan clarified legal requirements for joint-stock company issuers on the preparation, submission and disclosure of annual reports, including content, approval and publication obligations. It highlighted that late or missing reports trigger warning letters and may result in administrative liability, and recommended specific notification procedures where a joint-stock company ceases business activity during the year.
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority has issued technical specifications for Small and Non-Complex Undertakings and Groups to support application of the new simplified proportionality framework under the Solvency II review. The specifications detail how quantitative and qualitative criteria, including a two-year consistency requirement, should be applied, clarify the use of specific Quantitative Reporting Template data points, and address scenarios to promote convergent implementation and supervision across Member States.
The Central Bank of the Philippines reported preliminary gross international reserves of USD 107.5 billion as of end-March 2026, equivalent to 7.1 months of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income and about 3.9 times short-term external debt on a residual maturity basis. The release reiterates reserve adequacy benchmarks of at least three months of import coverage and 100 percent of total short-term external debt falling due within the next 12 months.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has granted a one-time relaxation extending the validity of its observation letters under the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018, that would otherwise expire between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026, to 30 September 2026. The measure, prompted by industry concerns over resource mobilisation and weak market conditions, applies to public issues under Regulations 44(1) and 59C and is conditional on the lead manager providing an undertaking of compliance when submitting an updated offer document.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has granted a one-time relaxation from penal provisions under its July 2023 Master Circular for listed entities that fail to meet Minimum Public Shareholding requirements where the compliance due date falls between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026. Recognised stock exchanges and depositories are instructed not to impose, and to withdraw, fines, freezing of promoter shareholding and other actions for such non-compliance during this period, and to amend their rules to implement the measure.
The Central Bank of Nepal announced that newly appointed Deputy Governor Neelam Dhungana has taken the oath of office and assumed her role, following a decision by the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers). The bank highlighted her internal career progression from Assistant Director to Executive Director, including leadership of the Payment Systems Department and the Foreign Exchange Management Department and prior responsibilities as the bank’s spokesperson.
The Kyrgyz Republic’s State Service for Regulation and Supervision of Financial Markets held a working meeting with financial sector representatives and Islamic finance expert Osman Kassim on transitioning from an “Islamic window” approach to a full-fledged Islamic insurance (takaful) system. Discussions covered the regulatory framework, institutional development and application of international Islamic finance standards, with the regulator highlighting potential benefits for Sharia-compliant products and insurance access, and participants expressing readiness to continue cooperation on the model’s development and implementation.
The Kyrgyz Republic’s State Service for Regulation and Supervision of Financial Markets has published a Cabinet of Ministers resolution setting minimum requirements and a standardised framework for listing securities on stock exchanges. The rules define procedures and conditions for inclusion in the official list, minimum issuer criteria including operating history, equity, break-even, IFRS compliance and audited financials, and introduce a simplified regime for foreign issuers and international organisations aligned with international disclosure standards and Eurasian Economic Union practices.
The State Service for Regulation and Supervision of Financial Markets of the Kyrgyz Republic has appointed Kairat Adamkaliyevich Mamatov as Chairman, effective 16 March 2026. The authority published a profile outlining his prior leadership roles in Kyrgyzkomur OJSC, RSK Bank OJSC and Aiyl Bank OJSC, as well as his academic background in finance and law, public service in election bodies and state awards.
The State Service for Regulation and Supervision of Financial Markets of the Kyrgyz Republic has appointed Baiysh Turkmenovich Dushebaev as Deputy Chairman, effective 1 April 2026. Dushebaev brings experience in international business development, financial consulting, risk management and digital assets, alongside qualifications in international economics, project management, financial modelling and securities brokerage.
The Taiwan Financial Supervisory Commission published February 2026 operating statistics for credit cards, cash cards and electronic payment institutions, covering card volumes, balances, transaction values, write-offs and delinquency ratios. Credit card delinquency over three months averaged 0.22% on NT$115.8 billion of revolving credit, while cash card delinquency was 1.021% on NT$9.6 billion of loans. Electronic payment institutions reported 201.04 million stored value cards, 39.47 million electronic payment account users and NT$19.33 billion in end-of-month e-payment account balances.
