The Philippine Department of Finance outlined investment priorities for Mindanao and called for business expansion across the region’s strategic sectors. It also highlighted lower registration fees, longer importer accreditation validity and reduced creditable withholding tax rates for local importers and manufacturers.
HKMC Annuity Limited now allows customers to receive guaranteed monthly annuity payments in eligible renminbi bank accounts in the Chinese Mainland through Payment Connect. Payments will be converted from Hong Kong dollars at the servicing bank’s prevailing exchange rate, with customers bearing related fees and currency-conversion risks.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Ministry of Trade and Industry updated their assessment of Singapore’s consumer price developments for July 2026.
The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority has issued proportionate risk management requirements for small and medium investment firms, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The framework covers governance, capital planning, material risk management, control functions, reporting and outsourcing, with additional risk-bearing capacity, stress-testing and orderly wind-down requirements for medium firms.
The Egypt Financial Regulatory Authority has initiated criminal proceedings against an unnamed consumer finance company and barred it from signing new contracts for one month over loans obtained using parents’ data. It also suspended certain financing products pending review, revoked the chief executive’s license and sanctioned key employees. Affected parents’ financial and credit obligations have been canceled.
The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority is seeking proposals by September 14 for clearer guidance on applying financial rules to new products, services or business models.
The Maldives Monetary Authority reviewed measures combining expanded foreign exchange intervention with tighter rufiyaa liquidity management. Official reserves stood at USD 686.8 million at the end of June, down 17% year over year, while the 2026 current account deficit is forecast at 7.8% of GDP. The rufiyaa minimum reserve requirement is scheduled to rise to 11% in September and 13% by the end of 2027.
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic revoked RPS Asia LLC's registration as operator of the Yurta international electronic money system on Aug. 20, 2026.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has launched a centralized portal for securities market participants to access cybersecurity circulars, vulnerability warnings and incident insights.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India signed a long-term partnership with Rashtriya Raksha University and the National Institute of Securities Markets. The collaboration covers cybersecurity and emerging-technology training, research and open-source intelligence, and includes a planned Technical Innovation Unit for joint operations and innovation in the securities market.
The National Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan licensed First Line LLC to operate the one2one payment system.
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic held its key rate at 12.00% effective August 25, 2026, citing persistent external inflation risks and strong domestic activity. Annual inflation reached 11.7% as of August 14, while real gross domestic product grew 11.1% in January-July, with the Bank maintaining tight monetary conditions and signalling further action if price-stability risks emerge.
The Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission ordered CHO to disclose more information and reassess its proposed THB 1.4 billion software acquisition by Aug. 27, 2026. The price is about nine to 10 times the independent financial adviser’s estimated fair value, while the share-funded transaction would give the seller 19.91% of CHO’s voting rights.
The Australian Department of the Treasury is consulting on measures to reduce climate disclosure compliance costs while maintaining core requirements and international alignment. Options include retaining limited assurance, delaying reasonable assurance until 2035 or restricting it to mature metrics, alongside clearer guidance and limits on burdensome value-chain data requests. Any changes will not affect reporting for the 2026-27 financial year.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission warned Australians about bank impersonation scams after 4,278 reports involving AUD 2.48 million in losses from Jan. 1 to May 31, 2026. The warning follows an AUD 35 million penalty against HSBC Bank Australia for significant failures in protecting customers and responding to scam reports.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye will resume one-week repo auctions after suspending them on March 1, 2026.
The Central Bank of Peru reported a 62.8% increase in the 12-month trade surplus through June 2026 to USD 44.882 billion. The first-half surplus widened to USD 22.756 billion as exports, supported by higher commodity prices, grew faster than imports.
The Dominican Republic Superintendency of Banks has upgraded SIMBAD with tools covering newly disbursed loan rates, credit card costs and financial conditions. The platform also adds improved navigation and interactive analysis by institution type, region and gender.