The Taiwan Financial Services Commission has designated certain offshore-issued foreign government bonds, corporate bonds and Sukuk as marketable securities eligible for dual listing as foreign currency-denominated international bonds on the Taipei Exchange professional board for sale to professional investors. Foreign issuers may apply to the Taipei Exchange based on total issuance amount, subject to home-jurisdiction laws and supervisory cooperation arrangements, while the exchange is revising its rules on foreign currency-denominated international bonds to set trading and participation requirements.
The Taiwan Financial Services Commission’s March 2026 foreign portfolio investment update reported new registrations for three offshore foreign institutional investors and 887 offshore foreign individual investors, with no new mainland area investors. Foreign investors were net sellers of NT$705.34 billion in TWSE-listed shares and net buyers of NT$28.65 billion in TPEx-listed shares, while mainland area investors were modest net buyers, for a combined net of NT$-675.19 billion across both markets. Net remittances in March totaled USD -3.055 billion, with cumulative offshore foreign investor remittances at USD 337.877 billion and mainland area investors at USD 0.135 billion as of 31 March 2026.
The Central Bank of Taiwan reported that foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 596.89 billion at end-March 2026, down USD 8.60 billion from the previous month, reflecting reserve management returns, exchange rate movements and foreign exchange market intervention. It also noted that the market value of securities investments and New Taiwan dollar deposits held by foreign portfolio investors was USD 1,259.3 billion, equivalent to 211% of foreign exchange reserves.
The Directorate General of the Treasury and the Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority have updated their joint guidelines on asset-freeze measures for institutions under the Authority’s supervision, reaffirming the immediate, results-based obligation to freeze funds and economic resources of designated persons and to prohibit making such assets available. This second revision of the 2016 guidelines reflects recent French and EU legislative and regulatory developments, incorporates European Banking Authority guidelines, case law and supervisory findings, and underscores that the Authority may take supervisory and disciplinary action in addition to potential criminal penalties for breaches.
The Bank of France has appointed Philippe Mongars as deputy secretary general of the Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority, deputy director general of the Directorate General for Financial Stability and Operations, and head of the Financial Stability Hub, succeeding François Haas. Haas will move to the Bank of France’s New York office as chief representative for the Americas.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has formed a health insurance sub-committee under the Insurance Advisory Committee to review the private health insurance landscape and recommend regulatory, policy and operational measures to improve policyholder experience and penetration. Its work will cover coverage and penetration, claims experience, product design, grievance redressal, provider networks, hospital tariffs, fraud control, digital systems and interaction with public schemes. The sub-committee will also assess industry recommendations on a joint insurer–provider code of conduct, commercial engagement and provider classification, adoption of the National Health Claims Exchange, analytical studies on claim trends and medical inflation, and a framework for a basic product.
South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance convened a foreign exchange market roundtable with major global and domestic banks to review FX and international market conditions amid heightened Middle East–related uncertainty. The ministry said it is on high alert and ready to deploy bold stabilisation measures if won volatility becomes excessive, while intensifying efforts against market-disrupting fake news. Participants viewed South Korea’s fundamentals and external soundness as strong and cited supportive FX factors, including a domestic market return account, higher overseas dividends, Korean government bond inclusion in the World Government Bond Index, a forthcoming National Pension Service framework, an improving trade balance and recent tax changes.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka is recruiting a Director Human Resources and a Director Supervision to strengthen internal management and supervisory functions. The HR role focuses on organisational change, HR strategy, talent and performance management, while the Supervision role covers licensing, compliance oversight, risk-based supervision, and related policy and risk framework development. Both positions require at least 10 years of relevant managerial experience, with specified qualification pathways and an age range of 35 to 55.
The Saudi Arabia Insurance Authority fined an insurance company SAR 880,000 and ordered it to appoint an independent external consultant to address AML and CTF breaches. The failings involved risk assessment, customer due diligence, ultimate beneficial owner verification and transaction monitoring.
Saudi Arabia's Insurance Authority fined an insurance company SAR 500,000 for deficiencies in the monitoring and ongoing review of transactions and activities under anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing requirements.