The Maldives Monetary Authority has taken action against Raha Resort and South Palm Resort Maldives for failing to meet mandatory foreign currency exchange obligations. It also issued a final registration warning to unregistered entities, particularly those in Category B, and reminded businesses to comply with the applicable exchange requirements.
Saudi Central Bank Governor Ayman M. Al-Sayari and Capital Market Authority Chairman Mazen T. Al-Sudairi discussed closer cooperation in financial sector development and fintech to support confidence in financial stability.
The Oman Financial Services Authority has introduced licensing and conduct requirements for insurance risk assessment and loss estimation. Prior authorization is mandatory, and insurers may not use unlicensed providers. Licensed entities must meet competency, independence, reporting, confidentiality and conflict-of-interest standards.
The Central Bank of Egypt has issued digital financial identity and eKYC rules that enable customers to open accounts and obtain banking services without visiting a branch. The framework covers electronic consent and authentication, governance, operational standards, data protection and cybersecurity.
The Central Bank of Libya and the Government of National Unity reviewed fiscal and monetary policy coordination and implementation of the Unified Development Agreement. They agreed on the need to address implementation shortcomings and continue monitoring agreed measures.
The Central Bank of Iraq trained more than 250 banking and nonbank financial sector employees on actions recommended by the Financial Action Task Force. The program covered risk assessment, suspicious transaction reporting, enhanced due diligence for politically exposed persons, and controls for money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.
The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets reported a 3.2% decline in insurer complaints to about 121,000 in 2025, while average handling time fell to 15.5 days. Non-life complaints rose 5.1%, including a 24.8% increase for legal expenses insurance, prompting discussions with market participants.
Bank Indonesia outlined support for MSMEs adopting circular business models through guidelines, waste-processing initiatives and a sustainable agriculture competition. Of 1,950 competition registrations, 200 proposals will receive coaching, while five leading innovations will be offered business matching and other development opportunities.
Bank Indonesia reported provisional Karya Kreatif Indonesia 2026 sales of IDR 144.2 billion, up 46% from the previous year. Export business matching reached IDR 169.9 billion, while financing business matching totaled IDR 285 billion, 30.3% above the prior three-year average.
The Kuwait Capital Markets Authority licensed Estate Capital Investment to market privately 25,000 shares in the Cayman Islands-based Vantage Development II Ltd Fund at USD 1,000 per share. The offer is limited to professional clients, and the license will run for one year from issuance of the license certificate after payment of the required fees.
The National Bank of Moldova reported that the financial benefit from the country’s SEPA connection exceeded EUR 13 million in its first 10 months. Cross-border euro transfer costs fell from EUR 20-EUR 150 to EUR 1.09 per transaction.
The Central Reserve Bank of Peru will extend its additional foreign currency reserve requirement to consumer loans, excluding credit cards, from December 2026. The trigger will initially be based on the higher of 95% of the May 2026 covered loan balance or 7% of regulatory capital, with both benchmarks scheduled to decline over time.
The Philippines Insurance Commission reported that insurance penetration rose by 0.16 percentage points year on year to 1.96% in the second quarter of 2026. Combined premiums and contributions reached PHP 282.91 billion, led by life insurance, while benefits paid increased 16.69% to PHP 90.87 billion.
Bank Indonesia outlined programs to support youth-led regeneration and entrepreneurship among MSMEs, particularly in traditional textiles and handicrafts. Measures include an innovation competition involving 580 textile MSMEs and marketplace training and marketing assistance for 2,156 firms.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas lowered its 2026 Texas employment growth forecast to 1.7%, equivalent to 241,300 additional jobs. Employment declined at an annualized rate of 0.1% in July, while the statewide unemployment rate increased to 4.5%.
The Central Bank of Uruguay will introduce a fully online authorization and registration process for virtual asset service providers on September 1, 2026. Covered firms must obtain prior authorization from the Financial Services Superintendency before operating. Information sessions will explain the process and demonstrate the application.