Türkiye’s Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency announced that its supervisory reports underpinned a criminal investigation by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, leading to an operation involving GRI Sigorta AŞ and the detention of 35 individuals. The action concerns an alleged scheme to obtain unjust benefits by disadvantaging citizens in claim-related repair and scrap vehicle value payments, and the agency said it will continue efforts to protect policyholders’ rights and interests.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore has amended the Securities and Futures Act 2001 to support the proposed Global Listing Board by Singapore Exchange Securities Trading and Nasdaq, enabling dual listings under a streamlined framework and similar arrangements with other overseas exchanges. A new Part 13A empowers MAS to designate “prescribed overseas exchanges” and “prescribed dual listing boards” and to adjust Act provisions for such boards, subject to safeguards on liquidity, investor access and regulatory alignment. The Bill also allows retail marketing using a preliminary prospectus under specified conditions and requires the issuer, rather than the depositary, to register the prospectus for offers of sponsored depositary receipts.
The United Arab Emirates General Pension and Social Security Authority published an explainer highlighting pensions as a legal entitlement based on employment and contributions, providing lifelong monthly income after retirement and in cases of death, disability, or other medical conditions that prevent work. It notes that benefits extend to eligible family members from the first contribution, pension value increases with length of service with additional bonuses beyond 35 years, coverage includes work-related and non-work-related incidents, and retirees may combine pensions with other income under certain conditions.
The French Financial Markets Authority’s 2025 perception study shows broadly stable, high satisfaction of 4.1/5 among 400+ supervised entities, with particularly strong scores for crowdfunding providers and weaker ones for digital asset providers. Respondents praised staff competence, dialogue quality, responsiveness and approval timelines, but sought clearer, more accessible guidance and support on complex rules such as DORA, ESG and MAR. The authority will use the findings to advance its IMPACT 2027 strategy and prioritise clarity, responsiveness and accessibility in 2026.
The European Central Bank’s Frank Elderson says Europe’s reliance on imported fossil fuels is a major macroeconomic vulnerability that complicates the ECB’s price stability mandate, and that meeting clean‑energy targets would weaken the impact of global energy shocks on domestic inflation. ECB staff projections show renewed geopolitical tensions could again raise inflation while weighing on growth. He stresses that the energy transition will require about EUR 660 billion in annual investment between 2026 and 2030, versus nearly EUR 400 billion now spent on fossil fuel imports, and calls for deeper capital markets, progress on the savings and investments union, policy certainty, delivery on decarbonisation targets and preservation of the Emissions Trading System.
The Maldives Monetary Authority has published the latest round of its survey on business conditions and expectations, providing an updated snapshot of current activity and the near-term outlook for 2026, with comparisons to the previous round. The survey received 91 responses from a sample of 160, representing a 61 percent response rate, and the full report is available on the authority’s website.
As part of Global Money Week 2026, the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Jalal-Abad Regional Office delivered financial literacy lectures to university students and school pupils in the city of Manas. The sessions covered responsible money management, fraud schemes and money mule activity.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan is conducting its “Households’ financial behaviour and intentions” survey for the first quarter of 2026 to gather data on consumption and saving behaviour, debt burdens and servicing capacity, and inflation expectations. The results are used to support macroeconomic and financial analysis, forecasting, and monetary policy and financial stability decisions, with the survey run quarterly in digital format on the central bank’s website since 2025.
The Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority found a breach of Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 Article 15 on market manipulation and imposed an administrative fine of NOK 150,000. The decision concerns a systematic pattern of non-genuine orders in several less liquid shares between March 2024 and October 2025 that gave false or misleading signals on supply, demand or price, including intensive order activity and opposite-side trading in Eidesvik Offshore ASA. The authority rejected the trader’s claim that the activity was legitimate “scalping” influenced by algorithmic trading.
Kazakhstan’s financial regulator reported that as of 1 March 2026 equity market capitalisation rose 1.8% to KZT 44.7 trillion, the KASE Index edged up 0.1% to 7,711.15, and equity trading volume increased 0.5% to KZT 24.4 billion. Corporate debt on KASE grew 2.5% to KZT 16.7 trillion, with corporate bond turnover up 3.1 times to KZT 356.6 billion on sharply higher quasi-sovereign primary placements. Government debt rose 2.8% to KZT 32.9 trillion and government securities turnover increased 46.9% to KZT 0.8 trillion on new Ministry of Finance bond issues. The collective investment market comprised 58 unit investment funds with assets under management down 0.2% in February to KZT 345.3 billion.