The Central Bank of Aruba presented its 2026–2030 strategy, prioritizing digitalization, data, stakeholder engagement and preparedness for cyber and climate risks. It also previewed its forthcoming economic outlook and published seven studies on challenges expected to affect Aruba over the next 10 to 15 years.
The FDIC arranged for Second Federal Savings and Loan Association of Philadelphia to assume all deposits and substantially all assets of the closed Tioga-Franklin Savings Bank. The bank’s sole branch will reopen on August 24, 2026, and customers will retain immediate access to insured deposits. The Deposit Insurance Fund faces an estimated USD 5.5 million cost.
Ecuador's Financial and Monetary Policy and Regulation Board approved updated credit data rules, cutting information retention from six years to four and credit report coverage from three years to two. The framework strengthens personal data protections and sets criteria for future information sources without automatically opening access to new or protected databases.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission held the inaugural meeting of its Innovation Advisory Committee. Members discussed cryptocurrency regulation, artificial intelligence and computing in derivatives markets, and prediction markets and novel event contracts.
The Bermuda Monetary Authority is consulting on ComFrame-aligned rules that would strengthen governance, risk management, liquidity oversight and supervisory reporting for internationally active insurance groups. The requirements would operate as an overlay to the existing group supervision framework and place primary accountability on the Head of the group. Comments are due by Sept. 30, 2026, with final rules targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia appointed Skander Van den Heuvel as executive vice president and director of research, effective November 1. He will oversee its research, financial statistics and consumer finance functions and advise President and CEO Anna Paulson on the economic outlook and monetary policy.
The Latin American Financial Action Task Force approved the region’s first sectoral proliferation financing risk assessment and updated its fifth-round evaluation standards to incorporate humanitarian exceptions under United Nations Security Council resolutions. It also advanced mutual evaluations and adopted a regional program to assess AI and emerging-technology risks, with work continuing through 2027.
The Ghana National Insurance Commission, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and the police’s Motor Traffic and Transport Department are strengthening cooperation against fake vehicle registration and insurance documents. Planned measures include better real-time data sharing, verification and digital platform integration, alongside joint efforts to prosecute those producing or distributing fraudulent documents.
The Angola Capital Markets Commission approved Banco Angolano de Investimentos’ public offering of up to AOA 50 billion in sustainable bonds. A supplemental allotment option could add AOA 7.5 billion, and the bonds are expected to be admitted to stock exchange trading.
The Bank of Jamaica held its policy rate at 5.50%, judging the rise in inflation to 7.5% in July as largely temporary. Inflation is expected to remain above the 4% to 6% target during the September quarter before moderating, although the central bank is prepared to act if price pressures persist.
The Central Reserve Bank of Peru reported that traditional exports rose 30.2% year over year to USD 7.112 billion in June 2026, driven by higher commodity prices despite a 2.6% decline in volumes. First-half exports increased 49.4% to USD 45.715 billion.
The Brazil Securities Commission has permitted introducing broker partnerships to provide Brazilian residents with access to derivatives on CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX. The arrangements remain subject to investor protection, anti-money laundering and local oversight requirements, while future structures will be assessed case by case.
The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency of Türkiye will hold oral examinations for successful assistant insurance specialist candidates between Aug. 25 and Sept. 4, 2026, depending on specialization. Candidates must check their details through Career Gate and bring valid identification.
The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency of Türkiye has set deadlines for insurers to transfer fire and engineering reinsurance data to the Insurance Information and Monitoring Center. Data for policies issued in 2026 and treaty information are due by Sept. 30, 2026, while required data from Jan. 1, 2024, onward are due by Dec. 31, 2026.
The National Bank of Serbia reported that mobile and electronic banking payments increased 11.8% year over year to 75.3 million in the second quarter of 2026. Mobile banking payments rose 26.8% to 42.6 million, while electronic banking payments fell 3.1% to 32.7 million.
A Bank of England staff working paper estimates that US capital gains tax cuts since 1975 increased price-dividend volatility by about 35% by strengthening the transmission of beliefs into prices. Model experiments suggest taxes on unrealized gains reduce volatility more reliably than financial transaction taxes.