The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of Kazakhstan issued its February 2026 supervisory update, highlighting 16.4 thousand consumer and corporate appeals, eight supervisory recommendations and 20 administrative fines totalling KZT 8.6 million, mainly involving banks and microfinance organisations. It also reported continued implementation of the mortgage refinancing programme, with banks refinancing or converting 49.3 thousand mortgage loans totalling KZT 326.7 billion and providing KZT 101.0 billion in additional support to 10.6 thousand vulnerable borrowers.
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission has banned Melbourne financial adviser David Lofthouse from providing financial services for three years after finding he inappropriately advised six clients to invest at least 75% of their superannuation in the High Growth or Growth class of the Shield Master Fund, which ASIC described as a new, conflicted product with no meaningful track record. The ban took effect on 30 March 2026 and is on ASIC’s Banned and Disqualified Register, with Lofthouse able to appeal. ASIC also cited prior actions involving Shield and MWL Financial Services, including halting new Shield offers, preserving scheme assets, cancelling MWL’s licence and commencing proceedings over alleged Shield advice failures.
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission has released a draft information sheet for feedback on its use of discretionary powers under the Corporations Act 2001 to appoint a reviewing liquidator to a company in external administration. The draft clarifies who can apply, how applications are assessed, the scope of matters that can be reviewed, circumstances where ASIC is less likely to appoint a reviewing liquidator, and expectations of external administrators.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance reported international reserves of USD 1,374,731 million at end-March 2026, a decrease of USD 35,968 million from end-February. The reserves comprised USD 1,161,816 million in foreign currency reserves, USD 11,137 million in International Monetary Fund reserve position, USD 60,447 million in Special Drawing Rights, USD 125,343 million in gold and USD 15,988 million in other reserve assets, with most holdings in Special Drawing Rights basket currencies.
Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) hosted a Governance, Risk, and Compliance Forum ahead of the Risk and Governance Summit 2026, emphasizing integrity-based, sustainable GRC as a foundation for financial stability. Discussions highlighted key risks including cybersecurity, digital disruption such as artificial intelligence, business resilience, human resources, climate change, regulatory change, and beneficial ownership transparency in risk-based supervision and financial intelligence. The forum concluded with a collaboration commitment between OJK and professional associations.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued a final rule codifying the removal of reputation risk from its supervisory programmes, ending its use as a basis for supervisory action. Comptroller Jonathan V. Gould said the change is intended to curb subjective supervision that has contributed to lawful businesses and individuals being denied banking services and is part of implementing the President’s fair banking Executive Order, with the OCC continuing to review alleged debanking and related complaints.
New Zealand’s Serious Fraud Office reported that the Court of Appeal has dismissed the Crown’s appeal in the prosecution of former CBL Insurance executives Peter Harris and Carden Mulholland, leaving in place the September 2023 not-guilty verdicts. The Court of Appeal found the High Court had not erred on two questions of law related to specific charges, in a case the Serious Fraud Office linked to CBL’s 2018 collapse and its focus on alleged corporate fraud affecting confidence in businesses and financial controls.
The Chile Financial Market Commission is consulting on amendments to Chapter 20-7 of the Updated Compilation of Banking Regulations to update requirements for the externalization of services and introduce an ongoing information requirement via a new regulatory file. The proposal would align the outsourcing framework for banks and other supervised entities with recent international guidance, strengthen third-party and outsourcing risk management, and establish periodic reporting on provider registries, activities, and incidents to support supervision.
The Chile Financial Market Commission has launched a consultation on amendments to its Updated Compilation of Banking Regulations on service externalization and on creating a new Regulatory File imposing ongoing information requirements on third-party providers. The proposal would update Chapter 20-7 to align with recent international guidance, strengthen third-party and externalization risk management, and introduce a Regulatory File in the Information Systems Manual to periodically capture data on provider registries, activities, and incidents for supervisory purposes.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reported 456 enforcement actions and USD 17.9 billion in ordered monetary relief for fiscal 2025, but highlighted adjusted figures of USD 1.4 billion in disgorgement and prejudgment interest and USD 1.3 billion in civil penalties after excluding amounts tied to parallel orders and the Stanford litigation. It framed 2025 as a transition year, shifting from volume-driven actions toward fraud, market integrity and individual accountability, with about two-thirds of standalone actions charging individuals and 119 officer-and-director bars. It also reported USD 262 million returned to investors, USD 60 million in whistleblower awards, record tip volumes, and new initiatives including a Cross-Border Task Force and a Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit, while criticising the prior Commission’s focus on off-channel communications and certain crypto cases.
The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman outlined a “make IPOs great again” agenda to ease going and staying public by reducing regulatory friction while maintaining investor protections. The three-pillar plan focuses on streamlining periodic disclosures to material information, reaffirming state primacy over corporate governance, and permitting litigation alternatives for public companies while preserving shareholder access to meritorious claims, though no specific rule proposals were provided.
Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair Philip N. Jefferson said U.S. growth is near potential, the labor market roughly in balance but vulnerable to shocks, and inflation still above the 2 percent target. He cited resilient demand, high-tech investment, and geopolitical and energy-price risks, with PCE inflation at 2.8 percent and core PCE at 3.0 percent, and a cooling but stabilizing labor market. Jefferson backed the FOMC’s decision to keep the federal funds rate unchanged after 175 basis points of easing over 18 months, saying policy is near neutral and future moves will be data-dependent.
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the Australian Accounting Standards Board announced free, in-person workshops to help smaller and mid-size companies prepare for Australia’s new mandatory sustainability reporting requirements from 1 July 2026. The University of Technology Sydney–delivered sessions will cover climate science fundamentals, climate-related risks and opportunities, and build on ASIC’s Regulatory Guide 280 and eight ASIC–AASB educational modules, with ASIC signalling a pragmatic supervisory and enforcement approach as the regime is phased in.
The Argentina Securities Commission and the General Inspectorate of Justice are advancing a joint work agenda to enhance institutional coordination and simplify processes for a more efficient and predictable framework for market participants. Discussions focused on accelerating and improving access to administrative procedures, regulatory simplification, streamlined internal processes and digitisation of joint procedures, building on working groups launched in 2024.
The Argentina Securities Commission (CNV), together with the Secretariat of Education and the National Teacher Training Institute, held a nationwide teacher webinar on “Building financial citizenship from the State” under its Financial Education Program and the National Financial Literacy Program. The session presented financial education as a cross-cutting classroom topic, explained the CNV’s regulatory and investor protection role, and provided practical tools and fraud-prevention guidance based on investor queries.
France’s Ministry of Economics & Finance is launching a “Flash Fuel Loan” from 13 April to provide rapid cash-flow support to very small enterprises and SMEs in the transport, agriculture and fishing sectors facing higher fuel costs. Delivered with Bpifrance via an online platform, the unsecured loan ranges from EUR 5,000 to EUR 50,000 over 36 months at a 3.8% interest rate, with a 12‑month principal deferral, and targets firms with fuel expenses of at least 5% of turnover that meet specified criteria, including in overseas departments and regions.
The Central Bank of Brazil published retail payments statistics for the second half of 2025, showing 78.4 billion transactions worth BRL 68.2 trillion, up 12.9% in volume and 14.1% in value year on year. Pix accounted for 54.7% of transactions by count and 28.6% by value, while TED transfers remained the largest by value at 34.7%, and card usage grew amid declining merchant discount rates and stable regulated interchange fees. The data are now provided exclusively in open format on the Central Bank’s Open Data Portal, replacing the previous Excel distribution.
The International Monetary Fund published analysis on the renewed widening of global current account imbalances, concluding that durable rebalancing depends primarily on coordinated domestic macroeconomic policy adjustments rather than tariffs or industrial policy. The paper finds tariffs have modest, uncertain effects on current accounts, while industrial policies have heterogeneous, often limited impacts. Scenario analysis indicates imbalances could widen further under current trajectories in the United States, China and Europe, with escalating tariffs reducing output across regions, whereas domestic rebalancing would narrow imbalances and support global growth.
Peru’s Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Fund Administrators closed the 27th edition of its Extension Programme, a long-running initiative to train future financial supervisors, noting updated curriculum content on open finance and money laundering and terrorism financing risk management. The cohort of 27 young professionals was trained by SBS specialists and international institutions including the European Union’s Single Resolution Board, the World Bank and the US Federal Reserve, with SBS stating that the programme has contributed more than 400 professionals since launch.