A Bank of England staff working paper finds that productivity gains can raise or lower inflation depending on the timing of supply and demand responses, the affected sector and monetary policy. Persistent gains may lift demand and the natural real rate, requiring tighter policy, while temporary or rapidly realized gains are more likely to reduce inflation.
The National Bank of Moldova reported that individuals’ net foreign currency supply covered 100.2% of business demand in July 2026, up from 96.9% in June. The central bank made no foreign exchange market interventions during the month.
The National Bank of Moldova reported July foreign exchange assets of MDL 58.095 billion and liabilities of MDL 57.868 billion across licensed banks. Long open positions totaled MDL 444.0 million and short positions MDL 216.4 million, with euro exposures accounting for the largest shares.
The Portuguese Insurance and Pension Funds Supervisory Authority reported an 18.1% year-on-year increase in direct insurance production to EUR 9.42 billion in the first half of 2026. Amounts paid rose 25.8%, largely because of storm-related non-life claims, while estimated solvency and minimum capital coverage ratios declined to 198% and 523%.
The Portuguese Insurance and Pension Funds Supervisory Authority reported that pension fund assets reached EUR 20.5 billion at the end of June 2026, up 3.2% from end-2025. First-half contributions rose 17.4% year over year to EUR 465.9 million, while benefits paid increased 7.4% to EUR 518.9 million. Investment funds accounted for 43% of portfolios and debt securities for 46%.
The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority has given credit institutions until December 31, 2026, to implement new granularity criteria for retail exposures. The transition addresses technical implementation difficulties, while the general requirements under Article 123(1) of the Capital Requirements Regulation remain applicable.
The Financial Services Commission of Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates Capital Market Authority signed an agreement to strengthen cross-border regulatory cooperation. It covers supervision, market surveillance, inspections, investigations, training and information exchange.
The Central Bank of West African States warned that false social media guidance on banknote authentication could cause users to accept counterfeits or reject genuine notes. It urged reliance on its official guidance and may take legal action against communications that undermine confidence in its currency.
The Kazakhstan regulator expanded VTB Bank Kazakhstan's universal banking license to include interbank loans, guarantees, sureties and other interbank operations.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India warned Edelweiss Life and Pramerica Life for breaching Expenses of Management limits. Both insurers are barred from opening new places of business for six months and must present the orders to their boards and submit the meeting minutes to the authority.
The State Bank of Pakistan has designated United Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited and National Bank of Pakistan as domestic systemically important banks for 2026. From March 31, 2027, they must meet additional Common Equity Tier 1 requirements of 2.5%, 1.5% and 1%, respectively, alongside enhanced supervisory requirements.
The agency approved Ivan Vyacheslavovich Serdyuk for senior executive and governing body roles in the securities market.
The Central Bank of Ecuador reported 2.2% year-over-year growth in economic activity in June 2026, led by services, trade, manufacturing and construction. Non-oil activity rose 2.3%, while the economy expanded 2% across the first half of 2026.
The Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission ordered TSR to submit and disclose its auditor-reviewed, rectified first-quarter 2026 financial statements without delay. TSR must also rectify its second-quarter statements by September 21, 2026, after the auditor was unable to obtain sufficient evidence on the physical count of automatic vending machines.
The Indonesia Financial Services Authority reported that online lending to MSMEs grew 23.25% year on year to IDR 35.12 trillion as of June 2026. MSMEs accounted for 33.41% of total industry financing, while the aggregate TWP90 default rate was 4.26%.
Bank Indonesia reported that M2 grew 8.3% year on year to IDR 10,371.1 trillion in July 2026, slowing from 8.7% in June. Disbursed loan growth accelerated to 13%, while growth in net claims on the central government slowed to 4.6%.
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic fined a Bishkek-based payment firm KGS 220,000 for noncompliance with mandatory state orders and deficiencies in anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing controls.