The Central Bank of Cyprus published February 2026 data showing broad month-on-month declines in euro-denominated deposit and lending rates and higher net new loan flows, with total net new lending at EUR 328.7 million. Cyprus lending rates on outstanding balances were close to the euro area median, while deposit rates were the lowest in the euro area, which the Bank linked to high banking system liquidity. The share of new variable-rate lending fell to 53.4% across household and corporate loans, with variable-rate housing loans to households down to 15.7%, a trend the Bank said is relevant for banks’ risk management.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan has convened an attestation for listed insurance intermediaries at its Baku premises. The notice specifies identity card requirements for admission and a schedule covering 10 candidates across two sittings.
Peru’s Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Fund Administrators concluded the 27th edition of its Extension Programme, training 27 nationally selected young professionals, 47% of them women, plus seven internal specialists. Running since 1998, it has fed over 400 professionals into the authority and now includes Open Finance and AML/CFT risk management, with input from the EU Single Resolution Board, World Bank and US Federal Reserve, and a Fed-led bank analysis and inspection course for Latin American officials.
The Ministry of Economy and Public Finance of Bolivia has reinstated the use of debit and credit cards for domestic and international transactions, affecting more than 2.7 million people and over 8 million cards. Credit cards may be used without restrictions subject to repayment capacity, while banks must make at least USD 500 available per month on debit cards, with higher limits at each institution’s discretion, and all card transactions will use the Central Bank of Bolivia exchange rate.
The IMF Executive Board discussed a staff paper on global imbalances linking domestic policies to current account outcomes via saving and investment, finding traditional macroeconomic policies are the main drivers while industrial and trade policies matter only in specific cases. Directors highlighted risks from large current account gaps beyond fundamentals, called for refining the External Balance Assessment to better capture policy interactions, capital flows, and stock imbalances, and emphasized improved data, transparency on trade and industrial policies, and integrating external sector analysis into surveillance.
The International Monetary Fund published the concluding statement of its staff mission to Haiti, noting that all targets under the Staff-Monitored Program were met at end-December 2025 despite a more challenging macroeconomic environment and a seventh consecutive year of real GDP contraction. The statement highlighted easing but still elevated inflation, adequate reserve buffers, weak FY2026 revenue performance and higher implicit fuel subsidy costs. Going forward, the program will prioritize governance reforms and strengthening the anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism framework to support Haiti’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.
The Argentina Superintendency of Insurance has issued Resolution 136/2026 amending general, standard and compulsory contractual terms for motor and towed vehicle insurance to reflect updated requirements from the National Directorate of National Registries of Motor Vehicle Property and Pledge Credits. The resolution clarifies documentation required from insureds for total loss due to damage, fire, theft or robbery, including proof of deregistration or registry status, ownership, debt-free certificates, assignment of rights to the insurer and delivery of keys.
The Central Bank of Russia has launched Coin Week, a nationwide campaign from 6 to 18 April 2026 enabling the public to exchange coins for banknotes or deposit them into bank accounts at participating bank offices and retail outlets. More than 16,000 stores and 4,000 bank offices are involved, and since its inception in 2023 the campaign has returned over 215 million coins worth almost RUB 956 million to circulation.
The National Bank of Moldova’s Q4 2025 Financial Stability Assessment Report finds no systemic vulnerabilities or excessive systemic risk, with supervised institutions having adequate shock-absorption capacity. The financial stress index and banking sector vulnerability measure remained below thresholds, direct contagion risk was low, and liquidity risk was mitigated by solid liquid-asset buffers, although credit risk remained the main concern, particularly in real estate and trade lending under adverse scenarios.
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission is consulting on tighter auditor accreditation standards and mandatory Group A audits for corporations with major government contracts. The proposal raises applicants’ experience thresholds and expands the grounds for outright denial of accreditation. Comments are due by May 15.
The Superintendency of the Securities Market of Panama issued Communiqué No. 7 announcing the execution of the second and third groups of dissolutions of legal entities. The action forms part of its ongoing enforcement activity in the securities market.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has designated The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation as a financial agent of the U.S. government to support implementation of the new Trump Accounts program, including managing initial accounts and helping develop a dedicated app. BNY has partnered with Robinhood, which will act as brokerage and initial trustee for Trump Accounts, with the app built as a custom white-label product by the National Design Studio and Robinhood, and Treasury emphasizing that its authority is grounded in longstanding statutory powers and subject to oversight and security controls.