The National Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan discussed deeper banking cooperation with India, including payments, digital finance, financial inclusion and supervision. The talks also covered direct commercial bank links, correspondent banking, cross-border payments and participation by Indian financial institutions and investors.
The National Bank of Serbia reported that financial sector inflation expectations eased, with the Ninamedia one-year measure falling to 3.5% in July and the Bloomberg short-term measure declining to 3.9% in August. Corporate expectations remained at 5.0%, while household expectations stayed at 10%.
The Bank of Greece reported that the travel services surplus rose to EUR 6.93 billion in the first half of 2026. Receipts increased 14.8% and inbound traveller flows grew 15.4%, while average expenditure per trip declined 0.6%.
National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine Chair Oleksii Semeniuk outlined proposals for tax-advantaged personal investment accounts and reforms to voluntary pension savings. The pension changes would strengthen fund governance, capital and asset controls, while a savings guarantee mechanism is also under consideration.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s balance sheet increased by AUD 2.705 billion to AUD 361.217 billion in the week to Aug. 19, 2026. Gold and foreign exchange assets rose by AUD 3.535 billion, while Exchange Settlement balances declined by AUD 4.493 billion.
The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway fined Atlas Special Opportunities LLC NOK 125,000 for late and incomplete disclosures after it exceeded a 15% holding in Circio Holding ASA. Atlas notified the market after the deadline and omitted required information about the threshold-triggering event and its resulting ownership.
European Central Bank Banking Supervision has updated its supervised entities list for changes through July 1, 2026, with 110 significant entities under direct ECB supervision. CREDITAS B.V. became significant and entered direct supervision on June 11 following its acquisitions of the MeDirect entities. The update also records several mergers and legal name changes.
China's National Financial Regulatory Administration and two ministries are promoting nationwide adoption of one-stop services for inquiries into deceased persons’ financial accounts. Regions with strong data-sharing and interagency coordination are encouraged to replicate pilots that cover financial asset inquiries and withdrawals of eligible small deposits.
The weighted average interest rate on new loans by Taiwan’s five major domestic banks rose by 0.012 percentage points to 2.167% in July 2026, driven by higher rates in all categories except housing loans.
The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina reported foreign direct investment inflows of BAM 1.41 billion in 2025, led by Germany and the financial services sector. The investment stock stood at BAM 22.16 billion at year-end, and data for the previous two years were revised.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan warned that foreign regulatory licenses do not permit investment platforms to provide or promote services in Azerbaijan. Residents should use only investment companies licensed by the central bank and verify providers against its official list.
The Central Bank of Madagascar plans gold collection points in four mining regions to expand formal supply channels and strengthen traceability, quality and purity controls. The initiative also supports mercury-free artisanal mining and improved access to banking, financing and guarantee mechanisms for miners. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining directly employs about 600,000 people in Madagascar.
Russian insurance premiums rose 14.4% year on year to RUB 2 trillion in the first half of 2026, led by endowment life insurance. Payments increased 16% to RUB 1.3 trillion, while the market’s net profit declined by nearly one-third.
The Bank of Ghana highlighted USD 2.61 billion in new investments across 253 projects in 2025, including nearly USD 686 million in wholly Ghanaian-owned projects. Governor Johnson Pandit Asiama also noted that inflation fell to 4.6% in July 2026 and outlined work on financial products to channel diaspora remittances into productive investment.
The Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency reported that mandatory pension fund assets reached EUR 28.8 billion and UCITS assets rose 2.8% to EUR 4.8 billion in July 2026. Insurance premiums increased 6.9% year on year to EUR 1.3 billion in the first seven months, while settled claims grew 9% to EUR 762.1 million. Zagreb Stock Exchange market capitalization rose 3.5% despite lower monthly turnover.
The Ukrainian government terminated Mykola Hladyshenko’s powers as chair of Sense Bank’s supervisory board early, following information submitted by the National Bank of Ukraine concerning applicable qualification requirements.
Ukraine's National Securities and Stock Market Commission and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry outlined joint work to reduce barriers to capital market financing. Priorities include simpler issuance procedures, improved foreign capital access and new instruments such as industrial notes and tokenized assets. The parties plan to use specific company cases to identify regulatory, legislative and systemic changes.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore said closing insurance protection gaps requires suitable, affordable products and trusted customer interactions, not awareness alone. Only about 8% of Asia’s USD 65 billion in natural catastrophe losses in 2025 was insured, while protection gaps also persist in mature markets.
The Central Bank of the Philippines welcomed R&I’s affirmation of the country’s A-minus investment-grade rating with a stable outlook. It remains focused on bringing inflation closer to the 3% target through a forward-looking, data-driven policy approach.
The Financial Secretary has reappointed Lam Chun-sing as chairman of the Mandatory Provident Fund Industry Schemes Committee, appointed one new member and reappointed eight members. Their two-year terms run from Aug. 25, 2026, through Aug. 24, 2028.
De Nederlandsche Bank's Olaf Sleijpen said central bank independence requires legal protection, institutional resolve, transparency and accountability. He highlighted its importance for Suriname as inflation falls and expected oil revenues create risks of overheating, urging the country to prioritize long-term productive capacity.
The Bank of Finland has opened applications for a five-year Board member term beginning Feb. 1, 2027. Candidates must meet education, subject-matter and management requirements, with applications due by noon on Sept. 9, 2026.
The Danish Financial Supervisory Authority has urged all financial firms to assess AI-enabled cyber threats and strengthen their cybersecurity and operational resilience proportionately. Firms should establish clear management accountability, improve vulnerability monitoring and patching, and test response and recovery plans against AI-driven attacks. The authority will analyze the sector’s AI use and related risks in the second half of 2026.
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic approved audit appointments at Alma Finance Bank and Demir Kyrgyz International Bank, effective Aug. 20, 2026.
New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment reported that regulated open banking payment requests rose 39% from May to July 2026, reaching more than 408,000 and NZD 130 million in value, while data-sharing requests exceeded 19 million. The ministry will also assume responsibility for maintaining and developing the existing standards created by Payments NZ and industry participants.
The Central Bank of the Philippines reported that Asia-Pacific central bank governors approved initiatives covering scam prevention, responsible AI and training for junior central bankers. The measures include an information-sharing task force to improve scam detection and work to help financial institutions manage AI risks.
The State Bank of Pakistan governor urged banks to strengthen retail deposit mobilization and increase private sector lending. He said both deposit and credit penetration remain low compared with other emerging markets, despite banking assets reaching PKR 69 trillion and deposits PKR 43 trillion at end-June 2026.
The Vietnam State Securities Commission awarded Tinh Van Technology a VND 525 million contract to maintain its website system. The lump-sum contract runs for 365 days from its effective date.
The Vietnam State Securities Commission awarded FPT IS a VND 538 million contract to maintain its internal accounting software. The fixed-price contract will run for 365 days from its effective date.
The Vietnam State Securities Commission made no award in its VND 4.14 billion tender to upgrade fee and charge collection software. All three bids failed to meet the technical requirements.
Thailand’s Office of Insurance Commission proposed closer cooperation between Thai and Russian insurers to support tourism, trade and health care. The proposals cover local claims support for Russian visitors, reinsurance and cargo coverage, and links between medical innovation and Thailand’s health insurance system.
Bank Indonesia facilitated eight financing agreements between financial institutions and MSMEs, divided equally between inclusive and sustainable financing. Its MSME business-matching program reached IDR 285 billion as of July 2026, including IDR 150 billion in inclusive financing and IDR 135 billion in sustainable financing.
Bank Indonesia reported that the balance of payments deficit narrowed to USD 0.9 billion in the second quarter of 2026 from USD 9.1 billion in the first quarter. A USD 12.0 billion capital and financial account surplus largely offset a wider USD 12.5 billion current account deficit. Reserve assets remained at USD 145.6 billion at the end of June.