The Reserve Bank of India has issued draft amendments to its branch authorisation directions for a wide range of banks to streamline and harmonise the use of Business Correspondents in last-mile delivery of financial services. The proposals define three types of delivery points, simplify eligibility criteria for engaging Business Correspondents, subsume Business Facilitators under the Business Correspondent model, and introduce uniform commission and remuneration norms across the ecosystem.
The National Bank of Serbia announced that its regular May 2026 professional exam for licensing natural persons to provide information on voluntary pension fund membership and operations, and distribute prospectuses, will be held at its Belgrade premises. Candidates must submit complete applications to the Insurance Supervision Sector, and individuals who failed in the previous period may reapply, with the list of candidates and exam timetable to be published on the National Bank of Serbia website.
The Reserve Bank of India has issued an updated circular setting foreign portfolio investor limits for Government Securities, State Government Securities, corporate bonds and credit default swaps for FY 2026-27, keeping percentage caps unchanged while revising absolute limits in two half-year tranches. From 1 April 2026, all existing and future investments under the Voluntary Retention Route will be brought within the investment limits applicable to the General Route, and the prior FY 2025-26 limits circular is withdrawn.
The National Bank of Ukraine published the Oversight Council’s fifth review of the UONIA money market indicator and key foreign exchange market indicators, confirming UONIA remains a representative benchmark but requires methodological improvements. The review found the official and reference UAH/USD exchange rate indicators continue to meet market needs without changes, with sufficient trading volumes and the US dollar remaining the dominant transaction currency despite a slight increase in the euro’s share.
The National Bank of Ukraine has launched a call for papers for its in-person Young Researcher Forum in Kyiv on 4 June 2026, focused on how central banks operate under high uncertainty, war, and structural economic change. Submissions may cover monetary policy and macroeconomic stability under severe shocks, financial stability and lending development, economic recovery and European integration, and digitalisation, emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence, with the best papers eligible for prizes and an internship at the National Bank of Ukraine.
The Central Bank of Morocco and the Moroccan Capital Market Authority have launched the institutional website of the Futures Market Coordination Body, as the country’s financial instruments futures market begins trading with the first “MASI 20 Future” contract on the MASI 20 index. Established under Law 42-12, the body coordinates joint oversight of the futures market, and the new portal provides information on its governance, regulatory framework, market participants and related resources.
The Spanish Securities Commission (CNMV) has published a guide on “Digital persuasion for investors” explaining how digital engagement practices on investment platforms, apps and websites can influence investor behaviour. The guide outlines common tactics such as drip pricing, sludge, framing and scarcity claims, and provides practical recommendations for more disciplined investing in digital environments as part of the CNMV’s broader investor education efforts.
Mexico's National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Users of Financial Services (CONDUSEF) reported 1,089 complaints handled in Michoacán in the first two months of 2026, representing 2.3% of national cases and MXN 7.8m recovered for users. Commercial banks accounted for 68.6% of complaints, with unrecognised purchases and electronic transfers prominent, 38.6% of cases were linked to possible fraud, and 40.7% of resolved cases had outcomes favourable to users.
The Central Bank of Chile published results from its Price Determinants and Expectations Survey for the rolling quarter to February 2026, indicating broadly unchanged selling prices, decelerating cost pressures and median inflation expectations of 3% at both 12 and 24 months, with the 12‑month median declining. Sales levels continued to weigh on prices, the exchange rate’s influence fell below neutral, costs pushed prices up less than in previous quarters, and fewer firms expect to raise prices over the next 12 months.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia appointed Edward Lada Jr. and Juan Lopez to its Economic and Community Advisory Council. The council, established in 2008, convenes leaders from business, nonprofits, philanthropy, academia, the public sector, and organized labor to advise on emerging trends and market conditions in the Third Federal Reserve District and support inclusive regional economic growth.
The State Bank of Pakistan has introduced reforms to simplify export proceeds realization and reporting for IT exporters and freelancers, replacing transaction-level Form “R” submissions with a one-time service declaration and requiring banks to tag relevant service and purpose codes. The measures set a one working day maximum turnaround time for processing export receipts and remittances, standardize documentation, and require stronger complaint handling systems at banks. Separately, the State Bank has simplified service trade reporting by revising Form “R”, the Inward Remittance Voucher and Form “M”, raising the Form “R” threshold to above USD 25,000 and encouraging digitalization with auto-population of customer data.